Wolves vs Man City Match Review: Guardiola’s New Era Begins with a 4-0 Statement at Molineux! | OneFootball

Wolves vs Man City Match Review. Manchester City opened their Premier League account in emphatic fashion, brushing aside Wolverhampton Wanderers with a 4-0 victory at Molineux. Goals from Erling Haaland (2) and league debutants Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki ensured Pep Guardiola’s side began the 2025/26 campaign with the authority of champions.

The occasion was tinged with poignancy as Wolves supporters honoured the memory of former striker Diogo Jota with heartfelt tributes before kick-off. But once the game began, City’s relentless combination of sharp movement, pressing, and precision in transition proved too much for Vítor Pereira’s men.

Match Summary and Tactical Review

Wolves’ Brave Start, City’s Ruthless Response

The opening half-hour hinted at Wolves’ intent to make this a contest. Pereira’s side pressed aggressively in midfield, with João Gomes and Marshall Munetsi trying to snap at the heels of City’s creative hubs. There was an early moment of promise when Munetsi had a header disallowed for offside, quickly followed by John Stones’ intervention to deny Jørgen Strand Larsen. For a fleeting period, Wolves had the edge in duels and carried territorial presence.

But City, as they have so often under Guardiola, punished a lapse with surgical precision. At 34 minutes, Tijjani Reijnders surged through midfield, side-stepping Gomes before lofting a clever pass into Rico Lewis. The young full-back again, used in Guardiola’s inverted role, slipped a crisp pass across the six-yard box for Haaland, who tapped home his first of the season.

Within three minutes, Wolves were undone again. A loose pass from Emmanuel Agbadou was seized upon by Oscar Bobb, who drove at the heart of Wolves’ defence. With Haaland to one side and Reijnders to the other, Bobb fed the Dutchman, who applied a calm left-footed finish past José Sá. From near parity to a two-goal deficit in 180 seconds – the hallmark of City’s ability to accelerate from control to dominance.

Reijnders: Architect of a New Midfield Era

The afternoon belonged to Reijnders, who not only scored but also orchestrated play with elegance. His ability to glide past opponents, dictate tempo, and contribute in the final third justified Guardiola’s decision to centre the team’s summer rebuild around him.

The third goal, early in the second half, was quintessential Guardiola football. From goalkeeper James Trafford’s kick, Reijnders collected on the halfway line, exchanged passes with Bobb, then cut back unselfishly for Haaland. The Norwegian did the rest, thundering a low drive beyond Sá.

Cherki Adds the Final Flourish

As Wolves wilted, Guardiola introduced Rayan Cherki. Within eight minutes, the Frenchman had marked his Premier League debut with a dazzling strike. A backheel, a give-and-go with Nico O’Reilly, and a clinical low finish – Cherki’s goal encapsulated both audacity and precision. At just 21 (soon to be 22), he showed why City believe he can add a new dimension to their attacking rotations.

Wolves’ Struggles in Context

For Wolves, this was as much about the emotional weight of the day as the tactical gulf. The Jota tributes unified the crowd, but the team struggled to channel that energy effectively on the pitch. Strand Larsen worked tirelessly, forcing Trafford into smart saves, while Andre tried to anchor midfield. Yet Wolves’ backline was simply overwhelmed by City’s rotations, and Agbadou’s error for the second goal epitomised their inability to sustain composure under pressure.

Pereira set up with wing-backs to stretch the field, but once City seized momentum, Wolves’ shape flattened. Doherty and Hoever were repeatedly pulled out of position, while Toti Gomes was left exposed by Bobb’s constant inside drifting. The gulf in technical quality meant Wolves’ sporadic counter-attacks lacked an end product.

City’s Balance and Evolution

Beyond the goals, the match offered a glimpse of Guardiola’s latest tactical evolution. With Ederson absent, Trafford impressed with calm distribution and confidence in claiming high balls. The back line, featuring debutant Rayan Aït-Nouri against his former club, combined solidity with progression.

Most significantly, Reijnders’ midfield presence offered balance: tall, rangy, and tactically astute, he provided both structure and creativity. His partnership with Bernardo Silva ensured City always had control zones, while the front three of Haaland, Bobb, and Jérémy Doku rotated intelligently.

In short, this was City flexing their depth, integrating new signings seamlessly, and reminding the league that the summer’s talk of decline may have been premature.

Player Ratings – Wolverhampton Wanderers

José Sá -1.5/10: Beaten four times, with little resistance offered.

Matt Doherty – 3/10: Overrun defensively, booked, and unable to stem Lewis’ influence.

Emmanuel Agbadou -2.5/10: Costly error for City’s second, rattled under pressure.

Toti Gomes -4.5/10: Marginally better but dragged out of position repeatedly.

Ki-Jana Hoever -5.5/10: Showed flashes going forward, but defensively exposed.

Andre – 6/10: One of the few positives; disciplined but overwhelmed.

João Gomes -5.5/10: Industrious but bypassed too easily in midfield duels.

David Møller Wolfe – 3/10: A difficult debut; lost possession frequently.

Marshall Munetsi – 6/10: Denied a goal by offside; worked hard without reward.

Jørgen Strand Larsen – 7/10: Lively, forced saves, but lacked finishing touch.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde – 4/10: Failed to link effectively in transition.

Substitutes:

Hugo Bueno – 3, Fer Lopez – 5, Jhon Arias -4.5, Rodrigo Gomes -3.5, Hwang Hee-chan – 5

Player Ratings – Manchester City

James Trafford -7.5/10: Confident debut; assured handling and distribution.

Rico Lewis -7.5/10: Provided the assist for Haaland’s opener, energetic throughout.

John Stones – 7/10: Timely first-half block; composed in possession.

Rúben Dias – 6.5/10: Settled after an early slip; dependable partner to Stones.

Rayan Aït-Nouri – 7/10: Quietly effective on return to Wolves.

Nico González – 7/10: Controlled midfield transitions, both defensive and forward.

Bernardo Silva (c) – 6.5/10: Intelligent link play, led by example.

Tijjani Reijnders – 9/10: Outstanding debut-goal, assist, and midfield dominance.

Oscar Bobb – 8/10: Direct, creative, and key in turnovers.

Jérémy Doku – 5/10: Lively start but faded; substituted.

Erling Haaland – 8.5/10: Clinical brace; thrives on Reijnders’ service.

Matheus Nunes – 7, Nico O’Reilly – 6.5, Omar Marmoush – 6.5, Rayan Cherki – 7.5, Abdukodir Khusanov – 6

Man of the Match

Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City) – A near faultless Premier League debut. The Dutchman dictated tempo, scored, and set up Haaland with intelligence and vision. His performance suggested he could be the keystone of City’s midfield for years to come.

Final Word

Manchester City’s 4-0 dismantling of Wolves was more than an opening day win – it was a statement. For Guardiola, the integration of Reijnders, Cherki, and Trafford offered signs of evolution rather than stagnation. For Wolves, the result underlined both the emotional toll of Jota’s passing and the scale of Pereira’s rebuilding task.

City march on, their aura intact, while Wolves must regroup quickly ahead of a challenging run of fixtures. As the away fans sang, “City are back.” On this evidence, few would argue.