Man City

Manchester City aim to pile the pressure on Arsenal when they take on Wolves to help kick off Sunday's Premier League action at the Etihad Stadium.

Defeat for City and a win for Arsenal would stretch the Gunners' lead to eight points. It's always going to be a long day at the Etihad for any side but City really look up for this one and aren't allowing Wolves to even get a touch. Pep Guardiola signed a new two-year contract with Manchester City at the end of last year. With 25 points and 15 league places separating the two teams, you could be forgiven for thinking that Wolves have a chance at the Etihad today. The energetic attacker has been included in his first matchday squad today and will be targeting minutes at the Etihad. It has to be that man Erling Haaland who out of nowhere finds himself on the scoresheet. Wolves had a slim chance at half-time, now that hope has been single-handedly extinguished with Haaland scoring his fourth Premier League hattrick of the season. Podence finds a gap in the City defence and attempts to chip Ederson. Wolves have defended well but must look to be braver in attack throughout the second half. The effort is well-blocked by Ake and Wolves players surround referee David Coote demanding a penalty. It should be 4-0 as Gundogan just mistimes his jump and connects with Bernardo Silva's beautifully weighted cross as he's on his way back down to the ground. Kevin de Bruyne and Aymeric Laporte enjoyed successful returns to the starting line-up on what turned out to be a comfortable afternoon for the hosts.

Pep Guardiola has made two changes to his team for this afternoon's Premier League meeting with Wolves.

[Pep Guardiola](https://www.mancity.com/players/pep-guardiola) and Julen Lopetegui in a league game. [Rodrigo](https://www.mancity.com/players/rodrigo) is the anchor man in the midfield, with Ilkay [Gundogan](https://www.mancity.com/players/ilkay-gundogan) and Kevin [De Bruyne](https://www.mancity.com/players/kevin-de-bruyne) getting forward on either side of him. [Jack Grealish](https://www.mancity.com/players/jack-grealish) will look to do damage on the left wing and Riyad [Mahrez](https://www.mancity.com/players/riyad-mahrez) attacking on the right in support of central forward [Erling Haaland](https://www.mancity.com/players/erling-haaland). [Mahrez](https://www.mancity.com/players/riyad-mahrez) was the catalyst for a second half comeback that saw us win 4-2 come full-time. City have lost just two of our last 24 home games in the Premier League, picking up 20 wins in the process. [Pep Guardiola](https://www.mancity.com/players/pep-guardiola) has opted for his trusted 4-3-3 for the visit of Wolves. This is Wolves’ 50th away top-flight league game against City. He changed the game. “At Chelsea at Stamford Bridge after one minute, he changed the game. He said: “Rico, 18 years old, was amazing in the Carabao Cup. [Ederson](https://www.mancity.com/players/ederson), Lewis, [Stones](https://www.mancity.com/players/john-stones), Akanji, [Laporte](https://www.mancity.com/players/aymeric-laporte), [Rodrigo](https://www.mancity.com/players/rodrigo), [De Bruyne](https://www.mancity.com/players/kevin-de-bruyne), [Gundogan](https://www.mancity.com/players/ilkay-gundogan), [Mahrez](https://www.mancity.com/players/riyad-mahrez), Grealish, Haaland [Aymeric](https://www.mancity.com/players/aymeric-laporte) [Laporte](https://www.mancity.com/players/aymeric-laporte) and Kevin [De Bruyne](https://www.mancity.com/players/kevin-de-bruyne) in place of Nathan [Ake](https://www.mancity.com/players/nathan-ake) and [Julian Alvarez](https://www.mancity.com/players/julian-alvarez), who both drop to the bench.

Erling Haaland starts as Man City look to gain ground on Premier League leaders Arsenal.

In the second half, Neves clipped Gundogan to give away a penalty which the Norwegian dispatched and Sa gave the ball away four minutes later, and Haaland slotted home Mahrez's cross. That win moves City to just two points behind Arsenal in top spot, who will be kicking off shortly against Manchester United. It was a matter of time until City got that crucial second goal, with Haaland converting from the spot following a foul on Ilkay Gundogan five minutes after the break.

Erling Haaland scores his fourth Manchester City hat-trick and takes his tally for the season to 31 in all competitions as relegation-threated Wolves are ...

Assisted by Bernardo Silva with a cross. Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City) header from very close range is just a bit too high. Daniel Podence (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Matheus Nunes (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. - Away10 - Squad number9Player nameJiménezAverage rating - Squad number5Player nameLeminaAverage rating - Squad number4Player nameCollinsAverage rating - Squad number4Player namePhillipsAverage rating - Squad number9Player nameHaalandAverage rating Certainly no-one could accuse Lopetegui of not being invested in his job. Haaland has now scored 25 goals in City's first 20 Premier League games.

Manchester City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers. Premier League. 2:00pm, Sunday 22nd January 2023. Etihad StadiumAttendance: ...

"After we suffered the goal we tried to change a lot of things. "We deserve to lose but I prefer to lose in one way - we have to try to damage the opponent. "In the first half, we were not able to overcome them to arrive in the opposition box. In the second half at least we tried to damage them. "We were frustrated with ourselves and the manager made that clear. "We knew today we had to hit the ground running, set a good tempo and I think we did that." Pep Guardiola had been frustrated with his players in midweek, criticising the lack of fire and there were periods during the first half when that intensity was lacking. His third goal might have been even easier, laid on for him unselfishly by Riyad Mahrez after Sa had passed the ball straight to the winger. Pablo Sarabia had to wait for his full debut, he was among the substitutes. Wolves stifled the home side for much of the first half before Haaland took charge, heading in Kevin De Bruyne's cross. Wolves remain just outside the relegation zone, ahead of Bournemouth on goal difference. The mini drought of two games ended with his header against Tottenham on Thursday evening.

For Wolves, openings were rare. Ruben Neves' free-kick came close to finding Nathan Collins, but Manuel Akanji was in the right place to deny the old gold a ...

Having been so resolute for much of the first half, the game got away from Wolves within the opening ten minutes of the second. The Irishman was well placed on the line to head away Grealish’s effort with Sa beaten, before he crucially slid in to keep Ilkay Gundogan from setting up Haaland for a tap in. Wolves had proved a tough nut to crack for the first 40 minutes, but as Kevin De Bruyne whipped a cross on to the head of Haaland, City were away.

Manchester City return to Premier League action today as they host Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium.

It has been a bit up and down and is a tittle bit uncomfortable so we decided with the doctors to rest it. We talk a little bit to see what we have to do with the ball, without the ball we don't train anything. City ended the game as a contest ten minutes after the interval. Haaland comfortably converted the spot kick to make it two. At times, City laboured in the first half as they attempted to break down a resolute Wolves defence. We will see what happens in the next games.