Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany is confident that Pep Guardiola's side will keep Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha quiet in Friday night's Premier League contest at the Etihad Stadium.
Cunha, who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United, has been a standout performer for Wolves this season, contributing to 21 goals (15 goals, six assists) in 29 Premier League appearances.
The versatile Brazilian forward scored one and assisted two to help an in-form Wolves outfit ease to a 3-0 victory over already-relegated Leicester City last weekend and extend their impressive winning streak to six matches.
Man City are also in high spirits as they have put together an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions, winning each of their last four games including Sunday's 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Guardiola's men have shown signs of improvements from a defensive perspective in recent weeks and McInerney has backed makeshift full-backs Nico O'Reilly and ex-Wolves man Matheus Nunes to play an important role for the hosts on Friday.
McInerney believes that Man City can nullify the threat of Cunha in the final third if they can cut off the supply line to the Wolves forward by retaining possession in the dominant fashion they are used to, and also pinning back Wolves' "aggressive" wing-backs.
O'Reilly, Nunes to play key role in keeping Cunha and co quiet?
Speaking to Sports Mole, McInerney said: "Wolves have obviously got the quality and they're going to be aggressive with the wing-backs, quality wing-backs for what it's worth - [Nelson] Semedo and [Rayan] Ait-Nouri are cracking footballers. Ait-Nouri, in particular, I would love at Manchester City, he's a brilliant footballer.
"City have got a lot better at [closing] the gap between midfield and defence... and I think City have gone back to 'if we have the ball they can't have the ball', it's very simple and then they force teams to the counter and try to hit us on the transition, which is how teams got a lot of success against City over winter.
"We've now got the pace of Nico O'Reilly and the pace of Matheus Nunes out wide. Wolves will try and hit Cunha, but the point is that City want to have 75% possession - if you do that, the chances that [Wolves] get when they do get the ball will be rushed, as it always is, and then we've got that base of two, three central midfielders sitting back ahead of the two centre-backs.
"O'Reilly and Nunes will go far forward, but they can get back so quickly. We've got a really good response to transitions now where at one point it was all over the place. We're not really getting hit on the counter anymore. It happens once or twice, but I think Wolves will look to do that.
"I think we will look to pin back their wing-backs, who obviously offer so much threat and some pace going forward, and I think essentially the plan will be to squeeze Wolves so much that they can't get the ball to Cunha. If they do, just harry him, be aggressive on him and don't let him turn towards goal and run at you because that's obviously why his skill set is so impressive."
McInerney added: "Wolves are a good side. Of course, Matheus Cunha is angling for a move somewhere, maybe even Man United I don't know... he's a great player, he'll have his chances, but we've managed to keep a lot of very good players quiet recently, so I don't see it being any different with Cunha."
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De Bruyne or Gundogan to replace Lewis in midfield?
While Man City are set to name an unchanged backline, McInerney has tipped Guardiola to make a couple of changes in midfield, with Rico Lewis potentially making way despite scoring and impressing in an advanced midfield role against Forest last weekend.
"I don't think [Lewis] will start," he added. "I think Guardiola wanted Rico Lewis to do sort of what Phil Foden is meant to be doing right now, [playing] behind the striker, linking up play, contributing to goals. I don't feel Rico will stay in the team.
"I think he's let Rico have his moment, Rico's been involved in the cup games this season. I still expect [Kevin] De Bruyne to come back in, or Ilkay Gundogan.
"I'm not bothered if Rico plays. I think that is his best role in general... I think he's at his best there when he's knitting things together and harrying around, very Bernardo Silva-esque in terms of his hustle and his energy and his decision-making.
"Having said that, I just don't see him starting this game. I think Guardiola will make some changes. The defence will be the same because it's working right now. I think Gundogan will come back into the side. He was a really smart introduction [against Forest]. I think the intelligence of the team doubled.
"I think Savinho will probably revert back to the bench. You might see [James] McAtee start again. Guardiola's enjoying McAtee and [Omar] Marmoush as the sort of wide strikers that come in as De Bruyne drops deep a little bit, and we might see that return because it's been quite successful so far."
"This game is a relative must-win" for Man City
Champions League-chasing Man City can consolidate their place in the top five of the Premier League if they claim three valuable points against Wolves, who have lost eight of their last nine top-flight meetings with the Citizens, including a 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture at Molineux back in October.
McInerney is confident that Man City will prevail against Wolves, saying: "I am optimistic and I think City will win. As good as Wolves have been, they beat Leicester, [Man] United, Spurs, Ipswich, West Ham, Southampton in this run of games and these are all sides below them in the table, so they're all teams struggling right now for form.
"Don't get me wrong it's a cracking achievement, but they found a bit of form when the others are floundering near the bottom of the table. They beat those around them convincingly, they batted Leicester at the weekend and a really good performance against Spurs as well when they won 4-2.
"There's not a great time to play a side who has won six in a row, there never is. The only thing is they are safe now, they're unquestionably safe. They are playing for pride, they're winning games, but I don't think they'll be looking at Manchester City and... will be expecting to win.
"As good as Wolves have been, I'd be very disappointed if City don't win this because we need to win it and they don't... this game is a relative must-win. Win this and [then beat] Southampton and we probably are going to get Champions League football.
"I think Wolves are a really good side, they're aggressive, but City have found a way to deal with those transition teams. [Wolves] will try and hit the wing-backs, but we have got the pace of Nico O'Reilly and Matheus Nunes now, which has been really useful. There's a solidity with [Josko] Gvardiol and [Ruben] Dias (at centre-back).
"I think we'll have more than enough [to beat] Wolves. As good as they are, I think City have more to play for and I think we're a better side."
Press play on the video at the top of this article to hear the full discussion.
Oliver Thomas
