Familiar foe to haunt City
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City visit their main 2019/20 foe in their opening game of 2020/21 as they travel to Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolverhampton Wanderers who did the double over them last term. Given an extended break given their Champions League exerts City come up against a side fresh off a 2-0 win at Bramall Lane, one of the only sides to make beating Sheffield United look straight forward since the Blades’ promotion from the Championship in 2018/19. Wolves have lost key players in Matt Doherty and Diogo Jota in the transfer window strengthening top six contending rivals in Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, this came as a shock due to the perceived togetherness at Molineux, it will be interesting to see how they respond.
Transfer business
Wolves’ marquee signatures have been Fabio Silva, Marcal, Vitinha and most recently Ki-Jana Hoever. Silva comes in with a huge reputation in youth football as he looks to cut his teeth in the men’s game, and he better get on with it with the near £40million price tag he commanded in joining from Porto. Wolves also swooped for attacking midfielder Vitinha on loan from the Primeira Liga champions and added left sided defensive cover in the form of Champions League semi finalist Marcal. The latter is the readiest for first team action at 31, having had an interesting career at sides like Lyon, Guingamp and Gaziantepspor.
City have bolstered their back line with a left footed centre back, which there is a lot of hype around at the moment, in Nathan Ake and highly rated Spanish winger Ferran Torres. As questionable ownership decisions have seen a whole host of top-class Valencia players sold for a cut price. After already having a small squad Wolves have let fringe players Morgan Gibbs-White and Bruno Jordao leave, so it is a slightly new look side than the one that tormented the CL quarter finalists.
One to watch
Adama Traore wreaked havoc in both fixtures last season, netting a brace in the first a goal and an assist in the second, a second half comeback to win 3-2 from a two-goal disadvantage. City ended up receiving cards galore in that match in a desperate bid to tame Traore, his new role at right wing back may see him get even more opportunity to run at whoever Guardiola opts to deploy on the left flank.
Wolves will fancy their chances and are strong at home, City are clear favourites if a little short on the market.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
We get unlucky here. A 95th minute deflected effort from Gabriel Jesus restored City’s two goal cushion and ruled this one out as a loss. 1-3.