Meetings between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City usually promise goals, even if in recent years it has been dominated by Pep Guardiola's side. Wolves are looking to record a first victory over City since December 2019.
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It has been a difficult opening period for Gary O'Neil, with four points from 18 leaving his Wolves team two places above the relegation zone. They were also sent out of the EFL Cup this week by Ipswich Town, despite leading 2-0 after only 15 minutes.
City come into this match having won all six of their opening matches, but tasted their first defeat in all competitions this season at Newcastle United in the EFL Cup on Wednesday. They will be without Rodri, after his red card against Nottingham Forest last Saturday, as well as Guardiola, who is banned after receiving a third yellow card at St James' Park in midweek.
Team news
There are no fresh injury worries for Wolves. However, O'Neil will be without loanee Tommy Doyle, who is ineligible to face his parent club, and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who sits out the second of his three-match suspension.
For City, John Stones and Bernardo Silva are still out with injury, while Kevin De Bruyne remains on the sidelines. Rodri serves the second of a three-match ban, while Jack Grealish is in contention to start.
Last five meetings
22 Jan 2023: Man City 3-0 Wolves
17 Sep 2022: Wolves 0-3 Man City
11 May 2022: Wolves 1-5 Man City
11 Dec 2021: Man City 1-0 Wolves
2 Mar 2021: Man City 4-1 Wolves
Key facts
Wolves will look to avoid losing their opening three home league matches for only the third time in the club's history, after 1986/87 (fourth tier) and 2021/22 (Premier League).
Pedro Neto has scored or assisted in each of Wolves’ last four Premier League matches. Only two Wolves players have been involved in at least one goal in five Premier League appearances in a row: Henri Camara (March-May 2004); Steven Fletcher (May–August 2011).
Man City are looking to become only the third side to win each of their opening seven matches in a season in the competition, after Chelsea in 2005/06, who won first nine, and Liverpool in 2019/20, who won their first eight. Both these teams went on to lift the title.
Since the start of the 2019/20 season, City have lost four of the 14 Premier League matches Rodri has missed.
What the managers had to say
O'Neil: “It’s obviously a big task, but it’s a real good opportunity for us to see where we’re at and give a good account of ourselves to try and be the best version of us, and you see where that gets you on the day. We know Manchester City are a fantastic side, probably the best side in world football, so we need a lot to align."
Guardiola: “I have incredible respect for Wolves and when you see the quality they have especially up front with Neto, with [Matheus] Cunha, with Hwang Hee-chan - [Mario] Lemina is a top player."
