In the aftermath of their early exit from the EFL cup, Wolves welcome reigning champions Manchester City to Molineux.
Key Takeaways
- It has been four matches without a win for Wolves across all competitions
- In the league, Manchester City is the only team to win all six matches
- In their last six meetings with Manchester City, Wolves have failed to beat them
Pep Guardiola's side have won all six games in the league so far, while Wolves are sixteenth in the table gathering just four points. Both coaches will be hoping to bounce back after their shocking cup exit.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Form
A mixed start to the season has been seen by Wolves. After losing back to back matches to Manchester United 1-0 and Brighton and Hove Albion 1-4 in the opening matches , things started looking up after Gary O' Neil made some tactical changes for the team. As a result, they started winning games, defeating the likes of Everton with a 0-1 away win and hammering League One side Blackpool by 5-0 in the EFL cup to reach the third round.
However, in the last four matches in all competitions things have not looked good for Gary O'Neil's side who have lost two matches in the league against Crystal Palace and Liverpool and played a 1-1 draw with newly promoted Luton Town. Although they had a 2-0 lead at halftime, Ipswich Town won the match making a second half comeback leaving them disappointed they wouldn't advance to the next round. For Gary O'Neil to get back on track and build confidence in his team, he needs to sort things out as soon as possible.
Manchester City Form
Pep Guardiola's side will look to bounce back after their shocking loss to fellow Premier League side Newcastle United in the EFL cup. Nevertheless, they have already won all six matches so far in the top flight. From where they left last season, they have started the season in fine form. They are the only side to keep three clean sheets this season as well as conceding the fewest goals.
Guardiola will watch closely what went wrong in the last match as this was the first time in the season that the Cityzens did not score. Pep Guardiola will be looking forward to continuing his impressive form in the league. However, Guardiola will be satisfied with how his side is performing in the league and in the Champions League.
Head-to-Head
The two sides have faced each other seventeen times in the past, with Wolves winning just three, drawing three and losing eleven games. Manchester City won all six games played between the two sides in the last six encounters.
Team News
Gary O'Neil will have all the players at his disposal except Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who is suspended after receiving a red card against Luton.
Pep Guardiola's squad has some injury issues, with several key players on the sidelines. Kevin De Bruyne is out until mid-December after suffering a hamstring injury. There is a doubt about John Stones' availability for this match. Bernardo Silva will be back soon after completing his recovery. Pep Guardiola will be without Rodri for this match as he will be serving a suspension for his red card in the last match.
Key Players
The performance of Pedro Neto for Wolves this season has been stellar, contributing a goal and four assists. Hee-Chan's three goals are the most of any player on the side this season and make him crucial for Wolves in this match.
From where he left last season, Erling Haaland has started the season well. Having scored eight goals in the league, he is the top scorer. Julian Alvarez is another player who has contributed to the Cityzens' success in the past few weeks, scoring two goals and three assists.
Final Thoughts
As the Cityzens sit at the top of the league, they have won all their road matches whereas Wolves have not been able to reproduce their form from the previous seasons. Pep Guardiola's side will be favourites for this match after beating Wolves six times previously. Fans will be entertained in this match as both sides look to rebound from their early exit from the EFL cup. It will be another tough outing for Gary O'Neil's team against Manchester City.