On Friday, May 2nd, the 35th round of the Premier League kicks off at the Etihad Stadium with a clash between two of the most in-form teams in the competition: Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The hosts, after reaching their third consecutive FA Cup final by beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 in the semifinal, aim to secure a fourth straight league win to maintain at least fourth place in the standings — a position that would ensure a place in next season’s Champions League. After a disastrous end to 2024, Guardiola’s men have bounced back impressively, climbing the table and regaining control of their UCL qualification hopes. Winning this penultimate home fixture — where they haven’t lost in over two months — is the first step to achieving their objective. Their opponents, Wolverhampton, are also enjoying an impressive run of form, coming into this match unbeaten in their last seven matches, with one draw followed by six straight victories. Although Pereira’s side sits 13th in the table and has little left to play for, they have shown a strong desire to finish the season well, showcasing key talents like Cunha and Strand Larsen, who have scored 15 and 13 league goals respectively.

Manchester City Recent Form and Key Stats

Last weekend, Manchester City booked their spot in the FA Cup final with a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest, thanks to goals from Lewis and Gvardiol. This marked their fourth consecutive victory, following league wins against Crystal Palace, Everton, and Aston Villa. Over their last five matches, City have averaged 2.2 goals scored and just 0.6 conceded.

This winning streak has lifted Guardiola’s side to fifth place on 61 points, boasting the second-best attack in the Premier League with 66 goals — an average of 1.94 per game. At home, they are on a run of one draw and three straight wins, scoring at least twice in each. Their last home loss (their third of the season) came on February 23rd, in a 0-2 defeat to Liverpool.

Wolverhampton Recent Form and Key Stats

Wolverhampton is currently one of the league's hottest teams, coming off six straight wins, the latest a 3-0 triumph over Leicester City with goals from Cunha, Larsen, and Gomes. In five of those six matches, Pereira’s men opened the scoring, consistently taking the lead early.

The three points against Leicester brought the Wolves to 41 points, with a record of 12 wins, 5 draws, and 17 losses. Away from home, they’ve won four in a row — against Bournemouth, Southampton, Ipswich, and Manchester United. However, they remain one of the worst defensive teams on the road, having conceded 32 goals (1.88 per match) compared to 1.47 scored.

Manchester City vs Wolverhampton Prediction and Tactical Overview

Looking at recent head-to-head results, Manchester City has dominated this fixture with 8 wins and 1 draw in the last 9 meetings. Notably, 7 of the last 10 matches between these sides have seen both teams score, and 9 featured over 2.5 total goals.

In this Gameweek 35 Premier League matchup, City undoubtedly has more motivation, with vital points on the line for Champions League qualification. That said, Wolves have proven they’re not switching off early, playing with purpose and intensity despite having no remaining season objectives.

In terms of team news: Guardiola will still be without Haaland, Stones, Ake, and Rodri, turning to Marmoush in attack supported by Doku and De Bruyne. On the other hand, Wolves are nearing full fitness, with Kalajdzic, Gonzalez, and Mosquera all recovering from long-term injuries.

Given the strong recent form of both teams, the BetMines algorithm prediction for Manchester City vs Wolverhampton points to a match in which both teams are likely to score.

• BetMines algorithm prediction for Manchester City vs Wolverhampton predicts that both teams will score at least one goal at 64%
• BetMines algorithm prediction for Manchester City vs Wolverhampton predicts that at least one of the two teams will not score any goals at 36%

Manchester City vs Wolverhampton Predicted Lineups

Manchester City (4-3-2-1): Ortega; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Silva, Kovacic, Gundogan; Doku, De Bruyne; Marmoush. Manager: Pep Guardiola

Wolverhampton (3-4-2-1): Sa; Bueno, Agbadou, Toti; Semedo, Andre, Gomes, Ait-Nouri; Munetsi, Cunha; Strand Larsen. Manager: Pereira