Wolves take on a Manchester City side unbeaten this calendar year, but they do so having returned to winning ways last weekend and now wolves.co.uk provides the main talking points pre-match.
#1 Inside both camps
Gary O’Neil has been handed a triple injury boost ahead of the trip to Manchester. Pedro Neto, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Santiago Bueno are all back in full training and could play a part this weekend. Neto and Bellegarde were injured against Fulham in March, while Bueno missed last weekend’s win over Luton Town. While confirming he won’t take unnecessary risks, O’Neil may have the chance to see Neto join Matheus Cunha and Hee Chan Hwang on the pitch together for the first time since October. Craig Dawson won’t play again this season, however, while Tommy Doyle, whose loan will be made permanent in the summer, won’t be able to face his current parent club.
At the City Ground last weekend, Pep Guardiola was without Phil Foden and Ruben Dias through illness, but they’re both back and ready to feature. Goalkeeper Ederson was forced off at half-time, but “could be back” to face Wolves, according to his manager. Erling Haaland was fit only for the bench, but came on and scored, and could be back in the 11 on Saturday. That all means City are likely to have a full-strength squad to select from.
#2 Coming into it
Wolves returned to form last weekend, with a first win in seven matches against Luton Town. On the road, O’Neil’s side have drawn their last two, at Burnley and Nottingham Forest, while their last success away from Molineux came at Tottenham Hotspur in February. Injuries have played their part in the Old Gold’s mixed form during the spring, but with players returning in recent weeks, O’Neil will hope for a positive final three matches of the season.
Wolves’ last three | W 2-1 Luton (H) – L 1-0 Bournemouth (H) – L 2-0 Arsenal (H)
Manchester City haven’t lost a match since December – a run which stretches to 31 matches in all competitions, underlying the task ahead of the Old Gold. As the title charge intensifies, City have only dropped points in draws with Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal, with the most recent coming against closest rivals the Gunners at the Etihad in March. Last time out they beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 at the City Ground.
City’s last three | W 2-0 Nottm Forest (A) – W 4-0 Brighton (A) – W 5-1 Luton (H)
🔟 big saves in 2️⃣ games for @josesaoficial last week.
— Wolves (@Wolves) April 29, 2024
🛑 @AWNetworks pic.twitter.com/nVIjHbbb0r
#3 Since last time
Wolves 2 Man City 1 | 30th September 2023
One of Wolves’ finest afternoons of the season came back in September, when they beat defending champions City in the reverse fixture. The win proved to be O’Neil’s first Molineux success in the Premier League and provided the turning point in what has been a positive season for the Old Gold. Neto’s storming charge down the right led to the opening goal, though a Dias own goal. Julian Alvarez equalised for City with a free-kick, but the hosts prevailed when Cunha laid off for Hwang to fire home the winner in front of the South Bank.
Wolves | Sa, Semedo, Kilman, Dawson, Toti, Ait-Nouri, Gomes, Lemina, Neto, Hwang, Cunha.
That afternoon was the first time O’Neil turned to Toti and a back three formation, which has remained in place for the majority of the season. Nine of the 11 that day are likely to start at the Etihad, with only the injured Neto and Dawson ruled out. Should City have a fully-fit squad to select from on Saturday, their 11 could look similar, although Rodri rarely misses a match in midfield, having been suspended that afternoon at Molineux.
Man City | Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Kovacic, Nunes, Foden, Alvarez, Doku, Haaland.
#4 In the media
Ian Wright scored 113 Premier League goals during his career and picked out Wolves’ leading men Cunha and Hwang for praise on Match of the Day, following the win over Luton.
Wright said: “Having the two front, they were both a massive handful. That’s what he [O’Neil] wanted from them from the start, the closing down. They’ve got the pace to get in behind. Cunha has the strength and determination to try and win it [for the first goal], and once he’s turned, he’s looking for his partner and Hwang curved it in beautifully. When one’s coming deep and one’s going long, that’s what he wanted.”
One time City goalkeeper Shay Given, who made 450 appearances in the Premier League, backed his former club to get over the line in their battle for the league title with Arsenal.
Given said: “I think City, because they’ve been there before, they’ve been over the course. There’s muscle memory in the brain for when the pressure’s on and they have to get the job done. It’s in their hands and that was key a couple of weeks ago, when both Liverpool and Arsenal lost. City were rubbing their hands and I think they have enough to do it.”
