Strong Praise on Marc Guehi Given After Man City Debut vs Wolves

Pep Guardiola’s decision to rest Erling Haaland and Phil Foden from the outset paid off as they welcomed Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday lunchtime, while it also marked Marc Guehi‘s debut since moving from Crystal Palace earlier in January. How did the Englishman fare in his maiden showing?

Omar Marmoush, Haaland‘s replacement at the sharp end of the pitch, opened the scoring inside six minutes. The 26-year-old Egyptian – whose eight Premier League strikes have all come on home soil – managed to get in front of Yerson Mosquera in the Wolves box to notch home Matheus Nunes’ pinpoint cross.

Antoine Semenyo then doubled the home side’s lead to two goals on the stroke of half-time. Slipped in by Bernardo Silva, the January addition took a touch and curled his left-footed effort beyond Jose Sa’s outstretched arm – but Manchester City‘s resounding win was underpinned by Guehi kicking off his City career with a victory.

Marc Guehi Debut: How Did The English Defender Fare for Man City?

By virtue of the fact that Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol are queuing for City’s treatment table rather than on the pitch, it meant that Guardiola and his staff needed defensive reinforcements and Guehi, who has been on Liverpool’s radar as a potential replacement for Ibrahima Konate, was signed in a deal worth £20 million.

Although he was ineligible to face Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday, which ended in a 3-1 defeat to the Norwegian side, boss Guardiola confirmed – ahead of time – he will be used against Premier League strugglers Wolves. He started alongside Abdukodir Khusanov in the heart of the City back line.

Alongside fellow January recruit Antoine Semenyo, Guehi was unable to play at Europe’s top table in midweek as Champions League rules state that players added during the winter trading period are ineligible for the league phase of the competition.

A calm presence next to a less-experienced defender in Khusanov, the first-ever Uzbekistan international to play for City, Guehi was a welcome sight in City’s starting line-up and his impact was clear to see from the off.

By virtue of City enjoying the lion’s share of possession, 25-year-old Guehi took 111 touches of the ball (the second-most in the City squad, only behind Rodri’s haul of 116) and completed 12 passes into the final third. He also created the solitary chance for his teammates and was defensively sound, too – as evidenced by his four recoveries and two interceptions.

Destined to keep his spot at the back, the fixtures continue to come thick and fast across all fronts: Galatasaray in the Champions League is next up before they travel to north London to face Tottenham Hotspur on away soil. Newcastle United in the League Cup and Liverpool in the league then follow.

Surprisingly, City were the only team in for the ex-Chelsea man this month. Other European behemoths (Liverpool and Bayern Munich, in particular) were keen to sign him on a Bosman in the summer, but Gvardiol breaking his leg and Dias suffering from fatigue accelerated proceedings behind the scenes.

The reigning champions of the Premier League, Arne Slot’s Reds, looked like his only destination at one point, but The Athletic recently revealed the club had no intentions of reviving their interest in him unless he was available for free in the summer.

Man City Wax Lyrical About Guehi Following Debut vs Wolves

A calm and composed figure in the middle of City’s back four, Guehi’s 90-minute display was just a taster of what he’ll provide a club who will be keen to win silverware in 2025/26 after a season without success last time out: leadership, defensive solidity and a reliable presence on and off the ball. “I feel safe with Marc Guehi,” one fan said in response to his first minutes in a City strip following his move from Crystal Palace.

“Marc Guehi. What a debut,” another simply commented, before a third supporter claimed that he had settled into life in east Manchester with ease by writing, “Marc Guehi settling in and playing well. Also being very vocal at the back. That’s what experience gets you.”

“Marc Guehi plays like he has been here for ages,” another remarked about the 26-cap England international, who is a shoo-in for Thomas Tuchel’s 2026 World Cup squad. A final fan added: “Marc Guehi feels like a breath of fresh air, honestly. People will say it’s only Wolves, but if you watched him today, you saw it: calm, simple, no panic for once, I actually feel safe at the back.”

All statistics per FotMob – correct as of 24/01/2026