The opening round of the 2025/26 Premier League season sees **Wolves**host Manchester City at Molineux Stadium.
Both teams will enter the match fielding a number of brand new players, with former Wanderer Rayan Air-Nouri set to face his former club.
Vitor Pereira will be looking for his side to bounce back after a poor run of pre-season results, including a 1-0 defeat to Celta Vigo last Saturday at Molineux.
Tactical set-up
With Manchester City playing a high-pressing possession based system, Wolves will need to focus on playing a low block and denying their opponents much space near their goal.
Pereira's quick transitional 3-4-2-1 system could prove to be the perfect counter to this. We have seen this system used consistently by the Portuguese head coach last season, and even into pre-season this summer.
However, with key names such as Matheus Cunha, Pablo Sarabia, Nelson Semedo and Rayan Ait-Nouri all being replaced this summer, the squad will need to rapidly understand each other in order to play exactly the way Pereira wants.
The team cohesion and chemistry may not be the highest coming into the opening weekend, but Pereira's man-management ability should be enough to help the squad gel together nicely.
The two creative outlets in Fer Lopez and Jhon Arias will be able to utilise their pace and creativeness to cause problems for City's back-line, whilst Jorgen Strand Larsen will provide a focal point up front and can finish off chances when put into the box.
The directness of Wolves should be enough to exploit Man City's high line and cause problems similar to when these sides met last season. We saw Wolves in behind and presented with plenty of opportunities, and could have easily left the Ethiad with three points.
How will Jhon Arias help the team?
Colombian forward Jhon Arias signed for Wolves this summer, as a replacement for the outgoing Matheus Cunha.
With the Brazilian international providing 21 goal contributions last season, it was vital that Wolves found a player who was of a similar profile.
Arias is a quick, tricky forward who can also occupy the left number ten role that Cunha held last season. As a right-footed player, he can cut inside to open up the space for a pass or a shot, or even run at his man.
The Colombian man also created the most chances at the FIFA Club World Cup this summer with 18 in six games for Fluminese, beating the likes of former Wolves players Ruben Neves and Pedro Neto.
He averaged 3 chances created per game.
His technical ability and creativity could prove to be effective in Wolves' direct system in their efforts to exploit Man City's high defensive line.
Hoever Headache
With the departure of Nelson Semedo, Wolves have been using Ki-Jana Hoever at right wing-back in pre-season.
The dutchman was thrown under the bus by former boss Bruno Lage, but has now been given another chance in Wolverhampton. However, it is clear that he does not have the Premier League experience required to be a starter for an entire season.
Hoever was recently on loan at AJ Auxerre in Ligue 1, providing three goal contributions in 30 appearances.
His only competition for the spot is Rodrigo Gomes who may be more prominent going forward, but is younger, smaller and weaker than Hoever. Gomes' physical attributes lean towards more of a defensive struggle than the former Liverpool youth prospect.
Hoever is likely to start on Saturday, and will be up against Man City's left hand-side of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Jeremy Doku. Someone of Hoever's quality may struggle to deal with these players and so he could be in for a tough time on the weekend.
Wolves are in talks to finalise the signing of right-back Jackson Tchatchoua from Hellas Verona. The Cameroon international will provide a lot more quality and stability in defence for the club with his blistering pace and strength.