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Wolves vs Man City news: Champions can get one hand on the trophy

Manchester City can move one giant step closer to retaining their Premier League title with a victory against Wolves at Molineux.

After Liverpool battled out a hard-fought victory at Aston Villa, it's back over to Man City as their ding-dong scuffle for the title looks to be going the distance again.
A win at Molineux would restore a three-point lead for Pep Guardiola's side and increase their goal difference advantage to at least four.
With two games left, that would put one hand on the trophy with just West Ham and Aston Villa to play for City, and a fourth title in five years would surely follow.

And with City also confirming the addition of Erling Haaland, it's going to get a whole lot tougher for the chasing pack next season.

Wolves still have an outside chance of making Europe after a creditable 2-2 draw at Chelsea at the weekend, and played well in the reverse fixture when losing 1-0 to a controversial penalty.

When: Wednesday, May 11, 20:15 BST

Where: Molineux

How to watch: Sky Sports Premier League

Follow the game live via our score centre

Who is the ref for Wolves vs Man City

Martin Atkinson, Premier League referee

Martin Atkinson, Premier League referee

Martin Atkinson has taken charge of four Man City games before this one this season, with three of them emphatic wins but also handling their 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace in March.
Atkinson has been in the middle for two Wolves games, a 2-1 home win over Everton and 2-1 defeat at Arsenal.
He's given out seven penalties and two red cards - one of them for Granit Xhaka in Man City's 5-0 win over the Gunners last August.
Atkinson was also on the sidelines as the fourth official in the reverse of this fixture at the Etihad, when City got that controversial penalty to win the game.

Season stats 2021/22: All matches (23), yellows (55), reds (2), penalties (7)

Recent form

It was a fine comeback from Wolves to pinch a point thanks to a stoppage time Conor Coady goal after going 2-0 behind at Chelsea at the weekend.
It was also unexpected given they'd lost three straight games before then and it looked like their season would fizzle out to nothing.
They're still alive in the race for Europe but with City and Liverpool to play it's the toughest possible finish - although they have given City problems in the past.
City have been in cruise control since drawing with Liverpool, and have put away some poor opposition with ease and in doing so have gone in front of the Reds in terms of goal difference, which could be crucial.

Going out of the Champions League was a blow, but Tottenham did them a huge favour with a draw at Anfield and now they can afford a draw in their last three games and still win the title.

There's not been much sign of them needing Erling Haaland at all recently having won the last four games by an aggregate score of 17-1, and they now arrive at Molineux on a club-record 16-game unbeaten away run in the league.

Players in form

Jonny and Trincao have both scored twice in the last six games but Wolves have hardly been banging the goals in of late.

Their defence has been OK of late apart from that 3-0 home loss to Brighton, but the performance at Stamford Bridge will be a boost after they showed tremendous spirit to come back from the dead.

Portuguese youngster Chiquinho led that fightback as he came off the bench to assist in both Wolves goals, and Bruno Lage may reward him with more minutes here against the champions.

You can't really fault City in any area in the league this season as they've again been at a different level to everyone bar Liverpool.
They were stunned by Real Madrid in Europe, but domestically they've been excellent and get goals from all over the pitch - but the main man is undoubtedly Kevin De Bruyne.
The Belgian has either scored or assisted in eight of his last 10 games and did both in the corresponding fixture at Molineux last season.

Previous meetings

Wolves wins: 4
Draws: 2
Man City wins: 9

Wolves under Nuno Espirito Santo managed to find a winning formula against Guardiola's City as they did the double over them in the 2019/20 season.

It was a classic smash-and-grab at the Etihad that season with Adama Traore scoring two late goals, before Wolves again scored two late goals to win a 3-2 thriller at Molineux.

City responded last season with 3-1 and 4-1 victories as they scored early goals within the first 20 minutes and never looked back.
That brings us to the hugely controversial 1-0 win for City this season that saw Raul Jimenez sent off just before half-time after getting two yellow cards in 30 seconds.
Wolves then suffered again when City were given a controversial penalty in the second half for handball, when it looked like the ball struck Joao Moutinho's armpit.
Wolves, and Liverpool for that matter, will hope the home side can gain a manner of revenge for that result.

Managers thoughts

Wolves boss Bruno Lage did not talk to the media as he has tested positive for Covid-19, so first-team coach Carlos Cachada spoke about them facing both Man City and Liverpool.
"The guys don't talk too much about that because we still have our aims and goals.
"The guys are focused on that and that's it. The aims are to get the best points in the table, if we can reach seventh in the table then even better."
On Manchester City: "They are really good in all sides of the game. We try to do our best to change their direction.
"We are always looking forward to all top games. I hope tomorrow the lads will get the same performance we had against Chelsea."
Man City boss Pep Guardiola on possibly winning another title: "We are new in this as a club, the last decade. We are new in being there.
"All I can say is inside, the staff, the chairman, owner, we know how difficult it is and how proud we are with what we are doing. What we have done, hopefully in future we will continue doing.
"It is so impressive what we have done, especially in the Premier League as everyone knows how difficult it is."

Predicted Wolves vs Man City teams

Lage is expected to be without Daniel Podence again and could make changes going forward after the displays off the bench of Francisco Trincao and Chiquinho against Chelsea.
Wolves' back three and midfield duo will remain the same though as Lage wants to keep his solid base but just generate more creativity going forward.
Guardiola is without Ruben Dias, John Stones and Kyle Walker but with just three games to go it's not such a tragedy, and he still has Nathan Ake and Fernandinho as options at centre half with Joao Cancelo and Oleksandr Zinchenko at full-back.

Possible Wolves starting line-up: Sa; Boly, Coady, Saiss; Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Ait-Nouri; Trincao, Jimenez

Possible Man City starting line-up: Ederson; Cancelo, Fernandinho, Laporte, Zinchenko; Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Jesus, Sterling

Wolves vs Man City prediction

Wolves have been tough to beat for Man City in the past, but this Wolves side don't seem to be firing as much as previous ones have.
That 2-2 at Chelsea was a nice result, but Chelsea have also been off the boil of later and City just bring too many problems for Wolves to deal with at the back.
Lage's side have been giving away too many chances of late and that's just not a formula that will get you anywhere against Guardiola's side.
An early goal for City here, as they've been getting of late, could lead to yet another comprehensive victory that would all-but seal the title thanks to their growing goal difference.
READ MORE: Erling Haaland moves to Man City - but how have strikers fared under Pep Guardiola?

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