Edwards thinks Lage should switch to 3-5-2 when Wolves face Manchester City

Wolves nearly held out for a 0-0 draw against Liverpool on Saturday and next up is a trip to face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

City lost 2-1 in their final Champions League group game against RB Leipzig on Tuesday night, but they were already through as group winners.

Wolves may well need to be ready for a reaction from the reigning champions, and former Molineux midfielder David Edwards thinks Bruno Lage needs to change formation.

He wrote in his Express and Star column that changing to 3-5-2 would be the way to go against City, who pose threats in numerous areas.

“It did feel like the goal was coming late on. It was wave after wave from Liverpool and looking back at the story of the game they deserved it, but it was gut wrenching Wolves couldn’t hold on,” said Edwards.

“It wasn’t to be but the Wolves faithful will be proud of the application and work-rate, but they needed a little more offensively.

“The one thing I would be tempted to do if I was Bruno Lage, against Manchester City next and Chelsea soon – the toughest challenges – is a slight change of formation and go to a 3-5-2, maybe play Adama Traore up with Raul Jimenez.

“That could get another man in midfield to deal with the technique and athleticism in there, I think you can get overrun in midfield with two men. But more importantly it gets someone close to Raul, he was so isolated at times.”

Manchester United went in with a 3-5-2 system in the Manchester derby and got ripped apart but Lage’s side are generally far more impressively drilled than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men were.

It would be good to get more players around Jimenez, because Wolves have now not scored for three Premier League games in a row now.

Scoring and winning away at City will not be easy, but the solid foundation Lage has built should give Wolves a platform to build from.

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