Savinho will be hoping to improve on his goal tally from the 24/25 season, the 21 year old only netted twice across his 45 appearances for Manchester City during the 24/25 campaign, though he did provide 10 assists. Savinho’s shot numbers and xG from the most recent campaign would suggest that he should improve on his goal numbers in this tournament and next season. 

Savinho produced an xG of 5.01 across his 29 Premier League appearances during the 24/25 season but only managed to score one goal. He had 55 shots across these appearances (2.80 per 90) with 21 of these finding the target (1.07 per 90) - this is a pretty good success rate for a winger with the majority of these efforts coming from the top corner of the box after he has cut in. 

We can expect Manchester City to offer a substantial attacking threat against Wydad Casablanca who haven’t enjoyed the best season, finishing third in their domestic league during the 24/25 campaign. Manchester City are priced at 1.06 to register a victory here so there should be a fair amount of chances for City and Savinho in particular to find the target at least once here. 

Mohamed Moufid, who typically operates as a right back for Wydad Casablanca, will face a significant challenge in Jeremy Doku. The Belgian winger is one of Europe’s most dangerous dribblers, capable of drawing fouls with ease. Given Doku’s ability to win 1.96 fouls per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season, Moufid could find himself under constant pressure to contain him.

Moufid’s disciplinary record from the 24/25 campaign suggests he is no stranger to committing fouls, having been penalised frequently for Wydad Casablanca. While he picked up nine yellow cards more than any of his teammates - it also highlights his tendency to engage physically when defending. Against a player like Doku, who thrives in 1v1 situations, Moufid may need to resort to tactical fouls to disrupt his rhythm.

The Moroccan full back will need to be careful not to overcommit, as Doku’s agility and acceleration make him a nightmare to defend against. Moufid’s aggressive style could see him concede fouls in dangerous areas, especially if he’s drawn into duels he can’t win cleanly. Managing his challenges will be crucial to avoid giving away free kicks or worse, but Doku’s skill may force him into mistimed tackles.

This should be fairly routine for Manchester City, Wydad Casablanca played two friendlies in the run up to this tournament to test their ability against European sides. They faced off against Porto and Sevilla, losing both games by 1-0 scorelines. Manchester City should be able to replicate these results, possibly adding more goals to the scoreline. 

Manchester City are favourites to win this group but will face some competition from Juventus who are the other European representative in Group G. This could mean that goal difference ends up playing a part in deciding who tops the group which would theoretically give either side an easier path to the final in the knockout stages. 

We should get a first look at some of Manchester City’s new recruits in Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders here which should offer Manchester City more control in games. The return of Rodri to the side could also be crucial in limiting the number of transitions that Manchester City face, something which should have a direct impact on their defensive record which dipped below their usual standards during the 24/25 season.

Manchester City are heavy favourites to begin their Club World Cup campaign with a win, priced at just 1.06, suggesting a dominant performance could be on the cards. With their attacking firepower, Omar Marmoush stands out as a strong candidate to get on the scoresheet in their opening match. The Egyptian forward has hit the ground running since his January move to the Etihad and will be looking to continue his impressive form.

Marmoush has adapted seamlessly to life in the Premier League, a notoriously difficult transition for mid season signings. Despite joining in January, he managed seven goals in just 16 league appearances for City, showcasing his sharpness in front of goal. His shot volume has been particularly encouraging, averaging 3.73 attempts per 90 minutes, with 1.29 of those hitting the target - a sign of his willingness to take aim regularly. 

Even before his move to Manchester, Marmoush was in scintillating form for Frankfurt, underlining his consistency as a goalscorer. Across the entire 24/25 season, he netted 28 times in 48 combined appearances for both clubs, proving he can deliver at the highest level. Given his clinical finishing and City’s expected dominance, Marmoush looks a strong bet to find the back of the net in this fixture.

Wydad Casablanca's Mohamed Moufid faces a stern test at right back, where he'll likely be tasked with containing Manchester City's Jeremy Doku. The Belgian winger's exceptional dribbling ability makes him a constant foul magnet, having drawn an average of nearly two fouls per game in the Premier League last season. Moufid's physical approach to defending could play directly into Doku's hands, with the full back's tendency to dive into challenges potentially proving costly.

The Moroccan defender's disciplinary record from last season suggests he often resorts to fouls when under pressure. While his nine yellow cards highlight his aggressive style, they also indicate how frequently he's forced into last ditch interventions. Against a player of Doku's quality, who thrives on drawing defenders into committing, Moufid may find himself repeatedly pulled out of position and compelled to make desperate challenges.

Doku's quick feet and acceleration make him particularly dangerous in 1v1 situations, exactly the kind of scenario where Moufid has previously struggled. The full back will need to show unusual restraint in his tackling, as mistimed challenges against such an elusive opponent could gift City dangerous set pieces in promising areas. Moufid's natural instincts to engage physically might need to be tempered if he's to avoid becoming Doku's latest victim.

Manchester City are heavy favourites to pick up all three points in their opening game of the Club World Cup against Wydad Casablanca, priced at 1.06 to come away winners from this encounter. Wydad Casablanca failed to score against Porto and Sevilla in the two warm up friendlies they played in preparation for this fixture which would suggest that Manchester City could end the evening with a more than comfortable scoreline here. 

Manchester City should have plenty of motivation to take this competition seriously seeing as they did not manage to lift any silverware during the 24/25 campaign. They also have a host of new signings that will be eager to nail down a spot in Pep Guardiola’s starting 11 next season so the Cityzens should look to make a commanding start to the Club World Cup which would make the rest of their group stage less of a hassle. 

Manchester City did end the 24/25 season quite strongly, losing just one of their final 13 games which is a record that would suggest that Manchester City are capable of putting a difficult season behind them to rebuild an aging squad and have a solid run in the Club World Cup, starting with a comfortable victory over Wydad Casablanca.