Premier League: Can Wolves Bite the Injured Champions?

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City

So Manchester City can be beaten!

The treble winners and early leaders of the 2023/24 Premier League season were dumped out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night by Newcastle United. And, after starting the new season with six straight league victories and a Champions League win, this was a jolt for the Sky Blues.

What happened? Is the Carabao Cup not a major part of Pep Guardiola’s ambitions, after all the Sky Blues bowed out of the tournament last season on the way to their historic treble? It may not be his highest priority but the City boss likes to win everything and, while he rested key players including Erling Braut Haaland, we have to give credit to Newcastle who pressed and harried and eventually blew the Sky Blues away. 

Next up is Premier League: Wolves vs Manchester City and Pep’s team has a chance to put things right; but it’s also an opportunity for Gary O’Neil’s Wolves to give the champions another nasty bite.

The Wolves have had a sticky start to the campaign and could do with picking up points sooner rather than later…but can they repeat the Magpies success?      

Talking Points

Rodri out for Manchester City

If Wolves had the chance to choose a player from Manchester City’s squad to miss this game they would probably go for Haaland, but no such luck. The second name on most Wolves fans’ list would be defensive midfield ace Rodri, and he will be out after he picked up a red card during City’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest last week. Rodri has established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in world football, adding goals to his unrivalled strength and vision. He saw the red mist last week and, for reasons known only to himself, appeared to grab Morgan Gibbs-White by the throat at a point in the game when City were in total control, coasting to a 2-0 win.

Rodri’s absence might make room for former Wolves favourite Matheus Nunes to face his old team-mates following his £53m move to the Etihad in the summer. And there could be a start for the fit again Jack Grealish, who played the full 90 minutes against Newcastle and came through unscathed. The game time will have done Grealish good and he will be raring to go again on Saturday.      

The rested Haaland, who has scored eight goals in six league games, is sure to make a start alongside either Julian Alvarez, who scored a brace in the Champions League win over Red Star Belgrade, or Sumner recruit Jeremy Doku.  

Wolves need a pick-up

While Manchester City were crashing out of the Carabao Cup, Wolves were joining them as they went down to Championship side Ipswich 3-2. The cup defeat was all the more painful as Wolves took an early two goal lead before the Tractor Boys came roaring back.

O’Neil’s side picked up a 1-1 draw away to Luton Town last weekend; but the point came at a cost too as French midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegare is now suspended after he was sent off against the Hatters, and loanee Tommy Doyle will also be absent as he is ineligible to face his parent club. These two have been key players in Wolves’ midfield and O’Neil will probably call on Boubacar Traore to plug some of the gap alongside Joao Gomez.   

The Wolves vs Manchester City betting odds don’t give the hosts much hope, but Wolves need a pick-up. They have to be realistic though and a good performance and maybe a point would be a great outcome for their fans.     

History

These two clubs have met 30 times since 1996 and it has not always been a one-sided relationship. The Sky Blues lead the head to head Wolves vs Manchester City results though by a 17 to ten margin with three draws. But the last six games have seen the balance shift heavily towards Manchester as, since 2020, City have won all six, scoring 19 goals and conceding just three.

In terms of recent form, Wolves are without a win in four, while Manchester City have just slipped up in their first game of the season, winning the other seven.       

Betting Tip

At SBOTOP odds of 1.31 to win the Sky Blues look nailed on to make it seven from seven in the league, while Wolves are at 7.14 to win and 4.55 to Draw.

I just don’t see the Wolves’ bite worrying the champions right now; and a 2-0 away win is the most likely score-line at odds of 6.18, while 3-0 is 8.44.   

 

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