🔊 What will the revamped Manchester City look like at the Club World Cup? Pep Guardiola has continued his summer spending spree, bringing in players who are set to make their debuts for the club soon. They will face Wydad, a formidable opponent by African standards. However, in Group G, they are considered the underdogs and are unlikely to make it to the knockout stages. Nonetheless, one cannot rule out the possibility of an upset at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. We will explore various scenarios to make a well-founded prediction. 

Head-to-Head

📊 The teams have not faced each other before.

Manchester City Team Overview

⚪️ Manchester City have stumbled this season. At one point, they found themselves in a position where making the Premier League's top five to secure a Champions League spot was a challenge. They managed to achieve this by finishing third, but it all came down to the final rounds. The "Citizens" fell short in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace, ending the season without any silverware. They also exited the Champions League and the League Cup at relatively early stages. Now, Guardiola faces his last chance to clinch any trophy this season.

🔝 The standout star for Manchester City is Erling Haaland. However, even with him, the team couldn't avoid a disappointing season. The Norwegian missed all of April but regained his form for the crucial Premier League matches. Nevertheless, he only found the net against Fulham in the final round. This goal marked his 22nd in the league, fewer than in the previous two seasons (36 and 27). Still, Haaland clearly hasn't lost his scoring touch despite the lack of game time. In June, he netted against Italy and Estonia while representing Norway in World Cup qualifiers.

Wydad Casablanca Team Overview

🔴 Three years ago, Wydad clinched the CAF Champions League title, earning them a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. However, almost none of that squad remains. In the following years, their performance declined—they struggled to advance past the group stage or even failed to qualify altogether.

⚪ Wydad remain one of Morocco's top teams. Yet, they've gone three seasons without a title. In the latest campaign, the "Reds" finished third, trailing the champions by 16 points. The tournament wrapped up a month ago, so they've managed to maintain their form through friendlies against Porto (0-1) and Sevilla (0-1).

🔝 Wydad's roster lacks star power and features few foreign players. However, there are some who have played in Europe, such as Mohamed Rayhi, who spent most of his career in the Eredivisie. He is in his debut season with Wydad, having scored 11 goals in the league, making him one of the top four scorers in the competition.

Latest news

Manchester City

📝 Manchester City have significantly bolstered their squad ahead of the Club World Cup. New arrivals include Rayan Cherki from Lyon, Tijani Reijnders from Milan, and Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton.

📌 Pep Guardiola has also revamped his coaching staff. Joining him are Pep Lijnders as assistant and James French as set-piece coach, both of whom previously worked with Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.

🎙 Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden shared his team and personal goals for the tournament: “Winning the tournament is obviously the main goal, but personally, I just want to enjoy the game, compete against the best players, and try to showcase everything I'm capable of. I think that's my style.”

❌ Kevin De Bruyne has opted out of the Club World Cup and joined Napoli as a free agent. Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish, both listed for transfer, did not travel to the US. Mateo Kovacic will also miss the tournament due to injury.

Wydad Casablanca

📝 Wydad have announced the appointment of Mohamed Amin Benhachem as their permanent head coach after three matches in the national championship as an interim. The club holds significant meaning for him: "My relationship with Wydad is emotional. I grew up watching my father wear the club's jersey, and later I joined the youth team." Benhachem added, "We will seek the right playing style for the Club World Cup... We need to find an approach that suits our players and allows us to compete at this level. The most important thing is to compete with strength and pride and to represent Moroccan football with dignity, just as the national team did in Qatar in 2022."

📌 The club also announced the signing of three new players. Nordin Amrabat (Hull City) joins as a free agent, alongside Hamza Hannouri (FUS Rabat) and Bart Meijers (Borac Banja Luka).

✅ Wydad are gearing up for the tournament with a full squad.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The main referee for the match is Ramon Abatti from Brazil. This season, he has officiated eight matches in Brazil's Serie A, averaging 4.75 yellow cards and 29.25 fouls per game. During this period, he has shown five red cards and awarded two penalties.

Looking at the match statistics over the past six months, Wydad have the edge in yellow cards (2.2 compared to 1.5). On average, their matches feature five bookings. Given the class difference, it will be challenging for the Moroccan side to contain their opponents within the rules. Considering the referee's stats, it's worth noting the total yellow cards over 3.5.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Manchester City's superiority in class is evident. However, the influx of new players might affect their cohesion. Moreover, Wydad are likely to defend with the entire team. Therefore, City might face difficulties, especially in the first half. We don't expect a goal fest from them. Guardiola's side haven't scored more than three goals in their last eight matches. Meanwhile, Wydad haven't conceded more than twice throughout 2025. Thus, we suggest betting on Manchester City's total goals under 3.5.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Manchester City have the advantage in corners (5.9 compared to 5.2). However, it seems likely that Wydad will spend most of the match without possession, making it hard to count on their corner opportunities. Meanwhile, City might significantly surpass their average, which is primarily based on Premier League performances. Therefore, consider betting on total corners over 9.5.

We've seen what happens when there's a significant class difference between teams, as demonstrated by Bayern and Auckland City in the past. However, Wydad are a professional side capable of better defense. Plus, Manchester City likely arrived in the U.S. with lingering game issues due to limited preparation time. Thus, we suggest a potential scoreline of 2-0.

Few doubt that Manchester City will secure the win; the real intrigue lies in the goal margin. The team is expected to continue dominating if they score early, which should impact the number of corners taken. If an early goal doesn't come, we can still anticipate a significant edge in this category. Therefore, we recommend a key bet on Manchester City's individual total of over 7.5 corners.