Manchester City are back in action and back on the hunt of league leaders Liverpool but will face a decent test against a Wolves side well used to upsetting the big teams in the Premier League this season.
Manchester City are back in action and back on the hunt of league leaders Liverpool but will face a decent test against a Wolves side well used to upsetting the big teams in the Premier League this season.
One of those teams was the Premier League champions City who they drew with 1-1 back in August, and that was far from a fluke as Wolves have matched the very best the league has to offer, winning nine points from seven games against the ‘big six’.
Draws with City and Man Utd were good, wins over Chelsea and Spurs were even better but this is now the ultimate test against what looks like a hungry City side now desperate to reel in Liverpool after beating their title rivals in their head-to-head 11 days ago.
Again City can cut the gap to four points on the Reds and they’re flying after four wins on the bounce with 21 goals scored, and that win over Liverpool has seemingly lit the fire back under them after a shaky spell of results around Christmas.
While it seems unlikely to match the intensity of that Liverpool game, it could be another good watch given have Wolves have acquitted themselves against the better sides this season.
Wolves still don’t have enough cutting edge though, and this could run out similar to the Liverpool league game where they enjoy decent spells but will not take enough chances to pinch a result.
Betting guide
Prediction: Man City 2-0 Wolves (Sky Bet odds: 5/1)
Doubts about Aguero and Kompany temper expectations slightly, although the striker should play, and Wolves are solid enough at the back to suggest it won't be a walkover, but there's just the hint that the lack of cutting edge will cost them the chance to take yet another big-name scalp.
Best bet: Man City to win to nil at 20/23
It's that cutting edge again that will probably cost Wolves, and with City set to have so much of the ball they could be feeding on scraps, which makes it tough to find a way to break through.
Goals: Raheem Sterling to score anytime at 11/10
Sterling went five games without a goal before scoring against Rotherham in the FA Cup, then sat out the Carabao Cup rout of Burton but should be restored to the starting line-up against Wolves. His pace and direct running will trouble Wolves and he can find the net again here.
RequestABet: City win, under 3.5 goals, under 10 corners, under 40 booking points at 5/1
Man City v Wolves Opta stats
- Manchester City have won five of their last six home top-flight meetings with Wolves (D1), since a 2-3 defeat in December 1979.
- Wolves have picked up one win in their last 10 matches with Man City in all competitions (D3 L6), a 2-1 win at Molineux in the Premier League in October 2010.
- Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 34 home Premier League games against newly promoted sides (W30 D4) since a 0-2 defeat to Reading in February 2007 under Stuart Pearce.
- Manchester City haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last six Premier League home games, their longest run without one at the Etihad since a run of eight ending in December 2015.
- Manchester City have scored at least twice in each of their last 12 Premier League home games. Only four teams have ever had a longer such run, most recently Man City themselves between September 2017 and February 2018 (13).
- Wolves have lost seven of their last eight top-flight games played on Monday (W1), including all three such games in the Premier League.
- Wolves have won nine points from their seven games against ‘big six’ sides this season (W2 D3 L2), more than any other side outside of those six clubs.
- Wolves are one of only two clubs in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career he has faced more than once but never beaten (P2 W0 D2 L0), along with Celtic.
- If David Silva plays it will be his 267th Premier League appearance – more than any other Manchester City player in the competition’s history.
- Coming into this weekend, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero has had a hand in 12 home goals in the Premier League this season (8 goals, 4 assists), more than any other player in the competition.
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