Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo scored early and Marc Guehi impressed on debut as Manchester City ended their winless run with a 2-0 win over 20th-place Wolves the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
MORE —Pep Guardiola, Marc Guehi reaction
City had the final score line on the board by halftime, with Matheus Nunes and Bernardo Silva registering assists to push the hosts within four points of Arsenal before the first-place Gunners meet Manchester United on Sunday.
WATCH — Manchester City v Wolves full match replay
Wolves’ four-match unbeaten run ends with the club still in 20th place after stalling on eight points, 14 back of safety.
Marc Guehi takes to Pep’s Man City like a duck to water
Wolves are not an attack prepared to really threaten a mighty side like City, but Marc Guehi’s debut in Pep Guardiola’s back line looked almost too smooth from the opening kickoff. Guehi’s 112 touches trailed only Rodri and his 95-of-102 day passing was exceptional. He sent 12 balls into Wolves’ final third including a terrific long diagonal to Omar Marmoush which was barely denied the goal by Jose Sa. He preserved Gigio Donnarumma’s clean sheet with a late block that earned a celebration from his nearest teammates, and dared City fans to dream of how a healthy back line could look with Guehi, Ruben Dias, and Josko Gvardiol.
“I really enjoyed it today, coming into a side with so much experience, so many top players.” Guehi said after the game. “Everyone’s been so welcoming. It’s a good start but still a lot of learning to do.”
What’s next?
City host Galatasaray on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League, then go to Tottenham Hotspur on February 1 (Sunday) in the Premier League.
Wolves have a week to prepare for a Saturday visit from Bournemouth.
Manchester City vs Wolves final score: 2-0
Omar Marmoush 6', Antoine Semenyo 45+2'
Man City vs Wolves, updates as they happened
Jeremy Doku down
Doku has driven in front of Yerson Mosquera and the Wolves man rakes his studs down the back of the Belgian’s calf.
He’ll see yellow. Doku eventually gets up, though he’s understandably quite sore.
More subs
Wolves introduce Tolu Arokodare for Hee-chan Hwang.
Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku enter for City, taking the spots of Rayan Cherki and Marmoush.
Man City sub
Come the hour mark it’s Phil Foden taking the place of Tijjani Reijnders.
Wolves subs
Rodrigo Gomes and Jorgen Strand Larsen enter the fold for Jhon Arias and Jackson Tchatchoua at the break.
Halftime — Manchester City 2-0 Wolves
Anyone who wanted to believe City was ripe for the taking... it feels foolish at the moment.
Guehi has been a duck-to-water, 65-of-66 passes on a game-high 69 touches at the break.
Antoine Semenyo goal — Man City 2-0 Wolves
Incisive and decisive from City, who work through the middle to Bernardo Silva.
He finds Semenyo on his right, and the ex-Bournemouth man’s set-up touch is perfect to match the resulting strike.
Semenyo puts Manchester City 2-0 ahead of Wolves
Antoine Semenyo makes no mistake in front of goal to score his third goal in four matches since joining Manchester City earlier this month to make it 2-0 against Wolves.
Will handball debates be the end of the world?
Jokes aside, there is a loooooong review of a close-range handball call against Wolves shortly before Marmoush clattered the frame with a shot.
The pitch side review confirms no penalty, which is nice, but it’s so difficult to imagine a way to clarify these rules. We’re probably just destined to argue handball forever, aren’t we?
Credit to referee Farai Hallam, making his PL center circle debut, for sticking with his decision. Brave.
Sa denies Semenyo
Could’ve been 2-0, as Marc Guehi scoops a long diagonal pass over the Wolves back line.
Antoine Semenyo lets it bounce before snapping a low shot that Jose Sa blocks with his right leg.
Omar Marmoush goal — Man City 1-0 Wolves
It’s been all City possession to start, and the opening goal is a striker’s finish from Omar Marmoush.
Matheus Nunes, the target of boos from the traveling fans, swings in a cross from the right and Marmoush gets his right foot on it — as well as a bit of a defender’s stooping head — to slash home for 1-0 in the sixth minute.
Marmoush fires Manchester City ahead of Wolves
Manchester City take the lead over Wolves thanks to Omar Marmoush's finish from close range to make it 1-0 at the Etihad.
Erling Haaland on bench, Marc Guehi starts
The big Norwegian striker finally gets a rest to start a game with Omar Marmoush back from AFCON, as the player who has piled up more than 2,600 minutes — remember, it’s not even February — takes a seat (Coincidentally, he’s also on a bit of a cold streak).
New signing Marc Guehi will start alongside Abdukhodir Khusanov at the back. Nathan Ake and Max Alleyne begin the day on the bench, while Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Josko Gvardiol remain outside the 18 through injury.
Manchester City lineup
Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guéhi, O’Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo (C), Reijnders, Semenyo, Cherki, Marmoush
Wolves lineup
Sa, Tchatchoua, Mosquera, S. Bueno, Krejci, H. Bueno. Andre, J. Gomes, Arias, Mane, Hwang
Manchester City vs Wolves preview
The Premier League powers have taken just three points from their last four league fixtures — all draws — and left Norway with nothing following a 3-1 midweek loss at Bodo/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League. City are now seven points back of Premier League leaders Arsenal despite the Gunners twice drawing during the last four games.
As for Wolves, they are unbeaten in four matches with three draws and a win to claim 75% of their meager season points haul (8). Wins need to come soon, but draws with Manchester United and Newcastle aren’t to be laughed off. Winning at City would be a stunner, but maybe — just maybe — this is the right time to visit a weary, injured group.
Manchester City team news, focus
OUT: Josko Gvardiol (ankle), Ruben Dias (thigh), John Stones (unspecified), Mateo Kovacic (ankle), Oscar Bobb (thigh) | QUESTIONABLE: Nico Gonzalez (undisclosed), Matheus Nunes (illness), Savinho (unspecified)
Wolves team news, focus
OUT: Toti Gomes (hamstring), Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (hamstring) | QUESTIONABLE: Tawanda Chirewa (illness)
Manchester City vs Wolves prediction
Surely not, right? Pep Guardiola’s team may not be near their average, but even their subpar can be enough at home with their pride on the line. Man City 2-0 Wolves .
How to watch Manchester City vs Wolves live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10am ET Saturday
Venue: Etihad Stadium — Manchester
TV Channel: NBCSN
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock