Man City ease past Wolves in season opener | OneFootball

Manchester City made the perfect start to their Premier League campaign, sweeping aside Wolves 4-0 at Molineux thanks to a double from Erling Haaland and a sparkling debut from summer signing Tijjani Reijnders.

Pep Guardiola’s men endured a rare trophyless season last year, but this performance was a timely reminder of their quality and ambition heading into the new campaign.

The visitors were on the front foot from the off and it didn’t take long for their dominance to show. Haaland, who had already spurned an early chance, was in the right place to tap in Rico Lewis’ low cross just after the half-hour mark.

Moments later, City doubled their advantage when Reijnders burst forward on the counter and rifled a precise finish into the bottom corner.

Wolves did their best to respond, with Marshall Munetsi heading home only to be denied by the offside flag, while Jorgen Strand Larsen went close. But City’s grip on the game only tightened after the break.

Just past the hour, Reijnders once again made the difference, cutting the ball back for Haaland to smash home his second of the afternoon and put the result beyond doubt.

Substitute and summer signing Rayan Cherki then added extra gloss with a thunderous strike from distance late on, ensuring City ended the day in style.

Wolves huffed and puffed, forcing James Trafford into a couple of sharp stops on his league debut, but City’s clean sheet remained intact. The young goalkeeper looked assured throughout, stepping in confidently for the absent Ederson.

For Guardiola, it was exactly the sort of statement he would have wanted: new signings settling straight in, Haaland back among the goals, and three points on the board without fuss.