Predicted Starting Line-Up: Wolves vs Manchester City (Premier League) | OneFootball

Manchester City return to Premier League action with a trip to face Gary O’Neil’s winless Wolves side at Molineux on Sunday afternoon.

The Premier League champions return from the second international break of the ongoing season with a point to prove having dropping points in two of their last three English top-flight affairs.

But Manchester City continue to pick up the pieces after losing star-man Rodri for the season after the Spaniard underwent surgery having sustained anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus damage in his knee.

Pep Guardiola’s players come into the weekend’s clash with the black country club one point behind current Premier League leaders Liverpool, but trips to Molineux have not been simple as of late for Manchester City.

The club’s last trip to square off with Wolves ended in defeat, and another match in which they were without Rodri in the centre of the park. Facing the same obstacle this time around, let’s see how Pep Guardiola might set up his side for their return to domestic action.

Here is our anticipated line-up in the first of a gruelling run of contests between October and November’s international breaks!

Predicted XI

With Ederson returning from Brazil international duty late and missing a day of training upon his return to Manchester, we could see a rare Stefan Ortega sighting in goal in Premier League action, but the German has always been solid when called upon.

While ownership of the starting right-back role has been a point of contention all season so far, we may just see Kyle Walker return to the side to help deal with Wolves’ counter-attacks and pace that is possessed in their forward line.

Manchester City’s centre-back pairing of Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias has been Pep Guardiola’s go-to all season, and we should see that duo remain together on Sunday afternoon.

Josko Gvardiol should take up his regular role on the left defensive flank, but the Croatian will have to start looking over his shoulder as Nathan Ake has returned to training to compete for the spot following an injury sustained last month.

The centre of midfield is where the question marks begin, but Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan have clearly emerged as Pep Guardiola’s preferred pairing to cover the Rodri-sized hole in the engine room.

Phil Foden has been waiting for his breakout moment all season after a slow start to the campaign, but a start against Wolves on Sunday afternoon may help him to find his footing. With Kevin De Bruyne struggling for fitness, it should be Foden’s time to shine.

After solid showings in the international window for England, Jack Grealish should get the nod on his usual left-flank. The former Aston Villa man has had a great start to the season but he will be in search of adding to the scoresheet.

On the other flank, we could see a rare right-wing start for Jeremy Doku in a Manchester City shirt, as Savinho was another late returner from international duty in South America alongside Ederson.

Rounding it all off, is Erling Haaland up front, of course. The big Norwegian striker made history for his country during the international break by becoming their all-time leading goalscorer. But he will be keen on rediscovering his early-season form for City.

Starting XI: Ortega Moreno; Walker, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Gundogan, Foden; Doku, Haaland, Grealish.

Substitutes: Ederson, Carson, Stones, Lewis, Ake, Nunes, McAtee, Bernardo, Savinho.