Manchester City Dominates Wolves 4-0 in Premier League Opener

Molineux, England — Manchester City kicked off the 2025-26 Premier League season with a convincing 4-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 16. Erling Haaland scored twice, helping City secure a commanding win and take the top spot in the league.

City struck first with Haaland netting a goal in the 34th minute after Wolves had a header disallowed for offside. Tijani Reijnders, making his debut for City, followed up with a goal shortly after, making it 2-0 with a well-placed shot. Haaland added his second in the 61st minute, rounding out his performance with a clinical finish.

Rayan Cherki, who replaced Haaland, also made an impact by scoring in the 81st minute, completing the scoreline. This match marked Cherki’s Premier League debut and he became the second-youngest player to score for City in the league after Bradley Wright-Phillips.

Wolverhampton supporters honored former player Diogo Jota throughout the match, paying tribute to him in their first league outing since his passing. Despite the scoreline, Wolves’ manager Vitor Pereira expressed optimism, highlighting their created chances and the courage his team displayed, stating, “Of course I’m not happy, but we played with courage.”

City’s coach, Pep Guardiola, commented on the performance, pointing out the need for improvements despite the win. He noted that while the first half was strong, the second half showed areas needing work. “You never know in the first game; we have to be patient and improve,” he said.

Reijnders earned the Player of the Match award for his performance, marking a debut to remember. “It’s a really nice start to get a goal and an assist. Starting like this, it can’t be better,” he reflected after the match. The victory sets a positive tone for Manchester City as they aim to defend their title this season.