Can Manchester City be stopped? That’s one of the big questions heading into the third week of the Premier League. City are picking up right where they left off last season. They easily beat Chelsea to win the FA Community Shield in the first week of August, and they kicked off their Premier League campaign with wins over Arsenal and Huddersfield Town. Given their performance so far, it’s no surprise they are massive favorites against Wolverhampton this weekend.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton at 7:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, August 25, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on NBCSN.
English Premier League Betting at BookMaker.eu
Manchester City -384
Wolverhampton +865
Draw +557
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
Wolverhampton must be wondering what they need to do to pick up a victory. The Wanderers were the better side for much of the match against Everton in the first week of the season, but they ended up settling for a draw. Last week things went even worse as Wolverhampton couldn’t even get a point in a 2-0 loss to Leicester City. Wolves rang three separate shots off the post and couldn’t find the back of the net even after Jamie Vardy picked up a red card in the 66th minute. They were up a man for most of the match against Everton too and not capitalizing on these key opportunities is costly.
Manchester City keep blasting every opponent they face. City did not have much trouble getting past Arsenal in their first match, and they simply crushed Huddersfield Town last Sunday. In that match, City completely dominated every statistical category. They had 77 percent of the possession, took 32 shots, and put 14 shots on net in the match. Conversely, they allowed just five shots from Huddersfield and only one went on net.
Key Injuries
Wolverhampton has three players on the injury report coming into this match. Forward Ivan Cavaleiro will miss the match due to a lower back injury, and he is expected to miss the next month or so. He is the only definite scratch though. Right back Matt Doherty is probable to play through a lower leg injury, while midfielder Leander Dendocker is considered questionable.
There are a few long-term injuries of note for Manchester City. Reserve goalkeeper Claudio Bravo is out an indefinite period of time with an Achilles tendon injury, and defender Eliaquim Mangala is still recovering from a knee injury. Center back Philippe Sandler will be out for a significant period of time as well after undergoing knee surgery. Danilo has been ruled out too with an ankle injury, but his recovery time should be shorter than the others. The biggest injury though is to midfielder Kevin de Bruyne. He is one of the key playmakers on this team, and he will be missed.
Player to Watch
Sergio Aguero was incredible for Manchester City last week. Aguero notched a hat trick in a 6-1 win over Huddersfield Town and ran roughshod over the defense. He does have a lot of help with a team as talented as Manchester City, but there is no denying his individual talent. Aguero meshes beautifully in Pep Guardiola’s system, and he could have another big game here.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Until they lose, it’s really hard to against Manchester City. This club is loaded with talent at every position, and their depth is going to come in handy as the season wears on. Although Wolverhampton are a good club that will eventually turn things around given their talent and how they have played, this is not the team it will happen against. I expect City to score early to set the tone, and then notch a couple more over the course of the match.
English Premier League Odds: Manchester City 3, Wolverhampton 1
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