Preview: Manchester City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers - prediction, team news, lineups

Manchester City will endeavour to avoid losing a third consecutive game in all competitions when they welcome a resurgent Wolverhampton Wanderers outfit to the Etihad Stadium for a Premier League contest on Saturday afternoon.

The two teams meet for the first time since the opening weekend of the season in August when the Citizens cruised to a 4-0 victory at Molineux.

Match preview

Pep Guardiola’s new-look Man City squad found their groove at the end of 2025 when they claimed eight straight victories in all competitions, but they have since made a miserable start to the New Year, winning only two of their first seven games and losing their last two in painful fashion.

A depleted Citizens squad - albeit one that still possessed plenty of talent - were caught cold North of the Arctic Circle where they suffered a demoralising 3-1 Champions League defeat to tournament debutants Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday, leaving them with work to do next week to avoid dropping into the playoff places.

In response, Man City’s leadership group, including Erling Haaland and Rodri, have collectively raised around £10,000 and will refund every away supporter who made the trip to Norway, as they believe that ‘it is the least we can do’ following a hugely disappointing performance.

Three days earlier, Man City were deservedly beaten 2-0 by bitter rivals Manchester United in the Premier League, extending their winless top-flight run to four matches (D3 L1) and allowing title rivals Arsenal to move seven points clear at the summit with 16 games remaining.

Guardiola believes that ‘everything is going wrong’ for his ‘fragile’ Citizens side at present, but there is reason to be optimistic ahead of Saturday’s clash with Wolves, as City have won 10 of their last 11 Premier League meetings with the Old Gold, scoring 32 goals in the process.

Seeking to avoid going five Premier League games without a win for the first time since October/November 2009 (seven consecutive draws under Mark Hughes), Man City are unbeaten in their last 30 top-flight matches against teams starting the day bottom of the table (W24 D6), winning their last nine at home by a remarkable aggregate score of 36-0.

Wolves appeared destined for the drop not long ago, and that may still be the case, but 2026 has certainly brought a new sense of hope for Rob Edwards and co, as they are unbeaten in their last four Premier League matches (W1 D3).

This run has yielded six points for the Old Gold, twice as many as they accumulated across their previous 22 games (W0 D3 L19). Their latest result was a goalless draw with Newcastle United at Molineux last weekend, following positive results against Everton (1-1), West Ham (3-0) and Man United (1-1).

Wolves can ill-afford to slip back into old habits if they wish to pull off the great escape; they still remain routed to the foot of the Premier League table and are 14 points adrift of safety with 16 games left to play, including six of their next nine against current top-half teams.

While recent results have improved, Wolves still have work to do in attack, as they have scored just 16 Premier League goals this season, fewer than any other team in the division - no side has failed to score in more different top-flight matches than the Old Gold this term (11).

Wolves head into Saturday’s clash with Man City having only won five of their previous 23 encounters with the Citizens in the Premier League era (D2 L16), and their only triumph at the Etihad came in October 2019 when Adama Traore scored two late goals to seal a 2-0 victory.

Manchester City Premier League form:

Manchester City form (all competitions):

Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League form:

Wolverhampton Wanderers form (all competitions):

Team News

Man City will be without Josko Gvardiol (tibial fracture), John Stones (thigh), Mateo Kovacic (ankle), Ruben Dias, Oscar Bobb (both hamstring) and Savinho (unspecified) due to injury, while Matheus Nunes (illness) and Nico Gonzalez (knock) will be assessed ahead of kickoff.

While captain Bernardo Silva is available to return from suspension, new signings Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi are both in contention to start, with the latter expected to be handed his full debut at centre-back alongside Abdukodir Khusanov, with Max Alleyne making way.

If fit, Nunes will likely return at right-back and start against his former club, while Rayan Ait-Nouri - another ex-Wolves man - will battle with Nico O’Reilly for a start a left-back. Meanwhile, Rodri is available to start despite being sent off in midweek, but Guardiola will consider recalling Gonzalez to the base of City’s midfield if he is fit to start.

Phil Foden has not scored or assisted in his last nine appearances, while Haaland has failed to score from open play in his last eight matches, his worst goalless drought in club football since September 2017 to April 2018 with Molde (13).

Guardiola will likely stick with both Foden and Haaland in his first XI - Haaland has scored more PL goals against Wolves than any other player (10) - but the possibility of Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush starting at their expense cannot be entirely ruled out.

As for Wolves, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Toti Gomes (hamstring) and Leon Chiwome (knee) all remain sidelined with injuries, and Tawanda Chirewa (illness) is a doubt, while Fer Lopez is reportedly in talks over a loan move to Celta Vigo and could therefore miss out this weekend.

A back three of Yerson Mosquera, Santiago Bueno and Ladislav Krejci - who scored away against Man United earlier this season - is set to continue in front of goalkeeper Jose Sa, while Jackson Tchatchoua and Hugo Bueno provide the width as wing-backs.

Joao Gomes and Andre should continue in centre-midfield and could once again link up with 18-year-old Mateus Mane, who has scored the most goals (two) and has had the most goal involvements (three) of any Wolves player since the star of December, while he also ranks second for most shots (12) and touches in the opposition box (15) in that time.

Hwang Hee-chan will likely retain his place in the final third, but Edwards may consider recalling striker Jorgen Strand Larsen at the expense of Tolu Arokodare after five successive substitute outings for the Norwegian in the league.

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Gonzalez, Bernardo; Semenyo, Foden, Doku; Haaland

Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:

Sa; Mosquera, S. Bueno, Krejci; Tchatchoua, Andre, Mane, J. Gomes, H. Bueno; Hwang, Strand Larsen

We say: Manchester City 3-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Both teams are in desperate need of securing maximum points for different reasons, and while Wolves may enter this contest in higher spirits following their upturn in form, Man City will still be regarded as firm favourites and a big response on home turf is expected after back-to-back losses.

Wolves will fancy their chances of breaching Man City’s leaky backline, but we believe that Guardiola’s side will have enough to outscore their opponents and return to winning ways on this occasion.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.