Match Preview Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City Premier League Game Week 1
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Ladbrokes game week one detailed match preview for Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City in the Premier League. Stats, odds, predictions, and line-ups for the 17:30 BST kick-off from Molineux Stadium.
Match Details
Fixture: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City
Date: Saturday, 16 August 2025
Kick-off: 17:30 BST
Venue: Molineux Stadium
Our Predictions for Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City
Wolverhampton Wanderers, coming off an 11th-place finish in 2024/25 (53 points), have had a winless pre-season (0-3-0), losing to Lens (1-3), Girona (2-1, Jhon Arias scored), and Celta Vigo (0-1). New signings Jhon Arias, Jørgen Strand Larsen, and David Møller Wolfe add flair, but the departures of Matheus Cunha and Rayan Aït-Nouri weaken their attack and defense. Manchester City, aiming for a sixth consecutive Premier League title, showed strong pre-season form (3-1-1), with wins over Chelsea (4-2, Haaland hat-trick), Palermo (3-0), and AC Milan (3-2). Despite injuries to Rodri and Phil Foden, new signings Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, and Omar Marmoush bolster their attack.
At Molineux, Wolves’ counter-attacking threat (Arias, Strand Larsen) faces City’s possession dominance, led by Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva. Wolves’ home crowd could make it competitive, but City’s depth and attacking prowess should secure a narrow victory given Wolves’ recent struggles
Match Prediction: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-3 Manchester City.
Form Guide & Team Overview
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves’ pre-season was winless (0-3-0), with losses to Lens (1-3), Girona (2-1, Jhon Arias scored on debut), and Celta Vigo (0-1). The sales of Matheus Cunha (€74m) and Rayan Aït-Nouri (€36.5m) hurt, but Jhon Arias and Jørgen Strand Larsen (14 goals in 2024/25) offer hope. Vítor Pereira’s 4-2-3-1 will rely on João Gomes’ midfield tenacity and Strand Larsen’s finishing to exploit City’s injury-hit squad, though defensive lapses (51 goals conceded in 2024/25) are a concern.
Recent Pre-Season Results:
Loss: 0-1 vs Celta Vigo (H)
Loss: 2-1 vs Girona (A)
Loss: 1-3 vs Lens (H)
Manchester City
Manchester City’s pre-season featured a win over Palermo (0-3) in a recent friendly, following their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a 5-2 win over Juventus and a 3-4 loss to Al Hilal. New signings Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, and Omar Marmoush impressed, but injuries to Rodri and Foden are concerns. Pep Guardiola’s 4-3-3 will dominate possession, with Haaland (7 pre-season goals) and Cherki targeting Wolves’ shaky defence, though limited pre-season friendlies temper their form assessment.
Recent Pre-Season Results:
Win: 0-3 vs Palermo (A)
FIFA Club World Cup: Win: 5-2 vs Juventus (26 Jun); Loss: 3-4 vs Al Hilal (1 Jul)
Head-to-Head Record
Manchester City have dominated recent encounters with Wolves, winning four of the last five Premier League meetings, including a 5-1 thrashing on 4 May 2024. Wolves’ lone win (2-1, 30 Sep 2023) shows their upset potential at Molineux, but City’s firepower makes them favorites.
Recent Premier League Results:
Manchester City 5-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (04 May 2024)
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 Manchester City (30 Sep 2023)
Manchester City 3-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers (22 Jan 2023)
Manchester City 3-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers (17 Sep 2022)
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-5 Manchester City (11 May 2022)
Team News & Injury Report
Wolverhampton Wanderers
No major injuries reported for the season opener.
Manchester City
Rodri (Knee Injury, out until early September 2025).
Phil Foden (Ankle Injury, expected return late August 2025).
Predicted Lineups & Tactical Setup
Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-2-3-1)
Line-up: Sá, Lima, Gomes, Agbadou, Wolfe, Gomes, André, Arias, Bellegarde, Hwang, Strand Larsen
Wolves’ line-up under Vítor Pereira integrates new signings Jhon Arias, David Møller Wolfe, and Emmanuel Agbadou. João Gomes and André anchor midfield, with Arias and Hwang Hee-chan supporting Jørgen Strand Larsen. The 4-2-3-1 focuses on counter-attacks to exploit City’s high line, but defensive solidity is key against Haaland.
Manchester City (4-3-3)
Line-up: Ederson, Lewis, Dias, Gvardiol, Aït-Nouri, Reijnders, Gündoğan, Silva, Cherki, Haaland, Doku
Manchester City’s line-up under Pep Guardiola features new signings Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Aït-Nouri, and Rayan Cherki. With Rodri and Foden sidelined, Reijnders and Ilkay Gündoğan control midfield, while Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku target Wolves’ defense. The 4-3-3 emphasizes possession and width to stretch Wolves.
Key Battles & Players to Watch
João Gomes vs Ilkay Gündoğan: Gomes’ tenacity faces Gündoğan’s composure in a crucial midfield duel.
David Møller Wolfe vs Jeremy Doku: Wolfe’s defensive discipline will be tested by Doku’s pace and dribbling.
Jørgen Strand Larsen (Wolverhampton Wanderers): His 14 goals in 2024/25 make him Wolves’ key threat.
Erling Haaland (Manchester City): His pre-season form (7 goals) and prolific record make him a constant danger.
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