Marc Guehi’s first afternoon in a Manchester City shirt offered something that has been in short supply at the Etihad in recent weeks: calm.
City will face far sterner challenges than Wolverhampton Wanderers, but the 2–0 victory was a timely reminder of what defensive stability can bring — and why Pep Guardiola moved quickly to secure the England centre-back in January.
Thrown straight into the starting XI, Guehi looked every inch a player who belonged. Composed in possession, positionally immaculate and rarely flustered, the former Crystal Palace defender played a key role as City recorded their first clean sheet in four Premier League matches and edged to within four points of leaders Arsenal.
With Josko Gvardiol and Rúben Dias sidelined, Guardiola has been searching for reassurance at the back. In Guehi, he appears to have found it.
There are few defenders who read danger as early as Guehi. His anticipation often meant he didn’t need to tackle at all, snuffing out threats before they developed and allowing City to maintain control high up the pitch.
That authority was reflected in the numbers. Guehi completed 95 of his 102 passes — the joint-most in the match — and finished with 112 touches, second only to Rodri. He also led the team for blocks and was dominant aerially, an all-round display that underlined his immediate influence.
He nearly crowned the performance with a goal, rising highest at the back post from a corner only for José Sá to deny him with a sharp save. His first real defensive test came when Hwang Hee-chan pressed aggressively onto a long ball, but Guehi dealt with it calmly, opting for the simplest solution and recycling possession safely.
Guardiola was quick to praise the impact.
“He’s not come for six months; he’s come for many years,” the City manager said. “He’s the perfect age, the perfect signing. He’s a guy you can rely on. I see it in two sessions — how he moves, how he talks, how he reads situations.”
For Guehi, the transition is only just beginning.
“There’s a lot of learning to do,” he admitted. “The details, the positioning — but it’s been really exciting. The mentality in the group is strong, and the focus is already on the next game.”
City needed that focus after a bruising week that included defeats to Manchester United and a shock Champions League loss away to Bodø/Glimt. Relief was evident at full-time, even if concerns lingered after Wolves threatened sporadically in the second half.
In Erling Haaland’s absence from the starting XI, Omar Marmoush opened the scoring with a precise finish, while Antoine Semenyo impressed on his home league debut, scoring, striking the crossbar and offering constant menace. Haaland’s recent dip — one goal in nine games — suggests even City’s goal machine can benefit from rotation.
Still, Guardiola will know tougher tests are looming. After a midweek European tie, City face Tottenham and Liverpool away in the league, with a domestic cup semi-final sandwiched in between.
If this run proves decisive in the title race, Guehi’s arrival may be remembered as a turning point. On debut, he looked exactly what Guardiola described: a defender Manchester City can rely on. Photo by @cfcunofficial (Chelsea Debs) London from London, UK, Wikimedia commons.