By Daily Sports on December 11, 2021

Having seen their seven-game unbeaten run come to an abrupt end in midweek, Manchester City welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday in the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola’s men went down 2-1 to RB Leipzig in midweek, while the visitors were undone by a late Liverpool winner at Molineux last weekend.

Man City’s status as Champions League Group A winners was already confirmed before they travelled to RB Leipzig for an inconsequential clash on the final matchday, with the German side benefitting from that new manager bounce following Jesse Marsch’s dismissal.

The Bundesliga outfit under the tutelage of Achim Beierlorzer ended City’s seven-game winning run in all competitions thanks to strikes from Dominik Szoboszlai and Andre Silva, with Riyad Mahrez’s header not enough to threaten a late comeback.

However, City’s 3-1 victory over Watford – thanks in no small part to an astounding Bernardo Silva performance – saw them take advantage of Chelsea’s defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers and reclaim top spot in the Premier League table – one point clear of second-placed Liverpool.

The reigning English champions have now prevailed five times in a row in the top flight – scoring at least two goals in each game – and even at this stage of the season, their title destiny is already in their own hands ahead of a hectic winter period.

Guardiola’s side have been far from perfect on their own patch this term, but they welcome Wolves to the Etihad on a four-game winning streak on home soil and in no mood to let their midweek defeat sour their fortunes domestically.

Wolves became the latest victims of a last-minute Divock Origi winner last weekend, but Bruno Lage must have thought his luck was in when Diogo Jota somehow blasted the ball at Conor Coady when he otherwise had the whole of the goal to aim at. However, Origi came off the bench to smash home Liverpool’s winner in the fourth minute of second-half injury time, which represented Wolves’ third game without a win or a goal in the Premier League as their European dream took yet another hit.

Having now overseen a bitter downturn in fortunes with just one win from their last five in the top flight, Lage has work to do to pull his side back into top-six contention as they sit eighth in the standings – two points behind seventh-placed Arsenal and three behind Manchester United.

A paltry tally of just one goal from their last five games highlights where the problems lie for this Wolves side – who have not had many problems shutting up shop in defence – although only one of their last six away games has ended in defeat.

Man City comfortably saw off Wolves 4-1 at the Etihad last term after claiming a 3-1 win at Molineux a few months before, and this week's visitors to Manchester have lost six of their last nine visits to the Citizens’ headquarters. (Sports Mole)

•PHOTO: Guardiola

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 11, 2021

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