Premier League: Championship-Chasing City Head to the Black Country

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City

The closing stages of the 2021/22 Premier League title race arrives in the Black Country on Wednesday evening.

Molineux has been the scene for plenty of Premier League highlights ever since Wolverhampton Wanderers – one of English football’s great institutions – were promoted back to the top flight in 2018.

It can also prove to be one of the most difficult venues so what can we expect?

Certainly, reigning champions Manchester City can not afford to be complacent as they aim to retain the title and secure what would be a fourth championship success in five years.

Talking Points

After their most dramatic exit from the Champions League last week, City bounced back in true style on Sunday with a 5-0 romp at home to Newcastle – a game in which we witnessed more of the sorcery of Kevin de Bruyne.

Victory came at a cost though with central defensive mainstay Ruben Dias failing to re-emerge for the second period before manager Pep Guardiola revealed that would be his final performance of the season.

With John Stones and Kyle Walker also now absent for the rest of the campaign, three quarters of City’s first choice back four this term are missing and Wolves will surely be looking to capitalise.

They can certainly live with the best as they showed when they scored two late goals to rescue a point at Chelsea at the weekend – a result which will boost their confidence in what is their penultimate home game of the season.

Wolves also have the incentive of knowing they still have a chance of qualifying for Europe next term – they currently trail seventh placed West Ham by five points but with a game in hand.

Although Daniel Podence is close to a return from an ankle injury, this match will probably come too soon for the talented Portuguese, while Maximilian Kilman and Nelson Semedo both remain in the treatment room.

After impressing at the weekend, Chiquinho and Francesco Trincao are pushing for starts.

Home boss Bruno Boss Lage had to watch that encounter from home after returning a positive Covid test, but his substitutions proved crucial with Trincao scoring and Chiquinho laying on both goals.

As for City, it remains to be seen whether Nathan Ake (ankle) will be risked so it could mean club captain Fernandinho sees them through in the heart of the backline.

Guiding the club to the title in his final 11 days as a City player would be a fitting farewell.

History

Historically, these sides can’t be separated.

City have triumphed in 51 of their meetings, with Wolves successful in 48 of the contests and the other 25 ending as draws.

In fact, it was level-pegging until City did the double over their opponents last term and won the match earlier this season.

That was courtesy of a Raheem Sterling penalty midway through the second half but only after Raul Jimenez had been shown two yellow cards in a minute at the end of the first half to leave the battling visitors down to 10 men.

The corresponding fixture last term was on the opening weekend of the season for both clubs after their European exertions from the previous campaign (the Covid-delayed conclusion to the 2019/20 season) and saw City win 3-1, thanks to goals from de Bruyne (penalty), Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus.

Jimenez replied for Wolves.

Jesus was also on target with a double in the return fixture, won 4-1 by City, although it took three goals in the final 10 minutes to seal the points against a Wolves team which battled well.

Wolves did seal a league double over City two seasons ago and a comeback 3-2 victory at Molineux when Adama Traore, Jimenez and Matt Doherty sealed the points.

City had played for almost 80 minutes with 10 men after goalkeeper Ederson was sent-off but had still gone 2-0 up, courtesy of a Sterling double.

Betting Tip

You can back the reigning champions to move one step closer to the title in a number of ways with the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds, including 1X2 @ 1.27 and Asian Handicap -1.75 @ 2.07 and -2.00 @ 2.36.

Wolves are really adrift, considering they have just drawn at Chelsea, with best options such as 1X2 @ 11.50 and Asian Handicap +1.50 @ 2.16.

The Draw is on offer @ 5.20.

A repeat of City’s 3-1 success in the Black Country last season is on offer with Correct Score @ 10.00, while another 3-2 Wolves win will pay out at a whopping @ 225.00.

I do expect this to be close and I do expect goals. Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.07 and Over 3.00 goals @ 2.11 were considered.

 

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