Wolves v Man City early team news: Six out & four doubts for Premier League clash

Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City each have a host of injury concerns heading into Sunday’s Premier League meeting at Molineux.

It’s a game that pits the division’s bottom side against the reigning champions, with Gary O’Neil’s men desperate for three points. They managed that in last season’s fixture, but after picking up just one point from the opening seven league matches of the new campaign, it looks highly unlikely that feat will be repeated.

Wolves were also dealt a blow over the international break with Hwang Hee-Chan sustaining a knock in South Korea’s game against Jordan. It’s unclear whether he’ll be available for Sunday’s fixture and O’Neil is likely to give an update in his press conference later this week.

But Wolves could call upon the services of Bastien Meupiyou for the first time since his summer arrival from Nantes. The teenager signed with an injury but he is nearing a return to action and might be an option against the champions.

Wolves will be without long-term absentees Yerson Mosquera, Sasa Kalajdzic, and Enso Gonzalez, all of whom have suffered serious knee injuries. Boubacar Traore is the final unavailable player, with the midfielder not expected back until the new year due to an issue he picked up in a Carabao Cup win over Burnley in August.

As for City, Rodri won’t feature again this season, while Oscar Bobb is not likely to return until the new year. But there is better news for the Blues, with Nathan Ake and Kevin De Bruyne expected back after recent injuries.

Speaking about the former, prior to the international break, Guardiola said: “Yeah, I expect him back after the international break I would say without injury, but Nathan is not like Phil Foden, for example, that [clicks fingers] are into training sessions and fit. He needs time.”

De Bruyne is in a similar position and missed five games between the September and October pauses in the season. The Belgian memorably scored four in this fixture during the 2021/22 campaign. 

Out: Mosquera, Traore, Gonzalez, Kalajdzic (Wolves); Rodri, Bobb (City). Doubts: Hwang, Meupiyou (Wolves); Ake, De Bruyne (City).