Reijnders and Cherki Shine as City Crush Wolves in Season Opener

Manchester City began their Premier League title defense in emphatic fashion, sweeping aside Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 at Molineux, with summer signings Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki stealing the headlines.

The Dutch midfielder, who arrived from AC Milan in a £46.3m deal after being crowned Serie A’s Midfielder of the Year, wasted no time showing his class in sky blue. Calm in possession, incisive in vision, and ruthless in execution, Reijnders turned in a debut to remember.

City’s breakthrough came in the 34th minute when Reijnders, with trademark composure, weaved past a challenge before lifting a perfectly weighted ball over the Wolves’ defense. Rico Lewis met it and squared for Erling Haaland, who tapped into an empty net to open the scoring. Moments later, Reijnders announced himself with a goal of his own lashing a first-time strike with his weaker left foot into the far corner.

The midfielder continued to dictate proceedings after the break and turned provider again, setting up Haaland for his second of the night to effectively kill off the contest.

But City weren’t done. Their other big-money summer arrival, 20-year-old Rayan Cherki, added gloss to the scoreline with a moment of individual brilliance. The French playmaker, signed from Lyon for £34m, picked up the ball on the edge of the box and rifled it into the bottom corner to seal the 4-0 victory.

It was the perfect opening statement from Pep Guardiola’s side, who not only looked sharp and dominant but also saw their new recruits settle instantly. With Reijnders pulling strings in midfield and Cherki already showing flashes of magic, City’s rivals have been sent an early and ominous reminder: the champions are still evolving and still deadly.