Manchester City 2-0 Wolves: Marmoush and Semenyo on target as hosts return to winning ways

Manchester City reduced the gap behind Arsenal to four points as they returned to winning ways with a 2-0 win over bottom-side Wolves.

City suffered successive defeats to Manchester United and Bodo/Glimt prior to the game but first-half goals from Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo ensured they won their first game of 2026, with Marc Guehi also making his first start for the club.

After scoring his third goal for the club in just his fourth appearance since moving from Bournemouth, Semenyo was inches away from getting another when he crashed an effort off the crossbar, before Yerson Mosquera hit the woodwork himself late on as the strugglers look to avoid their first defeat in five games.

But City managed to see out the game and are now four points behind Arsenal in the Premier League title race, with the Gunners hosting Manchester United on Sunday.

Marmoush and Semenyo on target in first half

Pep Guardiola’s decision to select Marmoush ahead of Erling Haaland up front was quickly vindicared early on when the Egyptian volleyed in the opener on six minutes after a lovely Matheus Nunes delivery.

Rayan Cherki should probably have made it two shortly after but the midfielder blasted his shot over the bar.

The lively Marmoush then struck the post with another effort, with the chance prompting a VAR check after the ball bounced off Yerson Mosquera’s arm but no penalty was given.

City did have their second just before half-time when Semenyo took a touch inside from Cherki’s pass before slotting home his thid goal for the Citizens but first in the Premier League since his £65million move from Bournemouth.

City see out win in second half

Wolves had their best chance of the afternoon when Joao Gomes sent a free-kick over the wall but just past the post for a shot which had Gianluigi Donnarrumma at full stretch.

Jorgen Strand Larsen then flashed a shot across goal as the visitors looked to search for a way back into the game, with the period of Wolves pressure seeing Guardiola introducing Haaland and Jeremy Doku to the fray.

Semenyo almost wrapped up the three points with what would have been his second of the game but fierce effort from a Phil Foden pass cannonned off the woodwork.

Mosquera almost set up a tense finale in the final three minutes but his header from an inswinging corner glanced onto the crossbar and over.