Man City vs Wolves: Premier League Preview, Gameweek 21, 2023

Premier League champions Manchester City host Wolves on Sunday, with Pep Guardiola's side looking to edge closer to runaway leaders Arsenal.

Man City vs Wolves: Premier League Preview, Gameweek 21, 2023
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 19: Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City celebrates with Nathan Ake and teammates after scoring the team's fourth goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at Etihad Stadium on January 19, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty - Manchester City/Manchester City FC via Getty Images)
billy-dobson
By Billy Dobson

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side can move within three points of leaders Arsenal with a win over Julen Lopetegui's Wolves on Sunday.

The Premier League champions showed fight to produce a spectacular 4-2 comeback victory over Tottenham in midweek, although boss Guardiola states there is still "work to do".

The win ended a run of two straight defeats for The Citizens, crashing out of the EFL Cup at St Mary's before faltering late on in the Manchester derby. 

Wolves head into the game having lost just twice since the World Cup break, only falling to Manchester United and Liverpool.

Lopetegui's men have picked up seven points from their last four league outings, a run that has moved them out of the relegation zone. 

Despite the upturn in both form and performances, goals remain a key issue at Molineux, scoring only nine goals in their last eight games in all competitions. 

City have won their last five meetings with Wolves, scoring 16 goals and conceding just three in the process. 

  • Team News

Man City

Breakthrough star Rico Lewis was substituted with a knock in the latter stages of Thursday night's win over Spurs. The 18-year-old is a doubt for Sunday's game.

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Both John Stones and Ruben Dias returned to action in midweek and could both be in contention to feature at The Etihad.

Kevin De Bruyne missed Tuesday's training session due to personal reasons before watching on from the bench against Tottenham. The Belgian international may return to the starting 11, along with fellow unused subs Phil Foden and Joao Cancelo.

Both Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland scored in their recent outing together, meaning they may begin the match against Wolves as a strike partnership.

Wolves

As for the visitors, Spanish international Pablo Sarabia is expected to make his Wolves debut in Manchester. The winger has joined from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee of roughly £4.4 million. 

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Diego Costa made his return from injury in the FA Cup defeat against Liverpool. The ex-Chelsea man will face competition from Raul Jimenez and Mathues Cunha for a spot in the starting 11 this week.

Mathues Nunes and Daniel Podence started Tuesday night's defeat on the bench but are expected to make a return to the side. 

Full back pairing Nelson Semedo and Hugo Bueno were rotated in midweek, but the duo will be hoping to replace Jonny Otto and Dexter Lembikisa on Sunday.

  • Likely Line-ups

Man City

Ederson; Walker, Stones, Akanji, Ake; Mahrez, De Bruyne, Rodri, Grealish; Alavrez, Haaland (4-4-2)

Wolves

Sa; Semedo, Collins, Kilman, Bueno; Neves, Nunes, Moutinho; Podence, Cunha, Hwang (4-3-3)

  • Key Players

Erling Haaland

Haaland is on course to smash the Premier League goal record having scored 22 in 18 appearances in the competiton so far.

In fact, Haaland's form has been so impressive, he sits just one goal behind Heung-Min Son and Mohamed Salah's Golden Boot winning tally of 23 goals last campaign. 

With City's recent slump in form, some have accused Guardiola's side of trying too hard to incorporate Haaland into their style of play. It feels unfair to blame a man with 28 City goals in 25 games as a problem.

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After his manager's harsh criticism on Thursday night, Haaland will be determined to impress his manager on Sunday, aiming to score against Wolves for the second game running. 

Matheus Nunes

It is fair to assume that Wolves will look to defend deep at The Etihad, absorbing the relentless City pressure. 

Breaking up the pitch at pace will be crucial if Wolves are to take anything from the game, something that Nunes will be tasked with by his boss. 

The Portuguese midfielder is already linked with a move away from Molineux, with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool sniffing around the 24-year-old. 

His ball carrying ability and press evasion is some of the best Wolves have ever seen, meaning the man Guardiola recently described as "one of the best players in the world" will be important on Sunday.

  • Match Details

Where is the game being played?

The game will take place at The Etihad Stadium, Manchester.

What time is kick-off?

Kick-off is at 2pm, Sunday 22nd January 2023.

How can I watch?

The game is not live on UK TV, but highlights will be available on Match of the Day 2 and Sky Sports' Premier League YouTube channel.