Wolves and Manchester City will go head-to-head in their Premier League opener at Molineux on Saturday evening.
Vitor Pereira's side will have a new-look side after losing key players Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri this summer, while they have brought in Fer Lopez, David Wolfe and Jhon Arias to strengthen. Pep Guardiola's side have had a short pre-season after competing in the Club World Cup and have brought in Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Ait-Nouri, James Trafford and youngster Sverre Nypan to refresh their team.
Both managers will have big decisions to make for their teams, and this is how GIVEMESPORT expect the teams to line up.
Wolves Team News
Vitor Pereira
Wolves will have a near-fully fit squad to choose from for the opening game of the season, with only long-term absentee Leon Chiwone unavailable. Defender Yerson Mosquera is only fit enough for the bench but wasn't likely to start anyway, while new signing David Wolfe is fit after playing 45 minutes against Celta Vigo.
Wolves Injuries and Suspensions
Player
Leon Chiwone
Pereira Drops Team News Update
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Pereira shared an update on his squad ahead of the game.
"In an ideal world, we want more, we are working, they know I need at least 3 more players. They know the positions, they know the profiles."
Wolves Predicted XI
Jorgen Strand Larsen in action for Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves Predicted XI: Sa; Toti, Agbadou, Doherty; Hoever, Andre, A. Gomes, Wolfe; Arias, Lopez, Strand Larsen.
Wolves Predicted Substitutes: Johnstone (GK), Mosquera (DEF), Lima (DEF), Bueno (DEF), R. Gomes (DEF), Bellegarde (MID), Munetsi (MID), Hwang Hee-Chan (FWD), Kalajdzic (FWD)
Pereira's team essentially picks itself for this weekend due to availability and a lack of transfers. New signings Arias and Lopez should start behind Strand Larsen in attack, which means £28m duo Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Marshall Munetsi are likely to be on the bench.
Man City Team News
Ederson Manchester City
Ederson Manchester City
Man City have got a new-look squad with a number of players having moved on and been replaced, but Guardiola is likely to go with a familiar-looking team due to a number of injuries and ongoing transfer situations.
Ederson won't play with talks ongoing over a potential exit, while Brazilian winger Savinho is out for a few weeks with an injury too. Rodri and Phil Foden have made quick recoveries and will travel with the squad with a late decision to be made, but Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic are unavailable.
Man City Injuries and Suspensions
Player
Ederson
Claudio Echeverri
Josko Gvardiol
Phil Foden
Rodri
Savinho
Mateo Kovacic
Guardiola Drops Team News Update
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Guardiola shared an update on his squad ahead of the game.
"Kovacic is not ready, Josko is not ready, the others are.
“They will travel tomorrow and selection we will see. Tomorrow we decide. Savinho is injured from Palermo. Few weeks he will be out.”
"Rodri is so soon to come back but it is important his knee is perfect.
“He played Juventus after six weeks in his leg and we try to avoid that now he needs to play minutes in training sessions.
“What we want for him is to come back and to take a step back that would not be good. In this dynamic you can’t get rhythm, it is so demanding.
“He’s made good training sessions and tomorrow he’s travelling. We will decide how many minutes.
“Hopefully he can play minutes in next games then after the international break every three days he can help us."
Man City Predicted XI
marmous haaland
Man City Predicted XI: Trafford; Nunes, Dias, Khusanov, Ait-Nouri; Gonzalez, Reijnders; Cherki, Marmoush, Doku; Haaland.
Man City Predicted Substitutes: Ortega-Moreno (GK), Akanji (DEF), Ake (DEF), Lewis (DEF), Gundogan (MID), B. Silva (MID), Rodri (MID), O'Reilly (MID), Foden (FWD).
City have a number of players whose futures are uncertain, and that should see all of James Trafford, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders making their City debuts in the Premier League.
Despite being named captain Bernardo Silva is likely to be on the bench alongside Rodri, Foden and Ilkay Gundogan, showing the insane depth at the manager's disposal - with those four being paid £975,000-a-week between them.