Manchester City enter their Premier League meeting with Wolves under pressure, following a poor domestic run and a damaging 3-1 defeat against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League, as scrutiny grows on recent performances in both competitions.
That loss in Norway extended a worrying spell for Manchester City, who have collected only three points from their last four league fixtures, including a 2-0 derby defeat against Manchester United, leaving the Etihad Stadium crowd expecting a reaction against bottom-placed Wolves.
Pep Guardiola watched Manchester City suffer a setback at Aspmyra Stadion, where Kasper Hogh struck twice in quick succession and Jens Petter Hauge added a superb second-half goal, while Rodri received a red card to complete a difficult
European night for the reigning Premier League champions.
That reverse marked Manchester City’s first defeat against opponents from a new nation in major European competition since a 2-0 loss away to Dynamo Kyiv in the Europa League in March 2011, highlighting how unusual the outcome in Bodo felt for Guardiola and the squad.
Reflecting on the situation, Guardiola underlined the need to shift the current mood, as Manchester City attempt to reset before facing Wolves and then Galatasaray in their remaining matches this week. Guardiola said: "We have to come backthe results since 2025 are not good, in terms of the Premier League and now here [at Bodo],Guardiolasaid. But we go forward, Wolves and then Galatasaray. We have the feeling everything is going wrong, the details, but we have to try and change that. I don't have any doubts about this competition, nothing is taken for granted, that is for sure. United beat us and were better. Today [Bodo] had momentum. But the team was there, and we createdon the transition they are really good. "
Defeat in Norway. 3-1pic.twitter.com/GhgBecuyG2Manchester City (@ManCity) January 20, 2026
Wolves arrive at the Etihad Stadium showing more resilience under Rob Edwards, having earned a goalless draw against Newcastle United in their previous Premier League outing, a result that extended an unbeaten run which has helped restore some confidence inside a squad fighting at the bottom.
That sequence means Wolves are the first side to go four matches without defeat in a top-flight season while remaining bottom of the table throughout that period since West Brom managed five games between April and May 2018, giving Edwards’ team a small but notable positive record.
Despite this response, Wolves stay 20th in the Premier League, 14 points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, and the Opta supercomputer assigns them only a 0.3% chance of escaping relegation to the Championship, underlining the scale of the task still ahead for Edwards and the squad.
Full-back Hugo Bueno insisted belief has not disappeared inside the dressing room, stressing that performances have improved even if wins remain scarce. Bueno said: "We are 100% more solid and competitive now. We are really confident in the work we are doing, but we just need to get those wins, Bueno said. Even though right now the draws are a good result, we are not happy because we know we have to get more wins, and we will fight for that. Hopefully the next one is going to be a win. "
Man City vs Wolves: Players to watch and key numbers
Erling Haaland’s recent goal drought adds another storyline, yet the striker has an outstanding record against Wolves, scoring 10 Premier League goals against them, more than any player has managed versus the visitors, including games where Haaland scored one, two, three and four goals.
That scoring pattern places Haaland in a small group; only Robbie Fowler against Bolton Wanderers and Harry Kane versus Leicester City have also delivered single, brace, hat-trick and four-goal returns in separate Premier League matches against the same opponents, emphasising the forward’s threat.
For Wolves, 18-year-old Mateus Mane has become a key attacking figure in the league since the start of December, recording a team-high two goals and three goal involvements, while also ranking second for shots with 12 and touches inside the opposition area with 15 during that period.
Man City vs Wolves: Historical record and Opta prediction
Manchester City have dominated recent Premier League meetings with Wolves, winning 10 of the last 11, with the only defeat in that stretch a 2-1 reverse at Molineux in September 2023, when Gary O'Neil was in charge of the home side in the Black Country.
Across the league, Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 30 matches against teams starting the day bottom of the table, recording 24 wins and six draws since three consecutive defeats between November and December 2008 against Bolton, Tottenham and West Brom.
At the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City have won their last nine Premier League fixtures versus bottom-placed sides by an aggregate score of 36-0, illustrating both attacking strength and defensive control when facing teams in the most difficult league position.
Guardiola’s side have lost only once in their previous 10 Premier League matches, with six wins and three draws, yet they are currently without a victory in four league games, their longest winless top-flight run since seven straight draws under Mark Hughes between October and November 2009.
Wolves’ current improvement is reflected in one win and three draws from the last four league fixtures, producing six points, which is double their total from the preceding 22 matches, when they registered no victories, three draws and 19 defeats in a long struggle for form.
History offers Wolves little comfort at the Etihad Stadium, where they have won only one of 11 Premier League away games against Manchester City, drawing once and losing nine, and they have been beaten in the last five visits since a 2-0 success under Nuno Espirito Santo in October 2019.
Wolves have drawn blanks in front of goal in 11 different league matches this season, the joint-highest figure in the division, although Edwards’ side have also kept two clean sheets in their last three games after conceding at least once in each of the previous 23 Premier League fixtures.
Opta’s model heavily favours the hosts, giving Manchester City a 77.4% chance of victory, with the likelihood of a draw rated at 13.6% and a Wolves win at 9.1%, figures that reflect both teams’ recent results and the long-term record in this fixture.
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