Wolves v Manchester City: Silva can sparkle again

Wolves v Man City
Saturday August 25, 12:30
Live on Sky Sports

Wolves learning early lessons

Wolves have played some bright football in their opening two games but they've emerged with just a single point.

Against Everton, they had the bonus of seeing Phil Jagielka sent off just before half-time.

They did well to pull level soon after but required another equaliser late on after allowing the 10-man Toffees to go back in front.

They can count themselves unlucky after hitting the woodwork three times against Leicester, but conceding twice before half-time left the Molineux men with an uphill task and even the 66th minute sending off of Jamie Vardy didn't help.

Boss Nuno Espirito Santo is a realist though and knows that the jump in division requires Wolves to improve and be more clinical.

They need to win points not admirers.

City oozing class

Just two games in and it's already difficult to imagine City dropping points until the much tougher tasks ahead.

They swept aside Chelsea 2-0 in the Community Shield, eased past Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates and thrashed Huddersfield 6-1 at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola's passion (check his David Brent dance on YouTube from the documentary All or Nothing) suggests their pattern of winning the title and dipping the season after won't be repeated.

Kevin De Bruyne's injury would derail most teams and will obviously have an impact when the bigger games come thick and fast but, for now, they have talent queuing up to step in.

Sergio Aguero bagged a hat-trick last time, David Silva was mesmerising and, in Benjamin Mendy, they have a monster of a left-back. The Frenchman has already added an extra dimension, providing three assists already.

If City don't have a maximum 21 points after their next five games (Wolves, home to Fulham and Newcastle, away to Cardiff, home to Brighton), it will honestly be a surprise.

A note of caution

However, before punters steam into Man City at 1.27, it might be worth rewinding to last season when Wolves went to the Etihad and held the Citizens to a goalless draw over 120 minutes in the Carabao Cup.

Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling played that night so it's not as if Pep sent out the kids.

The Draw on Saturday lunchtime is 7.20 while Wolves are 12.50 to pull off a shock win.

That was then and this is now though. It may sound ominous for the rest but one thing we need to consider is whether City are better than last season.

Huddersfield lost 2-1 at home and managed a battling 0-0 away draw in the previous campaign. This time they were demolished 6-1.

Goal quotes could be too high

In light of Huddersfield's drubbing, is there more chance that Wolves go for the packed defence which helped them play out the 0-0 in Manchester last season?

And, if so, are the goal markets too loaded in favour of City running rampant?

Over 2.5 is just 1.51 while Unders is 2.62. It's certainly worth noting that City's two games away from the Etihad this season have resulted in 2-0 wins so getting short of 2.5 goals would have landed both times.

While it's tempting to give Wolves a goal here given their exciting attacking play so far, City conceded just 13 on the road last season which was six fewer than anyone else in the division.

Score with Silva

In the Same Game Multi market, there's an opportunity I like.

David Silva slotted home four goals in his final six away games for City last season and netted a brilliant free-kick in the 6-1 v Huddersfield.

City won every game in which the Spanish magician scored last season so the 3.97 for Silva to score and City to win looks worth a play.

Another option here is the 4.1 for Man City to win with both Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling getting on the scoresheet.

No half measures

A sign of a confident side is that they hit their stride early and City's first goal in their three wins has been registered after 13, 14 and 25 minutes respectively.

On the Sportsbook, it's 11/10 that City are leading after 30 minutes and that seems a perfectly reasonable ask for the visitors seeing as it's landed three times out of three so far.

Opta stat

Manchester City have lost only one of their last 29 Premier League games against newly promoted teams (W22 D6 L1), losing 0-1 at Burnley in March 2015 under Manuel Pellegrini. Under Pep Guardiola, they have yet to lose a Premier League match versus a newly promoted team (W9 D3).