FA Cup finalists Manchester City will seek to keep their push for UEFA Champions League qualification on track when they host in-form Wolves in the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola’s side booked their place in the Wembley showpiece for a record-equalling third season in succession last weekend, thanks to a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest. Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol got the goals before City rode their luck somewhat as Forest hit the post three times.
Wolves are likely to provide a far sterner test than anticipated a couple of months ago, when City’s run-in looked fairly generous on paper. Vitor Pereira’s side are on a six-match winning streak in the Premier League, their relegation fears at the turn of the year now a distant memory.
Gary O’Neill was still in the Molineux dugout when City won the reverse fixture 2-1 last October courtesy of a last-gasp John Stones goal. Friday’s game is likely to be a little different.
STREAM: Man City vs. Wolves LIVE in US on Peacock
Man City vs. Wolves lineups, predicted starting 11, team news
Rico Lewis excelled on a rare start in midfield against Forest in the cup semifinal and it remains to be seen whether Guardiola’s selection of the youngster was match-specific. If not, he has surely done enough to keep his shirt.
Kevin De Bruyne was on the bench at Wembley and is likely to return to the starting lineup to continue his farewell tour, while James McAtee should also come back in, having started and impressed in each of City’s past two home games against Aston Villa and pending cup-final foes Crystal Palace.
John Stones and Nathan Ake remain sidelined alongside Erling Haaland, Rodri and Oscar Bobb, but Ederson should return behind a defensive line that has clearly benefitted from having settled personnel for the first time this season.
Man City predicated starting lineup (4-2-2-2, right to left): Ederson (GK) — Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly — Kovacic, Silva — De Bruyne, Lewis — McAtee, Marmoush
Injured: Haaland (ankle), Ake (muscle), Stones (thigh), Rodri (ACL), Bobb (hamstring)
Suspended: None
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Wolves have their remaining cluster of long-term injuries, but attacking duo Hwang Hee-chan and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde returned to the bench for the 3-0 win against Leicester City last time out.
Matt Doherty was back in the starting XI following a setback of his own and suffered no ill effects.
Matheus Cunha will carry Wolves’ main threat and scored his 18th goal of the season in all competitions last weekend. Speculation persists that he could join Manchester United at the end of the season.
Wolves predicted starting lineup (3-4-3, right to left): Sa (GK) — Doherty, Agbadou, T. Gomes — Semedo, J. Gomes, Andre, Ait-Nouri — Munetsi, Strand Larsen, Cunha
Injured: Mosquera (knee), Kalajdzic (ACL), Gonzalez (ACL), Chiwome (ACL), Johnstone (muscular), Lima (foot, doubt)
Suspended: None
Man City vs. Wolves live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Premier League match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | — | Peacock |
| Canada | — | Fubo Canada |
| UK | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League | Sky Go Extra |
| Australia | — | Optus Sport |
| India | Star Sport Select 1 | JioCinema, Disney+, Hotstar |
