Manchester City travel to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime.
Pep Guardiola’s side have gone more than a year without losing a Premier League away game, last tasting defeat on the road in August 2021 against Tottenham – who happened to be managed by former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo at the time.
Here’s the XI Guardiola may deploy to extend City’s record on the road against Nuno’s successor, Bruno Lage.
4 goals. 3 points. 1 new ball for my kids. 😁 pic.twitter.com/AixLjl20zD
— Kevin De Bruyne (@KevinDeBruyne) May 11, 2022
GK: Ederson – In his final appearance for Benfica, Ederson teed up Raul Jimenez – now of Wolves – for a goal against Vitoria Guimaraes which helped seal his second successive top-flight title. The pair could be eye-to-eye this weekend.
RB: John Stones – Despite the quality of his ripsnorting equaliser against Borussia Dortmund in midweek, the 15th goal of Stones’ career was overshadowed by Erling Haaland’s 13th of the season.
CB: Ruben Dias – The former Benfica captain won the Portuguese top-flight title under the stewardship of Wolves’ current boss Lage in 2019.
CB: Nathan Ake – With Aymeric Laporte returning to training, Ake may not have much more time as City’s first-choice left-footed centre-back.
LB: Joao Cancelo – Born in the same year as Bernardo Silva, the pair shared five years rising through Benfica’s youth system at a time when Lage was an under-age coach at the club.
CM: Kevin De Bruyne – On the Belgian’s last trip to Molineux, he scored four goals, including three with his supposedly weaker left foot.
CM: Rodri – In his single season at Atletico Madrid, Rodri made more tackles than any other player in La Liga. Since joining Manchester City, no Premier League player has made more passes.
CM: Bernardo Silva – Rather than his velcro touch or incisive passing, Guardiola values Bernardo’s jolliness. “He’s always happy,” his coach once remarked. “I haven’t seen him sad, even for one day – and you cannot imagine how important that is.”
RW: Julian Alvarez – On his only Premier League start, Alvarez nabbed a brace. Given the thoroughly underwhelming displays offered by City’s starting wingers in midweek, the 22-year-old may warrant another outing from the off.
ST: Erling Haaland – Since March, Wolves have collectively scored ten Premier League goals, the same tally as Haaland – although he only first played in the league last month.
LW: Phil Foden – The 22-year-old is one of six players born in the new millennium to feature for City in the Premier League this season, a competition high.