Cherki and Reijnders Set to Ignite Man City's Attack Against Wolves at Molineux
Manchester City head to the West Midlands this Saturday for their Premier League season opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2025–26 campaign.
Looking to bounce back from last season's letdown, the Citizens are determined to get off to a strong start against a team they've historically performed well against. As Pep Guardiola's squad looks to reclaim their position as England's top footballing power, they cannot afford any mistakes at Molineux.
City's collection of new arrivals will play key roles in Saturday's encounter and should inject some vital fresh momentum, though another setback to midfield cornerstone Rodri means Guardiola won't have his complete roster available.
Here's how the Spanish manager might set up his team against Wolves.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Wolves (4-1-4-1)
GK: Ederson—Questions persist about Ederson's future with Galatasaray speculation and City's pursuit of Gianluigi Donnarumma, but the Brazilian is expected to start over new backup James Trafford this weekend.
RB: Matheus Nunes—City opted not to recruit a dedicated right-back this summer and will persist with Nunes and Rico Lewis in that role. The former seems to be Guardiola's favored choice as he prepares for a potentially unwelcoming return against his previous club.
CB: Rúben Dias—City's defensive captain is moving closer to signing a contract extension, having proven himself absolutely vital to the club's achievements since joining in 2020.
CB: Joško Gvardiol—Gvardiol has consistently covered the left-back position for the Citizens, but Rayan Aït-Nouri's arrival should enable the Croatian to feature centrally more frequently.
LB: Rayan Aït-Nouri—Ironically, Aït-Nouri will make his official City debut against the team he departed from this summer. He's likely to receive a friendlier welcome than his ex-Wolves teammate and new City colleague Nunes.
DM: Nico González—With Rodri and Mateo Kovačić sidelined, City fans may worry heading into Molineux, but González represents a capable substitute. The Spanish midfielder must seize this chance created by his teammates' unavailability.
RM: Rayan Cherki—City's under-the-radar acquisition could emerge as one of the summer's best value signings. He recorded 12 goals and 20 assists for Lyon last season and has already found the net for the Citizens at the FIFA Club World Cup.
CM: Tijjani Reijnders—Reijnders represents another thrilling addition who could help propel City back to the top, and he's impressed during his early days with his new team. He netted twice in the recent 3–0 pre-season victory over Palermo.
CM: Bernardo Silva—Now appointed as City's club captain, Silva will seek to rediscover his peak performance after a relatively quiet 2024–25 campaign by his usual standards. The adaptable Portuguese remains one of Guardiola's most trusted players for valid reasons.
LM: Omar Marmoush—Marmoush hit the ground running in Manchester after his January arrival, netting eight goals and earning the Premier League Goal of the Season award.
ST: Erling Haaland—The introduction of additional creative talents should further enhance Haaland's extraordinary scoring statistics. He found the net 34 times in 48 matches last season despite City's difficulties.
