Guardiola Shocks by Leaving Haaland on the Bench Against Wolverhampton

Pep Guardiola surprises with an unexpected starting lineup to host Wolverhampton at the Etihad, leaving Erling Haaland on the bench and giving Omar Marmoush minutes up front

Manchester City will field a surprise starting XI this Saturday at the Etihad Stadium against Wolverhampton. Following back-to-back defeats—2-0 against Manchester United in the Premier League and 3-1 against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League—Pep Guardiola has decided to leave his top scorer, Erling Haaland, on the bench. In his place, the Spanish manager will start Egypt's Omar Marmoush as a 'false nine.' This decision has sparked rumors about the Norwegian’s potential departure, although all signs suggest it is simply a move to rest him during a heavily congested part of the season.

Beyond Haaland’s place on the bench, Guardiola will take this opportunity to hand a debut to Marc Guéhi, a recent arrival from Crystal Palace. He is also putting his trust in Antoine Semenyo, who is currently in excellent form and was one of City’s standout signings in this winter transfer window.

In midfield, Rodri—after serving his suspension for his red card in the Champions League—will return as the pivot, flanked by Reijnders and Bernardo Silva, while Cherki will have the freedom to roam across the attacking front. Other notable absences include Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku, both of whom will start from the bench.

With these decisions, Guardiola seeks to refresh the squad and surprise the opposition in a key match to regain confidence after several difficult weeks across all competitions.