Wolverhampton Wanderers Vs Manchester City Prediction, The Citizen Ready To Rampage In Opening Match

JAKARTA - Wolverhampton Wanderers will host Manchester City at the Molineux Stadium in the opening match of the Premier League 2025-26, Saturday night, August 16 local time.

Although last season The Citizens failed to maintain their dominance and finished 13 points behind the Liverpool champions, the Wolves hosts had to settle for 16th place after being caught in the threat of relegation.

Wolves had a difficult season in the first half of the 2024-25 competition under Gary O'Neil, picking up just 16 points from 23 matches. However, the arrival of Vitor Pereira as a coach brought big changes. In 22 of his leadership games, Wolves won 10 wins and managed to secure a position from the brink of relegation.

Even so, the Wolves pre-season did not go smoothly. They failed to win in five test matches (1 draw, 4 lost), including a 0-1 defeat to Celta Vigo. Losing Matheus Cunha's top score and mainstay defender Rayan Ait-Nouri (who is now in Man City uniform) made the squad still in adaptation.

A number of new players such as Jhon Arias, Fer Lopez, and David Moller Wolfe have joined, and Pereira is still hoping for additional recruits before the transfer market closes.

However, Wolves' record against City is unfavorable: they have lost nine of their last ten Premier League meetings since 2019.

Last season was one of City's worst periods in eight years. They finished third in the league, failed to win in all competitions, and were eliminated early in the Club World Cup.

Pep Guardiola is now preparing to start the 10th season in England with a number of major changes. Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, and Jack Grealish have left, while new players such as Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, and goalkeeper James Trafford have officially joined.

City only played two test matches, but both ended in a (1-0 win over Preston and 3-0 over Palermo). Guardiola seems more focused on recovering the players' physical condition than chasing results in pre-season.

In the last eight seasons, City have always opened the season with away games, and they have won seven of them.

Meanwhile Wolves' condition is also not very profitable. Leon Chiwone (knee injury) and Fabio Silva ( thigh injury) are absent. But Yeerson Mosquera is ready to appear from the bench. Arias and Lopez can make their Premier League debut in support of Jorgen Strand Larsen upfront.

From Manchester's Citu Mateo Kovacic and Kalvin Phillips were absent due to the Achilles operation, while Josko Gvardiol, Savinho, and Ederson were also not available. James Trafford is expected to make his debut under the bar. Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders have the opportunity to appear from the start, while Erling Haaland, who has a record eight goals from five games against Wolves, is almost the mainstay.

Although Wolves have the potential to put up fierce resistance at home, City's attacking line quality with Haaland cs is believed to be enough to secure the first three points of the season.

Wolves (3-4-3): Sa; Doherty, Agbadou, Toti; Hoever, J. Gomes, Andre, Wolfe; Lopez, Arias; Strand Larsen

Manchester City (4-3-3): Trafford; Nunes, Dias, Ake, Ait-Nouri; Bernardo, Gundogan, Reijnders; Foden, Haaland, Marmoush