Manchester City 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0: Match report from Molineux as City start the season strongly | OneFootball

Manchester City 4 (Erling Haaland 34′, 61, Tijjani Reijnders 37′, Rayan Cherki 81′)

Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

Manchester City has begun the 25/26 Premier League season with a 4-nil over Wolverhampton Wanderers in a powerful display from Pep Guardiola’s side. When the starting lineups were announced, Ederson wasn’t included in the Manchester City squad. Besides his absence, Pep Guardiola had picked a strong starting eleven to start the new season.

Before kick-off, a touching tribute was observed for Diego Jota, who tragically passed away during the summer. Jota had a tremendous impact at Wolves before signing for Liverpool, and it was a beautiful moment before the game kicked off.

First half

There was a good tempo to the game in the opening five minutes. Manchester City were looking dangerous in possession to begin the game. Jeremy Doku, on the left wing, did seem to be Manchester City’s biggest attacking threat to open the game. He put in one dangerous cross, which was headed behind for a corner by the Wolves’ defence. Conversely, Wolves’ first attack of the games opening stages came via a misplaced pass by Ruben Dias. The misplaced pass from Dias allowed Jean-Ricner Bellegarde to put a dangerous cross into the penalty area from the left wing. But his cross was well defended by the City defence.

The game entered a holding pattern after a lively opening.

After a lively opening, the game entered a holding pattern. Pep Guardiola’s side dominated possession, and Vitor Pereira’s side defended stoutly. The hosts also had an ever-present threat on the counter when Manchester City lost possession. There was a touching tribute by the crowd in attendance observed in the 18th minute for former Wolves striker Diego Jota. Following that, Erling Haaland headed over the bar after Bernardo Silva floated a dangerous cross in from the left-hand byline.

Wolves had a goal ruled out for offside in the 26th minute.

The hosts thought they took the lead in the 26th minute. Marshall Munetsi fired in a bullet header from a dangerous position to seemingly give Vitor Pereira’s side the lead. But Munetsi had strayed offside in the build-up. But the way the goal was constructed was a warning to Pep Guardiola’s side. It came after a spell of dominance from the hosts. A minute later, James Trafford made a quality save from Munetsi, but the Wolves attacker was once again flagged for offside.

Erling Haaland gives Manchester City the lead after a superb piece of play from Tijjani Reijnders.

Manchester City would take the lead in the 34th minute. A driving run from midfield and a superb dinked ball from Tijjani Reijnders played in Rico Lewis. Lewis played a simple ball across the Wolves’ penalty area for Erling Haaland to tap in at the back post. The goal came from a superb piece of play from Reijnders, which unlocked the Wolves’ defence with a magnificent run and piece of skill.

Tijjani Reijnders doubles Manchester City’s lead three minutes later.

Pep Guardiola’s side would double their lead three minutes later. Wolves midfielder Andre was dispossessed in midfield, which set Oscar Bobb free. Bobb had Haaland to his right and Tijjani Reijnders to his left. Bobb slipped in Reijnders with a quality ball, and the Dutch international beat Jose Sà in the Wolves goal with a composed left-footed finish to double Manchester City’s lead.

The remainder of the first half went by without incident after Manchester City scored two goals in three minutes. Pep Guardiola’s side took a 2 goal lead into the interval and were good value for their lead.

Second half

Wolves made a bright opening to the second half. Jørgen Strand Larson fired a shot just wide of James Trafford’s near post after some neat play from his team. But the way the hosts cut through Manchester City’s defence showed that Vitor Pereira’s side hadn’t given up despite the scoreline.

James Trafford denied Jørgen Strand Larson after a clever Wolverhampton Wanderers’ set piece from a dangerous position minutes later. It was a simple save for Trafford to make, but Vitor Pereira’s side showed some ingenuity from the free kick. The hosts had dominated possession to begin the second half, but that was leaving gaps in behind their defence.

Erling Haaland makes it 3-nil after a superb Manchester City counterattack.

Manchester City would make it 3-nil on the hour mark. A beautifully constructed move saw Oscar Bobb and Tijjani Reijnders combine superbly on the right wing. Eventually, Bobb played in Reijnders, who squared the ball for Haaland to make it 3-nil with an emphatic finish to beat Jose Sà in the Wolves goal.

Following Haaland’s second goal of the afternoon, a spate of substitutions from both teams did take the sting out of the game. As the game entered the 75th minute both team’s did seem to have come to the realisation that the game was over. James Trafford made another good save from Jørgen Strand Larson in the 75th minute to preserve his clean sheet. The opportunity for Wolves came after a sloppy piece of play at the back from the City defence.

Rayan Cherki makes it 4-nil with a sublime piece of skill.

Manchester City would make it 4-nil in the 81st minute. Rayan Cherki scored the goal with a brilliant right-footed finish. The goal came after a well-worked move which saw Cherki’s individual brilliance stand out. He played a sublime flick to Nico O’Reilly before receiving the ball back and firing past Jose Sà with his right foot from the edge of the area.

The closing stages of the game played out without incident. Manchester City would leave Molineux with three points and there was plenty to take from the game for Pep Guardiola’s side. The performances of Tijjani Reijnders, John Stones, Nico, James Trafford and Erling Haaland stood out. Rayan Cherki’s cameo off the bench was another highlight of the match. All told Manchester City had made a strong start to the 25/26 season which was was emphasized by the scoreline.