Manchester City are expected to come out strong against Wolverhampton Wanderers as they aim to avoid a campaign as disappointing as their last one.
Best bets for Wolves vs Manchester City
- Manchester City to win and under 3.5 goals at odds of 2.37 onBetway
- Both teams to score - no - at odds of 2.00 onBetway
- Manchester City to win the first half at odds of 1.90 onBetway
Manchester City should win 2-0.
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Our analysis: Form of both teams
It’s been a busy summer for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who watched his side suffer a surprise defeat to Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup. They bounced back with a win over Juventus, however, and have signed some exciting players. A 3-0 win over Palermo will also boost confidence. They finished their last campaign on a high, with seven wins from their last nine.
For Wolverhampton Wanderers, though, it’s been tough. Despite investing in Jørgen Strand Larsen, their pre-season form hasn’t been good. Defeats to Celta Vigo, Girona and RC Lens haven’t helped the mood, and the departures of Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha will obviously leave big gaps to fill.
Probable lineups for Wolves vs Manchester City
Wolves expected lineup: Sá, Lima, Gomes, Agbadou, Wolfe, Gomes, André, Arias, Bellegarde, Hwang, Strand Larsen
Manchester City expected lineup: Ederson, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri, Reijnders, Gundogan, Cherki, Silva, Marmoush, Haaland
City are clear favourites
By their own high standards, last season was a bit of a disaster for City. It’s rare for a Pep Guardiola side to finish without a major trophy, but their CWC defeat left them with only the Community Shield. This is far below their calibre.
Hence, they don’t want to waste any time as they try to win back the Premier League title that so rarely slips from their grasp. Wolves could well be the first victims of a revitalised Cityzens side in 2025/26, and even away from home, the Mancunians are heavy favourites for victory.
We might not see the hosts completely overwhelmed, but considering their struggles in recent months, they’re probably going to have their hands full.
- Wolves vs Manchester City Bet 1: Manchester City to win and under 3.5 goals at odds of2.37 on Betway
Wolves’ striking struggles
Last season didn’t end well for Vítor Pereira’s side. They lost three of their last four matches, and failed to score at all in two of them. They’ve battled over the summer, too, winning none of their friendlies and failing to score more than once in any.
Question marks remain about City’s backline, even in terms of who makes the XI this weekend, but the quality is there. At left-back, they’ll have a man who knows Wolves all too well - Rayan Aït-Nouri. With Cunha gone, it’s unclear how much attacking threat they’ll pose.
Strand-Larsen and Jhon Arias might come good, but they may need some time to find form. City will be confident of keeping their sheets clean in this one.
- Wolves vs Manchester City Bet 2: Both teams to score - no - at odds of 2.00 on Betway
A strong Cityzens start
City may have stumbled against Al-Hilal in the States, but their overall form has been solid for some time. They’ve won 11 of their last 16 competitive fixtures, and beat Wolves 1-0 when they met back in May. With new additions, and a revitalised Erling Haaland, they are expected to start strongly.
That applies both to the season as a whole, and this game in particular. They scored more first-half goals (41) than any other team in the Premier League last season, and should be even stronger in 2025/26. Pereira’s side will need to be on their guard from minute one.
The Old Gold struggled in the first half of games last season, conceding 34 - one of the worst records in the division. It’s a weakness City will be keen to exploit as the new campaign gets underway.
- Wolves vs Manchester City Bet 3:Manchester City to win the first half at odds of 1.90 onBetway