'We will try to beat City.' Gary O'Neil says, as Wolves eye end to four-game losing run.

2024-10-14

As Wolves find themselves desperate to end a four-game losing streak, they face the daunting task of hosting reigning champions Manchester City, who are eager to reclaim the Premier League top spot, at Molineux Stadium this Saturday.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

The Wanderers remain anchored at the bottom of the Premier League table, as one of four teams yet to secure a win. They experienced their sixth defeat just before the international break, losing 5-3 to Brentford in a thrilling match.

Up next is a challenging fixture against Manchester City, making it unlikely for Wolves to end their current four-game losing streak. Additionally, as the only side to have lost all their home games this season, they face the possibility of losing their first four home matches for the first time in a campaign.

Manager Gary O’Neil, under significant pressure, acknowledged the dire situation: "Points wise, it’s obviously bad. Very bad. I'll be the biggest critic of my team," he remarked in a pre-match press conference. Despite the odds, Wolves aim to stun Manchester City in what could be the weekend’s biggest upset.

"We'll try to beat Manchester City, we’ll try to beat Brighton, Palace, and Southampton before the break, try to win all four and see where we get to," O'Neil said, expressing confidence in his team's understanding of the task ahead. A 4—1—4—1 formation with Jørgen Strand Larsen leading the attack is anticipated.

However, Wolves are dealing with injury woes, missing up to four players including Yerson Mosquera, Boubacar Traore, and Enso González. Mosquera, in particular, faces a prolonged recovery due to a knee injury.

Manchester City

Manchester City were only one point adrift of table-topping Liverpool going into the break, after a 3-2 win over Fulham marked their return to winning ways. The Sky Blues sit in 2nd place with 17 points [WWDDW] before Sunday’s fixture against Wolves.

While Manchester City are eager to overtake Liverpool, Pep Guardiola anticipates a challenging game at the weekend. "They got less points than they deserve, it’s what I can see," the City boss said. "Always have been tough with Wolves since Nuno Espirito Santo was the manager. All the time, they have been exceptional," he added.

The City manager is expected to mirror Gary O’Neil’s 4-1-4-1 formation with Erling Haaland in attack. Oscar Bobb and Kevin De Bruyne are unavailable, while Rodri is ruled out for the rest of the season.

Nathan Ake is unlikely to feature, though he could travel with the team. Manuel Akanji needs to be assessed ahead of the game.