MARC GUEHI’S DEBUT: STATISTICS PROVE THE £20M SIGNING SOLVED CITY’S DEFENSIVE FRAGILITY
Marc Guehi debuts in City’s first league win of 2026. Guardiola’s tactical shift pays off as Haaland’s goal drought continues.
Erling Haaland went another game without a goal. Still, this one felt a bit different. Manchester City’s old reliable made a cameo. The two guys supposed to take some of the scoring pressure off Haaland both stepped up and found the net. Sure, Haaland’s only managed a single penalty in his last nine appearances, but honestly, nobody at City seemed too bothered this time.
Pep Guardiola kept pointing to Omar Marmoush’s absence at the Africa Cup of Nations as the reason he couldn’t give Haaland a breather. With Marmoush back, Haaland finally got a rest on the bench—only for Marmoush to score himself, playing out wide. Guardiola didn’t exactly sound convinced, though. “I see him more as a striker, not a proper winger,” he said. That’s classic Pep—always going against the grain. Even so, Haaland’s still the only real centre-forward in the squad.
But maybe he isn’t City’s only real scorer. Antoine Semenyo, who cost a massive £62.5 million, grabbed his first City goal—and his third in three different competitions. Only Haaland and Brentford’s Igor Thiago have more Premier League goals than Semenyo. Haaland only saw 17 minutes on the pitch, and by then, the game was already done and dusted.
After a brutal week—first battered in the Manchester derby, then stunned by Bodo/Glimt—City needed something routine, and that’s exactly what they got. Wolves barely put up a fight. They pretty much rolled over, like they were spooked by City’s reputation and forgot how shaky things had been for Guardiola’s team lately.
The city’s depth showed, though. They were missing 11 players in Norway, but back home, Guardiola could afford to leave Phil Foden and Haaland on the bench to start. Foden got half an hour, no stress. Both scorers set City back at least £60 million each. Guardiola also handed a debut to his newest signing, and Marc Guehi slotted in as he’d always worn sky blue, passing the ball around with real confidence.
City spent big in back-to-back January windows, and Marmoush was brought in for 2025. “When he arrived, he was unbelievable,” Guardiola said. “He is a special player.” Funny thing, though—the guy who scored last season’s Premier League goal of the year still hasn’t found the net this campaign.
Marmoush ended an eight-month wait in just six minutes, scoring a volley from Matheus Nunes’ cross. It was quite a game for Nunes, and it served as a reminder that Wolves might have sold too many players.
Guardiola's choice to play Marmoush on the wings paid off, with Rayan Cherki playing as a striker instead. The Egyptian nearly scored a second goal, hitting the post after a great long pass from Abdukodir Khusanov. Later, his volley hit Yerson Mosquera’s arm, but after review, the referee, Farai Hallam, didn't call a penalty. Not bad for his Premier League debut.
'I think Farai made the right call,' said Wolves manager Rob Edwards. Guardiola disagreed, saying he'd wait for the referees’ chief to call him.
Semenyo then made it two, and almost three, for City. His goal was his 11th in the league. 'The control is perfect; the ball goes straight into the net,' Guardiola said. Semenyo scored with his left foot and also hit the bar with the same foot. He's great with both feet, which is part of why City bought him. Antoine has been amazing since he got here, Guardiola added.
Haaland, who was on the bench for the first time this season, spent his time warming up and chatting with fellow Norwegian David Moller Wolfe. He eventually played, bringing his total minutes for City this season to 2,586. It seemed odd that Guardiola brought him in at all.
Haaland’s appearance showed the difference between the two teams. It was funny bringing Tolu [Arokodare] on when they were bringing on [Jeremy] Doku and Erling Haaland, Edwards said. Haaland wasn't the only striker on the bench. Edwards also dropped Arokodare, playing a 5-5-0 formation instead. We made the change because they can overwhelm you and keep you from getting the ball, Edwards said.
Wolves didn't seem to learn from City’s recent games, missing chances in the first half. They played with more ambition later, and Jorgen Strand Larsen, who is wanted by Leeds, came on. He headed wide, and Mosquera flicked a corner onto the bar.
'The atmosphere might have changed if we had scored,' said Edwards. Instead, City finally won a league victory for the first time in 2026, even though Haaland didn't score.
THE REAL: REASON JEREMY DOKU BELIEVES THE NEXT FOUR GAMES WILL DEFINE CITY’S SEASON
Jeremy Doku praises City's pride after Bernardo Silva's red card, eyeing redemption in Sunday's Carabao Cup final.
Jérémy Doku sees winning the Carabao Cup as a helpful way for Manchester City to bounce back from their Champions League disappointment. After being knocked out by Real Madrid for the third consecutive year, with a 5-1 aggregate loss in the round of 16, the team faces a tough challenge to regroup quickly.
Pep Guardiola's squad now has to shift focus to their upcoming trip to Wembley, where they’ll take on Arsenal on Sunday. Despite the setback in Europe, Doku feels that lifting a trophy this week would help erase the recent frustration.
He said, “It’s a good way to recover. We’ll do everything we can to win that game and bring home a trophy. The next four matches really matter. We have to recover well for Sunday and then take it one game at a time.”
What lies ahead will likely define the city's season. After the Carabao Cup final, they face an FA Cup quarterfinal against Liverpool following the international break, as well as two critical Premier League games against Chelsea and Arsenal.
“There’s still plenty at stake,” Doku added. “We’re competing in three different competitions, with three trophies still on the table. If we manage to win one, it’ll still be a strong season for us. Of course, missing out on the Champions League is disappointing. It’s always a special trophy. But we have to learn from those games against Real Madrid, recover properly, and focus on what’s next.”
City endured a tough week, following a 3-0 loss in Madrid with a narrow 2-1 defeat at the Etihad. One pivotal moment was Bernardo Silva’s early red card in the second leg.
Yet, Doku draws some confidence from how the team performed despite being down to 10 men against such a formidable opponent.
“We have reasons to be proud,” he reflected. “Playing against a team like Real Madrid with one less player and still causing them problems isn’t something every team can do. We didn’t get the win, but we can look each other in the eye knowing we gave a good performance both with 11 players and with 10. We created chances and played well.”
He went on to say, “If we bring that kind of effort to every match, we’ll trouble many teams. There are valuable takeaways from this game that we can carry into the next.”
WHY PEP GUARDIOLA CANCELLED TRAINING BEFORE MANCHESTER CITY’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REMATCH
Pep Guardiola cancels Manchester City training to combat fatigue ahead of the 3-0 comeback attempt vs Real Madrid.
Pep Guardiola has shared his reasoning for skipping training the day before Manchester City’s crucial Champions League last-16 second leg against Real Madrid at the Etihad. Facing a tough three-goal deficit from their 3-0 loss at the Bernabeu last week, City are up against the difficult task of overturning this against a team that has won Europe’s top trophy 15 times.
Historically, only four teams have managed to claw back a gap of three or more goals in the knockout stages, so the challenge ahead is immense. Guardiola acknowledges his players will need to deliver an almost flawless performance if they hope to stage a remarkable comeback on home turf. Still, he remains hopeful they will create plenty of scoring chances against Alvaro Arbeloa’s side.
In a somewhat unexpected move, Guardiola has decided to give his first team a day off on Monday, opting for a light session just hours before kickoff on Tuesday. At Monday’s press conference, he explained the logic behind this approach, citing the fatigue from travel and recent matches. After returning late from Madrid, then heading to London for a Premier League draw against West Ham, the players have had a packed schedule. Guardiola feels a day of rest will serve them better than trying to squeeze in more training.
He further emphasised the mental aspect, pointing out that mental strength plays a big role in how well they perform. He plans to assess the players’ condition and conduct training on Tuesday afternoon. With travel taking its toll and players spontaneously connecting with their families, he believes keeping them relaxed and fresh is crucial.
Captain Bernardo Silva, who was the only City player present for media duties, supported Guardiola’s decision. He reflected on past occasions when the team took rest days following both wins and losses, trusting the manager’s judgement to help them regroup and come back stronger.
On team news, Guardiola revealed he has most of his starting lineup settled, though one spot remains uncertain. Josko Gvardiol (tibial fracture) and Rico Lewis (ankle) are sidelined, but Mateo Kovacic has returned to the bench after recovering from a lengthy ankle and heel injury. With these preparations in place, City will be charging into a daunting but pivotal night against one of Europe’s giants.
