The new Premier League season begins with Manchester City heading to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday evening. After last year’s frustrations, Pep Guardiola and his players know there can be no slow start this time around. We surrendered the league to Liverpool and even fell short in the FA Cup, leaving supporters desperate for a response. A trip to Wolves offers the first chance to show that lessons have been learned and that we’re ready to reclaim our place at the top.
When & where? / Kick-off details
Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025
Kick-off time: 5.30 p.m. BST / 12.30 p.m. ET / 9.30 a.m. PT
Stadium: Molineux, Wolverhampton
Referee: Jarred Gillett
VAR: Michael Salisbury
Team news
Wolves have had a difficult summer, losing both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Aït-Nouri, and their pre-season results were far from encouraging. Vítor Pereira will likely hand out debuts to Jhon Arias, Fer López and David Møller Wolfe, with Yerson Mosquera the only senior absentee.
For Manchester City, Rodri has returned earlier than expected, although he may only feature from the bench. Mateo Kovačić and Joško Gvardiol remain sidelined, while Savinho and Ederson are also out. However, Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and former Wolves defender Aït-Nouri are all in contention for debuts, giving Guardiola plenty of fresh options to work with.
Tactical analysis
Pereira is expected to stick with a back three and target compactness, attempting to frustrate our build-up play and hit on the break through López and Strand Larsen. Wolves’ defensive frailties in pre-season suggest they could struggle to contain Erling Haaland if Man City find rhythm early on.
For Guardiola, the key will be midfield control. Even without a fully fit Rodri, Reijnders has already shown signs of being able to dictate play, while Bernardo Silva’s intelligence between the lines will be crucial. With Aït-Nouri likely starting against his old teammates, we can expect the left flank to be an outlet, especially with overlapping runs from the inverted full-backs.
Key players
- Erling Haaland (Man City): Fresh off another ruthless pre-season, our number nine will be the focal point once again and is expected to trouble Wolves’ shaky backline.
- Bernardo Silva (Man City): With Kevin De Bruyne gone, Bernardo’s influence in controlling tempo and finding attacking lanes becomes even more important.
- Jhon Arias (Wolves): A new arrival who impressed at the FIFA Club World Cup, he may be tasked with providing creativity against a high press.
Predicted lineups
Wolves predicted lineup vs Man City: Sá; Doherty, Agbadou, Toti; Hoever, André, J. Gomes, Wolfe; Munetsi, López; Strand Larsen.
Man City predicted lineup vs Wolves: Trafford; Nunes, Dias, Akanji, Aït-Nouri; González; Cherki, Reijnders, Silva, Marmoush; Haaland.
Conclusion / Prediction
This opener presents the chance for Man City to set the tone for the season. Wolves look vulnerable after a poor summer and key departures, while Guardiola’s new signings have injected energy into the squad. Even if we are still searching for full sharpness, the gulf in quality should tell.
Prediction: Wolves 0–2 Manchester City
