Manchester City vs Wydad AC Predictions, Odds and Best Bet

Joseph Beguiristain Sports Betting Expert

12 minute read

Manchester City will face Wydad AC on Wednesday at noon EDT in Club World Cup Match Day 1 action from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.

There may not be many predictions favoring Wydad AC as they prepare to face Manchester City in their opening game. To illustrate the significant difference in quality between a Premier League team and one of the top teams from the Botola Pro League, we can look at Jack Grealish.

Grealish, who is Manchester City's record signing, will not be participating in the Club World Cup as Pep Guardiola has decided to leave him in England. He was acquired for a transfer fee of $135 million four years ago. In contrast, the total value of the entire Wydad AC squad is only $20.5 million.

Given this vast disparity in quality, it's not surprising that Manchester City enters the match as an overwhelming favorite, with an implied probability of victory of 92.6% (-799 on the moneyline), based on the average odds provided by bookmakers.

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Analysis of the Match

Manchester City begins their Club World Cup campaign in Philadelphia with high expectations, reflecting their substantial budget. After a season in which they fell short in three competitions, this tournament offers Pep Guardiola's team a final chance at redemption and their only opportunity to lift silverware this year.

Their opponents, Wydad AC, come with an impressive trophy cabinet, having secured both continental and international titles. Known as the Club of the Nation, Wydad has reached four of the last seven CAF Champions League finals and is the most successful club in Morocco, boasting 22 Moroccan league titles, nine cup victories, and numerous other accolades.

Although Wydad enters the match as significant underdogs, the Club World Cup has seen surprising outcomes in the past, and they will be eager to challenge top-tier competition. Nonetheless, it's difficult to dispute the extremely short odds favoring Manchester City.

City is expected to dominate possession and dictate the game's tempo from the outset, as they typically do. Last season, they led the Premier League in possession, averaging 61.3%.

Wydad's compact defensive structure and counter-attacking capabilities could lead to tense moments for City. A convincing victory would bolster City's reputation, while anything less could hint at underlying issues as they prepare for their summer rebuild.

Manchester City Analysis and Form

Manchester City faced a frustrating 2024–25 campaign. Despite finishing third in the Premier League with 71 points (an average of 1.87 points per game), they ended the season without any trophies. Pep Guardiola's side fell short of expectations, losing to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final and getting eliminated from the Champions League in a play-off against Real Madrid.

Offensively, City scored 72 goals in the league, averaging 1.89 goals per game, which matched their expected goals (xG) of 1.89. However, this was their lowest goals-per-game average in recent seasons. Defensively, they conceded 44 goals (1.16 per game) while maintaining possession supremacy, averaging around 61.7% control per match.

There was a slight disparity between their home and away forms: they had a record of 13 wins, three draws, and three losses at home, compared to 8 wins, five draws, and six losses on the road. Their form dipped late in the season, with just four wins in 11 matches after April and only three victories by a single goal. However, they secured a 2–0 win at Fulham on the final day of the season, which guaranteed Champions League football and marked a 10-game unbeaten run in the domestic league.

As they look ahead to the summer, City is planning a rebuild and has already secured a few key signings in preparation for the Club World Cup. While they continue to focus on their core identity of possession dominance, fluid build-up play led by players like Rodri, and clinical finishing, this transfer window indicates a shift towards a younger, more dynamic squad.

Wydad AC Analysis and Form

The Moroccan Red Castle finished the season in third place, which is a relatively good result. However, they ranked only ninth in terms of clean sheets, managing to keep just 11 in 30 matches.

Offensively, the team averages a healthy 1.5 goals per game, driven by their trio of Rayhi, Mailula, and Zemraoui, who have combined for 21 goals. Rayhi is also tied for second place on the top goalscorer list, along with two other players, as the top four scorers each have 11 goals, with the second to fourth-place players having no assists.

Defensively, they allowed an average of only 0.9 goals per game, and in 16 out of 30 matches (52%), both teams scored. However, the majority of their matches this season (63%) recorded two goals or fewer.

This data suggests a compact, disciplined approach aimed at limiting chances and controlling tight games. However, while these statistics are relevant for the Botola Pro, they may not hold much significance when facing a team like Man City.

Head to Head Analysis

Manchester City is a relatively new powerhouse in the world of football and has yet to face African opposition in a competitive match.

In late 2023, Pep Guardiola's team competed in the Club World Cup after defeating Inter Milan in the Champions League final earlier that year. City secured their title by overcoming Urawa Red Diamonds and Fluminense en route to becoming champions.

Wydad AC has won the CAF Champions League three times but has never faced an English team in the competition. The Moroccan club's last encounter with a European side was in 1956 when they lost 2-1 to St. Etienne.

Wydad AC last appeared in the Club World Cup in 2023, where they were eliminated by Al-Hilal, losing 5-3 on penalties. They also struggled in the 2017/18 edition of the tournament, failing to win any of their two matches, neither of which was against European opponents.

Team News and Predicted Lineups

Manchester City's potential starting lineup for the match includes Ortega; Nunes, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Rodri, Silva, Gundogan; Doku, Marmoush, and Haaland.

Wydad AC's possible starting lineup features Benabid, Moufti, Harkass, Boutoil, Bouchta; Zemraoui, Moubarik, Mailula; Lorch, Obeng, and Rayhi.

Heading into 2025, it was evident that Manchester City needed a rebuild, prompting significant investment in the January transfer window, which has continued into the summer.

New signings Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Rayan Cherki have joined the club and are included in the Club World Cup squad; however, none of them are expected to start the opening match.

Rodri, who is anticipated to play from the first minute, made a significant return during City's 3-1 win over Bournemouth last month after an eight-month absence. The current Ballon d'Or holder will provide a substantial boost for Pep Guardiola as he aims for success in this tournament.

Wydad AC also has key players expected to start. Mohamed Rayhi is the team's most threatening attacker and has scored four goals in his last seven competitive matches.

Central defender Jamall Harkass missed several matches at the end of May but is expected to return to the starting XI at Lincoln Financial Field.

BEST BET: Omar Marmoush Anytime Goalscorer (+120)

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Joseph Beguiristain

Joseph Beguiristain is a South Florida native with 10-plus years of sports media experience. Before joining VegasInsider in July 2021, he wrote for the Sun-Sentinel and Miami Heat. More from Joseph Beguiristain