There is a new weapon in the Manchester City attacking armoury

Manchester City started their 2025/26 Premier League campaign with a 4-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. Positive takeaways included Tijjani Reijnders earning man-of-the-match honours in his league debut, Oscar Bobb and John Stones appearing fully recovered from past injuries, and Erling Haaland scoring twice.

During the second half, holding a 2-0 lead, Manchester City exploited Wolves' increased possession and attacking intent. As Wolves pushed forward, they left space behind their defence, which City effectively targeted on the counter-attack.

This strategy culminated in the crucial third goal in the 61st minute. Oscar Bobb and Tijjani Reijnders combined brilliantly near the halfway line to break through Wolves' defence. Bobb fed Reijnders, who then delivered an exquisite pass back to Erling Haaland for a emphatic finish. This goal highlighted a potent new weapon in City's attack: devastating pace on the break.

Manager Pep Guardiola confirmed post-match that this exceptional pace, particularly from Bobb, Reijnders, and Haaland, is an attribute he actively wants his team to utilize more frequently this season to attack quicker in transition. He specifically pointed to how they punished Wolves with this pace.

With additional speedy attackers like Phil Foden, Omar Marmoush, Jeremy Doku, and Rayan Cherki also available, Guardiola's squad possesses significant potential to ruthlessly exploit space and dismantle opponents on the counter this season.