Manchester City begin their Premier League campaign with a visit to Wolves this afternoon, in the first tea-time kick off of the new season. City finished third last term, 13 points off champions Liverpool, and they did not lift a single trophy either, so they are out for a marked improvement this time around.
Pep Guardiola has significantly strengthened his squad over the summer transfer window, with the arrivals of Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and James Trafford, while key figures of the previous era Kevin de Bruyne and Kyle Walker left the Etihad Stadium. Ait-Nouri could be in line to play against his former employers here as he prepares to make his Premier League bow for his new club.
Wolves, meanwhile, have lost their talisman Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, but they have brought in the likes of Fer Lopez, David Moller Wolfe, and Jhon Arias to try and soften that blow. it should be an exciting encounter in the Black Country, and you can follow all the action with our live blog below!
Wolves vs Man City latest news
- Full-Time: Wolves 0-4 Man City - MATCH REPORT
- GOAL! Cherki makes it FOUR with debut goal
- GOAL! Haaland makes it 3-0 to the visitors
- GOAL! Reijnders doubles City's lead
- GOAL! Haaland opens the scoring
FT: Wolves 0-4 Man City
19:32 , Alex DakersIt’s all over at Molineux.
Three points for City, and an evening to forget for Wolves.
A starring performance by Tijjani Reijnders, who becomes just the second Sky Blue to score and assist on his Premier League debut, after club legend Sergio Aguero.
Two goals for Erling Haaland either side of Reijnders’ successful effort - the first created by some sublime play by the Dutchman, and the second directly assisted by him - were capped off by another debut goal, this time from substitute Rayan Cherki.
Wolves 0-4 Man City
19:27 , Alex Dakers95min: Fer Lopez had a chance for a debut goal moments ago but his shot was saved by James Trafford.
Nico Gonzalez is down after taking a knock to his left elbow and receives treatment on the pitch. That looked sore.
The Wolves fans, meanwhile, are still singing the name of Diogo Jota.
Wolves 0-4 Man City
19:24 , Alex Dakers92min: Omar Marmoush whacks a direct free-kick into the wall, but it was quite close in to be fair to the Egyptian - tricky to get it up and over in time to hit the target.
Tijjani Reijnders mishits the rebound and Wolves have a goal-kick.
Wolves 0-4 Man City
19:23 , Alex Dakers90min: Seven minutes of stoppage time at Molineux.
Much of the home support won’t realise that, having already filed out of the stadium.
Wolves 0-4 Man City
19:22 , Alex Dakers89min: A Player of the Match award for Tijjani Reijnders, who has registered a goal and assist on his Premier League debut.
As I understand it, he’s only the second City player to manage that.
The first? Sergio Aguero.
Wolves 0-4 Man City
19:21 , Alex Dakers88min: Not much has changed in the last few minutes, as City knock the ball about at the back.
Wolves win possession briefly but then City steal it back again.
Rayan Ait-Nouri went down a moment ago but is back on his feet now.
Wolves 0-4 Man City
19:16 , Alex Dakers83min: City are just seeing out these closing 10 minutes now, and Abdukodir Khusanov replaces John Stones.
Hwang Hee-Chan then comes on for Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has had a few chances for Wolves but ultimately been unable to break down Pep Guardiola’s men.
Nico O’Reilly, meanwhile, is booked for a late lunge.
GOAL! Wolves 0-4 Man City
19:13 , Alex Dakers81min: Now it’s Rayan Cherki’s turn for a debut goal!
That didn’t take long at all.
A little one-two with Nico O’Reilly and then Cherki drags the ball to his right before lashing a shot back across goal and into the bottom left corner, through the legs of Wolves captain Toti Gomes.
Wolves 0-3 Man City
19:11 , Alex Dakers77min: James Trafford calmly bats away a slightly half-hearted shot from Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen.
This has been just about the perfect debut - so far, at least - for the young City goalkeeper.
What happens if/when Ederson returns to the fray, should the Brazilian recover from his reported gastroenteritis and elect not to join rumoured suitors Galatasaray?
Wolves 0-3 Man City
19:06 , Alex Dakers74min: And then Rayan Cherki is introduced for his Premier League debut, coming on for Man City’s two-goal striker Erling Haaland.
No hat-trick today for the Norwegian goal machine, but still a job well done.
That was, after all, his ninth and tenth goals against Wolves in just six appearances...
Wolves 0-3 Man City
19:06 , Alex Dakers72min: Four subs for Wolves now.
Hugo Bueno comes on for debutant David Moller Wolfe, Andre is replaced by new signing Fer Lopez, a promising attacking midfielder from Celta Vigo, Ki-Jana Hoever goes off for Rodrigo Gomes, and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde makes way, with Jhon Arias comes in.
Arias is the Old Gold’s new No10 following the departure of Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, and plenty of Wolves’ hopes will likely rest on his creative shoulders this season.
Wolves 0-3 Man City
19:01 , Alex Dakers67min: Omar Marmoush wins a foul after Matt Doherty kicks his shins, and the Irish defender goes into the referee’s book.
Wolves 0-3 Man City
18:58 , Alex Dakers65min: Omar Marmoush, Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly enter the fray on Pep Guardiola’s orders, replacing Jeremy Doku, Rico Lewis and Bernardo Silva.
That won’t be a welcome sight for Wolves, who know that City still have the likes of Rayan Cherki to call upon from their bench.
Lewis got into it with Jorgen Strand Larsen in the aftermath of City’s third goal and is jeered off the park by the home support, with more boos for former Wolves man Nunes.
GOAL! Wolves 0-3 Man City
18:53 , Alex Dakers61min: Erling Haaland with his second and City’s third of the match!
The visitors are quick on the counter thanks to a long ball from James Trafford, and Tijjani Reijnders plays a neat one-two with Oscar Bobb down the right before cutting it back for Haaland in the box.
City’s main man knocks a low, driven shot past Jose Sa, whose outstretched hand is no match for the power of the Norwegian’s effort.
A long way back for Wolves gets even longer at Molineux.
Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:51 , Alex Dakers58min: Then a well-worked Wolves free-kick from deep ends with Jorgen Strand Larsen testing James Trafford.
The City goalkeeper does well to tip the Norwegian’s deflected shot over for a corner, which ultimately comes to nothing as the hosts are pushed back into their own half.
Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:50 , Alex Dakers57min: More promising for Wolves, as Marshall Munetsi -onside this time - fizzes a ball across the City penalty area from the right.
Nobody in gold is there to meet it, though, and City regroup.
Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:47 , Alex Dakers54min: Tijjani Reijnders earns himself a yellow card for a heavy challenge on Jean-Ricner Bellegard on the half-way line.
A clever foul from City’s debutant to halt a Wolves breakaway.
Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:45 , Alex Dakers53min: Rayan Ait-Nouri tries a volley as the ball is cleared to him on the edge of the Wolves penalty area, but it flashes over the bar.
Jorgen Strand Larsen is back on the pitch now, but moving gingerly.
Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:43 , Alex Dakers50min: Play resumes as Strand Larsen takes his boot off on the touch-line.
Wolves have subs warming up but the Norwegian may return.
The hosts are down to 10 men at the moment as their striker has his foot and lower leg heavily strapped up.
Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:42 , Alex Dakers48min: But now Strand Larsen is down with his face buried in the turf.
It doesn’t look good for the Wolves striker, who looked to be grimacing even before his knee made contact with former team-mate Rayan Ait-Nouri’s...
Physios are treating him on the pitch at the moment.
Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:39 , Alex Dakers46min: Wolves nearly pull one back!
Jorgen Strand Larsen, under pressure, knocks his effort just wide of James Trafford’s post after Ki-Jana Hoever cuts the ball back in from the right.
Second half kick-off!
18:37 , Alex DakersThe second half begins at Molineux.
Can Wolves fight their way back into this match? New No10 Jhon Arias is waiting on the bench.
And will we see a Premier League debut for City’s Rayan Cherki. Omar Marmoush is among the other big names ready to be called upon by Pep Guardiola.
HT: Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:21 , Alex DakersHalf-time at Molineux.
For 30-odd minutes Wolves will have been pleased with how they dealt with City’s threat and simultaneously caused their visitors some problems.
The Old Gold even had the ball in the back of the net before an offside was called, and forced goalkeeper James Trafford into action a few times on his debut.
But life - football - comes at you fast, and the hosts go into the break two goals down thanks to an excellent first 45 minutes of Premier League action for Tijjani Reijnders and another successful effort for goal machine Erling Haaland.
Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:20 , Alex Dakers49min: A City corner puts Wolves in danger of going 0-3 down, but neither Erling Haaland or Jeremy Doku can get enough on it to trouble Jose Sa.
Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:16 , Alex Dakers45min: Five minutes added on at the end of this first half.
That’s five minutes too long for Wolves, who’ll be looking for some instruction from Vitor Pereira at the interval.
Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:15 , Alex Dakers44min: Those were City’s only two shots on target so far.
Clinical from the visitors, a quick one-two and Wolves don’t know what has hit them.
GOAL! Wolves 0-2 Man City
18:08 , Alex Dakers37min: And now debutant Tijjani Reijnders gets City’s second in quick succession!
Oscar Bobb steals a loose pass from Emmanuel Agbadou and places the ball to Reijnders on his left.
The former AC Milan midfielder, who created that first goal with some lovely play, knocks his effort into the far corner past Jose Sa.
Despite a bright start, Wolves suddenly find themselves two goals down.
GOAL! Wolves 0-1 Man City
18:05 , Alex Dakers34min: Boom.
Erling Haaland scores his ninth goal in six appearances against Wolves.
Tijjani Reijnders doesn’t get the assist for this but should get most of the credit, shimmying through several Wolves defenders and dinking a beautiful pass into the box for Rico Lewis.
The 20-year-old full-back then plays a low ball across goal to the far post where Haaland is waiting, perfectly placed, to tap it home.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
18:03 , Alex Dakers33min: Half an hour gone at Molineux, and you’d have to say that Wolves have looked the more threatening of the two sides.
That wayward Erling Haaland header some 10 minutes ago aside, the ball has been in and around City’s penalty area plenty.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
18:00 , Alex Dakers29min: Wolves instantly dart up into City’s half again, but the chance ends with Marshall Munetsi being caught offside again after Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s pass deflects into his path.
Regardless, James Trafford had already dealt with the danger with a smart save.
City’s debutant goalkeeper didn’t know the flag would go up there, so that was well stopped as he’s called into action again.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:59 , Alex Dakers28min: Up the other end, Bernardo Silva swings in an indirect free-kick, which is cleared but only as far as Oscar Bobb on the opposite flank.
The young Norwegian attempts a delivery of his own into the box but it’s collected and booted clear by Jose Sa.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:57 , Alex Dakers26min: Marshall Munetsi has the ball in the back of the net for Wolves after a brilliant delivery from Matt Doherty, but the official quickly raises the offside flag.
It wasn’t a particularly close call, with City’s defensive line catching the Zimbabwe international out.
Good pressure from Wolves, though, with that chance coming after Jorgen Strand Larsen forced a block from John Stones.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:55 , Alex Dakers24min: Then Wolves have a chance which perhaps should have ended in a sterner test for James Trafford.
Joao Gomes takes a heavy touch but it is a difficult ball to control, flying into his boot from the right wing.
Moments earlier, Trafford had been called into action to head the ball away under pressure from Ki-Jana Hoever.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:51 , Alex Dakers20min: Erling Haaland can’t quite get high enough to get a header on target, and Wolves escape.
That chance came from a Bernardo Silva cross which was misread by goalkeeper Jose Sa, leaving Haaland clear at the far post - but his effort sails over the crossbar.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:50 , Alex Dakers18min: As we entered the 18th minute, more cheers and applause broke out at Molineux in honour of one-time Wolves No18 Diogo Jota.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:49 , Alex Dakers18min: Oscar Bobb has looked a bright spark in these opening stages.
He dribbles wide and cuts inside, nudges a ball across to Rico Lewis and City win a corner.
Bernardo Silva’s delivery goes to the near post but is cleared - as it the second attempt, which goes out for a goal-kick.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:46 , Alex Dakers16min: Andre is back on the pitch, and play resumes.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:45 , Alex Dakers14min: Wolves midfielder Andre appeared to clash heads with Gonzalez when challenging for that ball, and there’s a break in play as he receives treatment.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:44 , Alex Dakers13min: John Stones plays a deep ball into the box looking for Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez gets to the rebound first on the edge of the box but Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa gathers his header.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:39 , Alex Dakers8min: Then there’s an early scare for Wolves, with new captain Toti Gomes dispossessed by Erling Haaland near his own goal but the referee blows for a foul afterwards and play halts.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:36 , Alex Dakers5min: Wolves press as City try to play out from the back and the Sky Blues lose possession.
The hosts break and a ball in from the left by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde has to be cleared by Ruben Dias.
Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:34 , Alex Dakers3min: Tijjani Reijnders has started high up the pitch today for the visitors, almost giving Erling Haaland a run for his money as City’s leading man.
Kick-off! Wolves 0-0 Man City
17:30 , Alex DakersWe are underway at Molineux after a minute of applause in memory of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva.
Battle of the Norwegian strikers
17:28 , Alex DakersStrand Larsen’s opposite number in the Manchester City ranks is a familiar face for the Norwegian striker.
He and Erling Haaland both hail from the same country, with the Wolves man older than his City counterpart by only a few months.
Which of the two forwards will come out on top today?
We won’t have to wait long to find out...
Wolves striker Strand Larsen warming up
17:25 , Alex DakersJorgen Strand Larsen scored an early opener the last time Man City visited Molineux.
He leads the line today for Vitor Pereira’s men, and will be looking for a repeat of his outing last October in these opening stages - without the late City comeback, of course!
Five minutes to go until kick-off in the Black Country.
Trafford steps up
17:20 , Alex DakersA big evening awaits for James Trafford, who makes his Manchester City bow after returning from Burnley this summer.
The 22-year-old starts in goal for the Sky Blues in usual No1 Ederson’s absence, which is reportedly due to gastroenteritis but comes amid transfer rumours linking him to Galatasaray.
Will it be a dream debut, or might Wolves nick a goal or two to spoil the occasion for the young shot-stopper?
Wolves name Toti Gomes as new captain
17:13 , Alex DakersWolves have named centre-back Toti Gomes as club captain for the 2025-26 season.
The 26-year-old Portugal international starts today for the Old Gold, and inherits the armband from Nelson Semedo, who left upon the expiration of his contract earlier this summer.
Your 2025/26 captain: @TotiGomes23 ✨ pic.twitter.com/Qoaq70nint
— Wolves (@Wolves) August 16, 2025
Ederson: Man City star omitted from Premier League opener with exit talks 'progressing'
17:10 , Alex DakersEderson has been left out of Man City’s first squad of the season amid uncertainty over his future, writes Oli Gent.
Pep Guardiola’s side travel to Wolves for their Premier League opener, but the Brazilian goalkeeper is not involved in any capacity.
Instead, James Trafford, who City re-signed from Burnley for a British goalkeeping record fee, starts in net, with German deputy Stefan Ortega on the bench.
City signed Ederson from Benfica back in 2017 for £35million, making him the second most expensive goalkeeper ever at the time.
Now, after eight years between the sticks for Guardiola, it seems as though Ederson’s time at the Etihad Stadium is up, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the Brazil international wants to leave the north-west.
The Italian journalist detailed that ‘advanced talks’ were underway between City and Turkish side Galatasaray for the shot-stopper, with the Super Lig club offering €10m for Ederson’s services.
The big man arrives...
17:01 , Alex DakersHere’s Erling Haaland arriving at Molineux earlier.
What damage could he inflict on Wolves today? How can the hosts nullify his threat?
These were Haaland’s first five Premier League results last season:
Matchday 1 at Chelsea: 1 goal
Matchday 2 vs Ipswich Town: 3 goals
Matchday 3 at West Ham: 3 goals
Matchday 4 vs Brentford: 2 goals
Matchday 5 vs Arsenal: 1 goal
The Norwegian striker failed to score against Wolves last season, but has still tallied eight goals in five total appearances against the Old Gold.
Wolves: Arias and Lopez benched, 'new Ait-Nouri' debuts
16:51 , Alex DakersAs for Wolves, newly-signed playmaker Jhon Arias must wait for his Premier League debut, having been named on the bench by Vitor Pereira.
Fellow summer arrival Fer Lopez will also watch kick-off from the side-lines, but both men should be introduced at some point this evening.
There is a debut for Wolves, though, with Norwegian left wing-back David Moller Wolfe taking Rayan Ait-Nouri’s old spot in the XI.
Ki-Jana Hoever does the same on the opposite flank, stepping into the space left by departed club captain Nelson Semedo, with Pereira’s chosen back three consisting of Matt Doherty, Emmanuel Agbadou and Toti Gomes.
Joao Gomes and Andre man the midfield in Pereira’s 3-4-2-1, with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Marshall Munetsi flanking frontman Jorgen Strand Larsen.
City: Trafford starts, Marmoush and Cherki benched, no Foden or Ederson
16:45 , Alex DakersPep Guardiola has made a mockery of our predicted Man City line-up, then!
Ederson is absent from the matchday squad amid speculation over his future at the club, meaning James Trafford starts in goal for his debut after returning from Burnley this summer.
Rayan Ait-Nouri does indeed start against his old club, lining up at left-back in a back four that also includes Ruben Dias, right-back Rico Lewis and John Stones, who scored a late winner the last time City visited Molineux.
Josko Gvardiol, the other goal-scorer that day, misses out with a knock, while Phil Foden has also been deemed unfit to travel alongside Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, Claudio Echeverri and Savinho.
Tijjani Reijnders makes his Premier League debut for City but Rayan Cherki must settle for a place on the bench, where Omar Marmoush also begins today’s match.
That means Oscar Bobb - a promising youngster who missed most of last season after breaking his leg during the summer - starts in the frontline alongside Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku, with Bernardo Silva captaining the side from midfield, where Nico Gonzalez also starts.
Pressure on for City?
16:35 , Alex DakersManchester City may have rallied to finish third last season and secure a place in this year’s Champions League, but 2024-25 was far from the Sky Blues’ best campaign.
Can they return to the form that has seen them win six of the last eight Premier League titles, including an historic four-peat before Liverpool snatched the crown last term?
Here’s a preview video from the club:
Let's do this.
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 16, 2025
Together 🩵 pic.twitter.com/enRPBZ059g
Man City team news in full
16:27 , Alex DakersAnd here’s the same for Man City...
Man City starting XI: Trafford, Lewis, Stones, Dias, Ait-Nouri, Nico, Bernardo, Bobb, Reijnders, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Ake, Marmoush, Cherki, Gundogan, Akanji, Nunes, O'Reilly, Khusanov
Wolves team news in full
16:24 , Alex DakersHere’s that Wolves team news in full...
Wolves starting XI: Sa, Hoever, Doherty, Agbadou, Toti, Wolfe; Andre, J.Gomes, Bellegarde, Munetsi, Strand Larsen
Subs: Johnstone, H.Bueno, S.Bueno, Arias, Hwang, Mosquera, Kalajdzic, R.Gomes, Lopez
Man City confirmed line-up
16:21 , Alex DakersAnd now for Man City’s team news:
Your first City XI of the @premierleague season! 🩵
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 16, 2025
XI | Trafford, Lewis, Stones, Dias, Ait-Nouri, Nico, Bernardo (C), Bobb, Reijnders, Doku, Haaland
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Ake, Marmoush, Cherki, Gundogan, Akanji, Nunes, O'Reilly, Khusanov
🤝 @etihad pic.twitter.com/41S3onk7QM
Wolves confirmed line-up
16:21 , Alex DakersHere’s Vitor Pereira’s Wolves team selection for this evening’s match:
Our first line-up of the new @premierleague season.
— Wolves (@Wolves) August 16, 2025
🐺📋 pic.twitter.com/Nx7gJAVQ3e
Watch out, Wolves... Haaland is coming!
16:20 , Alex DakersMan City have countless stars in their squad, but there’s one man in particular that Wolves won’t be looking forward to facing today...
Erling Haaland has scored EIGHT goals in five appearances against the Old Gold.
The Norwegian striker missed out last time at the Etihad and was also kept quiet on his most recent trip to Molineux, but bagged four goals the season before as City won 5-1.
That followed a hat-trick in a 3-0 win during his debut campaign in England, and a goal on his first visit to today’s ground.
Haaland also scored 10 goals in his first five Premier League matches last season. More of the same from City’s go-to man, or will Wolves make life difficult for him today?
Wolves pay tribute to former player Jota
16:10 , Alex DakersWolves have paid tribute to their former player Diogo Jota, who passed away in a car accident alongside his brother and fellow footballer, Andre Silva, earlier this summer.
The club have printed images of the brothers on the front and back of their match programme, while a mural has also been painted near the stadium.
Jota spent three seasons with the Black Country club before joining Liverpool in 2020, making 131 appearances and scoring 44 goals.
The first of those campaigns, a season-long loan from Atletico Madrid, saw the Portuguese help Wolves to promotion from the Championship, with Jota scoring a single-season career-high 17 goals (plus six assists) in 44 appearances.
Wolves then finished seventh in the Premier League in each of Jota’s two subsequent seasons with the club, and have avoided relegation from the top flight ever since.
The front and back covers of today's commemorative programme.
— Wolves (@Wolves) August 16, 2025
For Diogo and Andre 💛 pic.twitter.com/FDOvMihGuq
What happened last time Wolves hosted Man City?
16:05 , Alex DakersIn the last instalment of this fixture at Molineux, Wolves took an early lead through Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has since made his move from Celta Vigo a permanent one.
But the hosts were pegged back half an hour later by Josko Gvardiol, before John Stones broke Wolverhampton hearts with a last-gasp header to steal all three points for City.
It wasn’t without some VAR controversy, though, even if the visitors did dominate possession (78%) as well as shooting (22 shots to 3) and passing (731 to 216) stats.
Take a trip down memory lane with our match report from last October, right here.
More recently, Kevin de Bruyne - now a Napoli player - scored the winner as City triumphed 1-0 in the reverse fixture at the Etihad in May.
Wolves vs Man City match odds
15:55 , Alex DakersWolves to win: 9/2
Man City to win: 4/9
Draw: 11/4
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
Wolves vs Man City: Head to head (h2h) history and results
15:45 , Alex DakersThe overall competitive head-to-head history between these two clubs is closer than younger football fans might expect; but when we look at recent results, things become much more one-sided.
Since recording three straight wins against City back in 2019, Wolves have lost all but one of their last 10 meetings with this weekend’s opponents.
That sole win in the last five seasons came at Molineux in September 2023, in a result the Old Gold will hope to repeat on Saturday evening.
Wolves wins: 50
Man City wins: 57
Draws: 25
Wolves vs Man City prediction
15:35 , Alex DakersCity’s short post-Club World Cup pre-season and relatively poor away form last season makes this match a little difficult to call.
However, Wolves failed to win any of their six friendlies this summer, and may struggle to replace the attacking threat carried by the departed trio of Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri and club captain Nelson Semedo.
City won home and away against the Old Gold last season, with a one-goal margin each time including their comeback victory in this fixture last October.
It could be another cagey affair here, but Guardiola and co should have enough to take home all three points.
Man City to win, 2-1.
Man City early team news and predicted line-up
15:25 , Alex DakersFor City, there are several injury concerns.
The first and most important is Rodri, the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder, who sustained a “bad injury” in the Club World Cup defeat by Al-Hilal.
Guardiola has said that the holding midfielder could feature tentatively in City’s opening few Premier League games, with a view to being “really fit” for after the September international break.
Phil Foden is also looking to hit the ground running after a quieter season last year. However, he has hampered by an ankle niggle, with Guardiola revealing that it would be touch and go whether he would play at Molineux.
Mateo Kovacic is a definite absentee with a calf problem, and he is likely to be side-lined until September at the earliest.
Josko Gvardiol is also recovering from a knock and is likely to be assessed before the trip to Wolves, while Claudio Echeverri missed much of the Club World Cup campaign with a niggle.
And in his pre-match press conference, Guardiola ruled out winger Savinho, who has been linked with a move to Tottenham, with injury.
City have plenty of new signings that they could hand Premier League debuts to, including midfielders Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki plus former Wolves wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, who has impressed since his arrival and should start at left-back against his old club.
Goalkeeper James Trafford, re-signed from Burnley, is also in contention after starting the friendly against sister club Palermo last week - a match in which star striker Erling Haaland was the only man to feature in both halves.
Man City predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Ait-Nouri; Silva, Reijnders; Doku, Cherki, Marmoush; Haaland
Wolves early team news
15:20 , Alex DakersWolves defender Yerson Mosquera could be eased back into action after recovering from a knee injury that kept him out for most of last season, but Saturday should bring a competitive debut for his countryman Jhon Arias.
The Colombian attacker starred for his previous side Fluminense at the Club World Cup this summer, creating more chances than any other player at the tournament, and Vitor Pereira will hope he is ready to step up as the creative force in his team after former No10 Matheus Cunha’s exit.
Fellow new signing David Moller Wolfe could be set for his Premier League debut at left wing-back, replacing Rayan Ait-Nouri after the Algerian joined today’s opponents, while up front, Jorgen Strand Larsen is first-choice.
Wolves vs Man City: How to watch
15:15 , Alex DakersTV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Ultra HD.
Coverage starts at 5pm BST ahead of the 5.30pm kick-off.
Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also stream the contest live online via the Sky Go app and website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday right here in Standard Sport’s live blog!
Wolves vs Man City: When is kick-off?
15:10 , Alex DakersWolves vs Man City is scheduled for a 5.30pm BST kick-off today, Saturday, August 16, 2025.
The match will take place at Molineux Stadium.
Wolves vs Man City LIVE with Standard Sport
15:00 , Alex DakersGood afternoon and welcome to Standard Sport’s live blog coverage of Saturday’s headline match in the Premier League.
Manchester City travel to Molineux to face Wolves as each side looks for a perfect start to the new campaign after underwhelming 2024-25 seasons.
Kick-off is a few hours away, but until then we’ll bring you everything you need to know about tonight’s match - from timings and how to watch to early team news, line-ups as soon as they’re announced, all the key stats and our prediction for the final score.
