Manchester City host Wolves in the Premier League at the Etihad this afternoon seeking to bounce back following damaging defeats to Manchester United and Bodo/Glimt
Phil Foden of Manchester City walks off the pitch as he is substituted off during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between FK Bodo/Glimt and Manchester City
Manchester City's Phil Foden has been struggling for form in recent weeks (Image: )
View Image
Manchester City welcome Wolves today in desperate need of a result and a performance to lift the clouds that have gathered over the Etihad. The Blues were beaten by Manchester United last weekend to lose further ground to Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, before suffering a shock 3-1 loss at Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.
Those two damaging defeats have left City off the pace at home and in Europe and while Wolves arrive in Manchester bottom of the table, they have improved of late under Rob Edwards. Nothing less than a win will do for City though but with Pep Guardiola battling an injury crisis that continues to bite, and with fatigue impacting several first team stars, there is work to do.
City will be able to hand Marc Guehi a debut following his arrival from Crystal Palace. He is set to go straight into the backline and afford youngster Max Alleyne a break after a difficult couple of games. Abdukodir Khusanov is likely to continue in the centre of defence.
Nico O'Reilly and Rico Lewis may well start as the full backs with Rayan Ait-Nouri not quite grasping his chance at right back in midweek and Matheus Nunes still suffering from illness. Gianluigi Donnarumma will retain his spot in goal.
In midfield, Rodri will be asked to go again given he can't play against Galatasaray on Wednesday having been sent off in Norway. Nico Gonzalez is not yet fit enough to return. Tijjani Reijnders and Bernardo Silva could form the midfield three.
Antoine Semenyo can come back into the side having been ineligible for the Champions League tie in midweek. Phil Foden has been short of form in recent weeks and Rayan Cherki could be handed a start with question marks over Jeremy Doku's fitness after he missed out in midweek. Erling Haaland looks fatigued and Omar Marmoush is back in the fold but it would be a surprise to see the Norwegian rested when a result is required.
City predicted XI: Donnarumma, Lewis, Khusanov, Guehi, O'Reilly; Rodri, Reijnders, Bernardo, Cherki, Semenyo, Haaland.