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Manchester City are in cruise control in the English Premier League as they head into Wolves on March 3.
City have a comfortable 10-point lead at the summit over second-placed Manchester United. City have been ruthless in all competitions this season and therefore it will be an uphill challenge for the Wolves. City are in great form as they triumphed over Borussia Monchengladbach 2-0 away from home in the Champions League round of 16 fixture. They will face Premier League darkhorse West Ham United before going up against the Wolves on March 3.
Even though they have missed the services of a lot of their key players like Sergio Aguero, Kevin de Bruyne during the season due to injuries, their fringe players have stepped up and delivered. Youngsters like Ferran Torres and Phil Foden have impressed a lot. However, it is Ilkay Gundogan who has made the most of the opportunity. He has been in red-hot scoring form this season and is their highest scorer in the Premier League as well.
Nuno Espirito Santo and his men have been hot and cold this season and therefore they are currently sitting in the 12th spot. However, they are hoping to finish the season at a higher position. The Wolves are a very tricky opponent and teams should not make the mistake of taking them lightly. In the last match they played, they edged past Leeds United 1-0 and will play Newcastle United before facing Pep Guardiola’s men.
Both the sides have faced each other once in the Premier League this season and it ended in a 3-1 win for Manchester City. Nuno’s men will look to improve on that performance and will be eager to prove their mettle against the table-toppers away from home.
Predicted Starting XIs
Manchester City: Ederson Moraes, Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling.
Wolves: Rui Patricio; Romain Saiss, Conor Coady, Leander Dendoncker; Nelson Semedo, Jonny, Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho; Adama Traore, Pedro Neto, Willian Jose.
Key Players
Manchester City:
Raheem Sterling: The England International has shouldered the goalscoring responsibility for Manchester City since Sergio Aguero’s absence. Sterling has been one of the most consistent players for City in attack, as he has registered nine goals along with six assists this season and will be looking to add to his tally against the Wolves. Sterling can be the difference for Pep Guardiola’s men especially with his blistering pace coupled with his ability to dribble past defenders at will.
Kevin De Bruyne: The Belgian midfielder has been a metronome for Manchester City in the middle of the park. De Bruyne has mustered 10 assists along with three goals this season and out of which he was also out injured in between. De Bruyne has returned to action in their match against Arsenal and will play a crucial role for Pep Guardiola in the middle. He controls the tempo of the game, retains possession and uses his exceptional vision to pick out teammates in attacking positions.
Wolves:
Pedro Neto: In Raul Jimenez’s absence, the 20-year-old Portuguese winger Pedro Neto has taken the mantle of scoring goals and keeping the Wolves in the hunt for a top-half finish in the Premier League. With five goals and three assists this season in the Premier League, he will be the main threat for City. Neto is known for his ability to get in behind the backline and create space for himself and his fellow teammates.
Ruben Neves: The Portuguese midfielder has been a vital cog in Nuno Espirito Santo’s style of play. Neves holds the midfield together and has been very clinical with passing. His ball retention and ability to control proceeding helps the attackers to barge forward with intent. Neves has also scored four goals, which is joint second highest for the Wolves this season. The Portuguese also provides a lot of defensive cover and will be crucial against City, who like to control the game through their midfield.
Prediction
Manchester City are on a 19-match winning streak, and they have not drawn or lost a single game since December 15 when they drew against West Bromwich Albion. It has been a dream start to 2021 and things have gone as per plan and Pep Guardiola looks elated with how things have panned out.
Meanwhile, Wolves have had a topsy turvy season but they have managed to gain some momentum with recent wins in the Premier League. But Nuno Espirito Santo will believe that his men can achieve a lot more than being in 12th position in the league table.
However, keeping all the aspects in mind, Manchester City are too strong even for the upbeat Wolves, and therefore we can expect a repeat of the reverse fixture this season with City reigning supreme yet again.
