Wolverhampton Wanderers will face a challenging test as they welcome Manchester City to Molineux on Sunday, October 20th, 2024. Wolves, led by Gary O’Neil, are in a difficult position at the bottom of the Premier League table, having gone winless in their last seven games. O’Neil’s side will be hoping for a shock result to turn their fortunes around, especially after competitive yet disappointing results against Liverpool and Brentford. His position as manager could be under scrutiny given this poor run, despite facing tough opposition in the early fixtures.
Manchester City, meanwhile, will be seeking to reclaim the top spot from Liverpool. Pep Guardiola’s side remains unbeaten, though their recent form has been shaky with two draws and one win in their last three games. City will be without Kevin De Bruyne, who remains sidelined with a long-term injury, and Nathan Ake, whose hamstring issue continues to be a concern. Guardiola also hinted at minor issues with Brazilian players and Manuel Akanji but didn’t expect them to be serious enough to affect their availability.
### Team News
**Wolves**:
– **Hwang Hee-Chan** is out after suffering an ankle injury while on international duty, joining several others like **Yerson Mosquera**, **Sasa Kalajdzic**, and **Enso Gonzalez** on the injury list.
– **Bastien Meupiyou** could return to the squad after recovering from his absence.
**Man City**:
– **Kevin De Bruyne** remains out, while **Nathan Ake** is unlikely to feature due to a hamstring issue.
– Guardiola mentioned issues with the “Brazilians” and **Manuel Akanji**, but their availability isn’t completely ruled out.
### Predicted Lineups:
**Wolves**:
– **Johnstone**; **Ait-Nouri**, **Bueno**, **T. Gomes**, **Semedo**; **Cunha**, **J. Gomes**, **Andre**, **Lemina**, **Forbs**; **Strand Larsen**
**Man City**:
– **Ederson**; **Gvardiol**, **Dias**, **Stones**, **Lewis**; **Kovacic**, **Nunes**; **Doku**, **Foden**, **Grealish**; **Haaland**
### Key Players
– **Mario Lemina** (Wolves): Lemina will be crucial in the midfield, especially with **Rodri** absent for City. His physical presence, passing ability, and defensive work could be vital in keeping Wolves competitive.
– **Erling Haaland** (Man City): Haaland has already scored 10 goals this season. Despite a quiet spell in recent games, he remains one of the most dangerous strikers and will be key for City against an injury-ridden Wolves defense.
Match Details:
– **Venue**: Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton
– **Kick-Off**: Sunday, October 20th, 2024, at 14:00 BST
– **Broadcast**: Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, and Sky Sports Ultra HDR. Highlights will be available on the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel and on BBC One’s *Match of the Day*.
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