Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City preview: Guardiola has defensive problems ahead of trip to Molineux

By Ric Turner, Wed 11 May 2022 09:42


Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City preview: Guardiola has defensive problems ahead of trip to MolineuxFernandinho could fill in at centre-half as defensive trio ruled out for the season

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City

Competition: F.A. Premier League

Date: 8.30 pm, Wednesday 11th May 2022

Venue: Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton

Referee: Martin Atkinson Assistants: S Burt, R West Fourth Official: G Scott VAR: P Tierney

Odds: Wolves 12/1, Draw 5/1, City 1/4

Tickets: Sold out

TV: Sky Sports

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Manager: Bruno Lage

Squad (from): Sa, Ruddy, Sarkic, Hoever, Ait-Nouri, Marcal, Boly, Coady, Jonny, Toti, Neves, Saiss, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Neto, Jimenez, Trincao, Silva, Chiquinho, Hee-Chan

Injured: Podence, Wilman, Semedo

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Form guide: WLLLD

Manchester City

Manager: Pep Guardiola

Squad (from): Ederson, Steffen, Carson, Ake, Zinchenko, Laporte, Cancelo, Egan-Riley, Mbete, Gundogan, Grealish, Rodri, De Bruyne, Silva, Fernandinho, Foden, McAtee, Palmer, Sterling, Jesus, Mahrez, Delap

Injured: Walker, Stones, Dias

Doubtful: Ake

Suspended: Mendy

Form guide: WWWLW

Kyle Walker, John Stones and Ruben Dias have been ruled out for the remainder of the season, leaving City with a defensive headache ahead of the trip to Molineux. Nathan Ake is also a doubt with an ankle injury, but returned to training yesterday, whilst Fernandinho could fill in if required, according to maanger Pep Guardiola.

“Fernandinho played as a full back in the semi-final of the Champions League and as a holding midfielder in the semi-final of the Champions League, maybe he will play central defender.

“It’s a position he knows from the past. I've said many times that when we arrive in these moments, everyone does extra for the team. Fernandinho is more than capable of doing that.

“Today (Nathan Ake) trained. He feels better. I saw him moving a little bit better but he has a disturbance in the ankle.

“He will be on the list, when we said we have 13 first team players and a half… the half is Nathan. Hopefully it can become 14 players.”

Liverpool's win at Aston Villa last night means the two clubs are level on points, although City have a game in hand, and Guardiola isn't expecting any further slip-ups from their rivals.

"We need seven points (to win the title), but if Liverpool need three, four or five goals in the last games to equal the goal difference, they will do it, they have the ability to score a lot of goals from nothing.

"We have a lot of (the) job to do. Nothing changes mentally in my mindset.

"Here we have to be more careful but we have to go for it with the problems we have in one department.

"We have to win Wolves and West Ham and they are tough.

City won their last away league game against Wolves 3-1, with goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus. Overall City have won 51 of the 124 games played against Wolves, with 25 draws and 48 defeats.

Predicted line-up: Ederson, Cancelo, Ake, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodri, Bernardo, De Bruyne, Grealish, Foden, Jesus

Score prediction: Wolves 1 City 2