City’s 4-0 Victory Sparks Optimism, But Guardiola Warns: “It’s Only One Game”
Manchester City opened their Premier League campaign with an emphatic 4-0 away victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, prompting traveling fans to chant “City are back.” However, manager Pep Guardiola quickly poured cold water on the early-season hype, urging supporters and media alike to keep expectations in check.
Despite the dominant performance at Molineux and standout displays from new signings, Guardiola reminded everyone that a strong start doesn’t guarantee long-term success—a lesson learned from last season’s disappointing third-place finish following a promising beginning.
A Cautious Pep Guardiola Post-Match
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Guardiola tempered the post-win excitement by drawing comparisons to last season’s opener.
“We started with a win last year too, 2-0 against Chelsea, and look where we ended up,” he said. “It’s just the first match. There’s a long road ahead and many points still to play for.
Pep Guadiola
While pleased with the team’s hunger and energy, Guardiola stressed that one convincing performance does not determine a season.
New-Look City Impresses Without Key Veterans
The win came despite several key absences. Kevin De Bruyne is no longer part of the squad after over a decade of service, Rodri is out with injury, and Jack Grealish was recently loaned to Everton. On top of that, goalkeeper Ederson missed the match due to illness amid transfer speculation linking him with a move to Turkey.
Even so, Guardiola was full of praise for his summer recruits. Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki both found the net, while goalkeeper James Trafford delivered a confident debut between the sticks.
Tijjani is exceptional, one of the best players from Serie A, His rhythm is incredible, and the new players have really added quality and depth.
Pep Guadiola
Squad Depth Now a Double-Edged Sword
Despite the strong opening performance, Guardiola voiced concern about the size of his current squad. He noted that having too many players could create disharmony if not managed properly.
We have too many people, It’s not about Ederson missing today, we also didn’t have Rodri, Foden, Kovacic, Savinho, or Gvardiol. And still, we had big names like Ake and Gundogan on the bench.
Pep Guadiola
Guardiola highlighted the need to reduce the squad in the coming weeks, suggesting the club is already working on potential departures before the transfer window closes.
It’s hard to maintain a healthy atmosphere with too many players, We’ll be speaking with players and their agents to find solutions.
Pep Guadiola
