**Pep Guardiola**’s side will face bottom-placed Wolves at home on Saturday afternoon.
Man City have struggled in recent weeks, winning only one of their last five matches, with their latest result being a humbling 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.
It will be interesting to see how the Spaniard sets up his squad for this important home clash, a game that could help City get back on track and restore confidence.
Experience Over Experiment at the Back
Marc Guehi will be available for this match following his £20m move to the blue side of Manchester.
After an impressive debut run, Max Alleyne has struggled to maintain his performances in recent matches, making errors in key positions.
Guehi’s signing comes at the perfect time, as he can slot seamlessly into the left-sided centre-back role alongside Abdukodir Khusanov.
Like Alleyne, Guehi is comfortable on the ball, but he brings more experience and is a stronger duellist, qualities City desperately need in their backline.
If Pep wants to tweak his tactics, he could consider deploying Phil Foden in the deeper role he occupied at the start of the season.
Wolves are a team that prefers to sit deep in their own half and strike on the counter. If Foden is used deeper, he would get more touches on the ball, helping him build confidence while also influencing the game and exploiting Wolves’ defensive structure.
Against a physical side like Wolves, positioning Foden higher up the pitch may limit his impact. His technical qualities allow him to operate in tight spaces, but a deeper role maximises his influence over the course of the match.
If Foden is to be part of City’s long-term plans, it’s crucial that he feels important and confident enough to attempt line-breaking passes and creative moves. The deeper role gives him the time and space to use his abilities effectively in the build-up.
But he has suffered a broken bone in his hand, and following the recent loss, it’s doubtful he will start the match.
Rotation or Risk Up Front?
Erling Haaland is going through a rough patch in front of goal, with his last open-play strike coming on 20th December last year.
Omar Marmoush has returned from the AFCON and is ready to fire on all cylinders. Perhaps this is the perfect opportunity to rest Haaland and give Marmoush a chance in the starting XI.
With Marmoush leading the line, Rayan Cherki would have a striker capable of strong link-up play, helping manipulate Wolves’ defensive structure more effectively.
Pep could field a more fluid City side, using positional rotations and combinations to create space and break down Wolves’ compact setup.
A Midfield Luxury Problem
Nico Gonzalez filled the void left by Rodri to the best of his abilities. He earned a place in the starting XI and quickly became unbenchable through his consistency and control in midfield.
Rodri’s return from injury saw him reclaim his spot, particularly after Nico picked up a few knocks that disrupted his rhythm.
Pep now faces a genuine selection dilemma. City suddenly have two world-class defensive midfielders, a luxury most managers can only dream of. The challenge, however, lies in managing their minutes effectively.
For this match, Rodri could start. His chemistry with Foden is stronger, and his ability to switch play quickly may be key in manipulating Wolves’ low block. This would mean Nico can then be introduced in the second half, allowing City to maintain control while managing Rodri’s workload intelligently.