Man City 1 (De Bruyne 35) Wolves 0
Wolves’ six-match winning run came to an end at Manchester City on a night where Vitor Pereira’s side twice struck the woodwork and pushed their visitors all the way.
Kevin De Bruyne scored the decisive goal on 35 minutes, converting a pull back from Jeremy Doku, but Wolves had already squandered a two against one opportunity and saw Rayan Ait-Nouri denied by the post and Josko Gvardiol on the goal line.
Matheus Cunha also struck a post after the interval with a clever strike which took Ederson by surprise, and while Wolves kept City to the one goal, it did the damage, as Pereira’s side lost in the Premier League for the first time since February.
City may have gone in for the break ahead, but that only told half the story of an opening period where Wolves impressed. Cunha curled wide in the opening three minutes, following good work by Joao Gomes, which set the tone for a half where the Old Gold matched their hosts.
Andre fired high into the sky after Nelson Semedo’s cross was half cleared, and Omar Marmoush lashed over for City.
Neither chance was bigger than the one for Wolves on 23 minutes. Cunha’s pass sent Bellegarde scampering clear, beyond City’s high line and into the space in behind, but the Frenchman opted against shooting, instead squaring for Marshall Munetsi, but putting too much on his pass and the chance was gone.
Five minutes later and Wolves were equally stunned at not taking the lead. Ait-Nouri and Cunha linked up, and the Algerian struck the foot of Ederson’s post, before his rebound was cleared off the line by Gvardiol. Wolves denied again.
And City made them pay. Andre uncharacteristically gave the ball away in the middle of the pitch, and Wolves were in trouble. Doku got past Matt Doherty down the left and his pull back was met by De Bruyne who guided home the only goal.
Half-time | Man City 1-0 Wolves
The chances were less frequent after the interval. But like in the opening period, Wolves were left cursing the woodwork. When Cunha stood over the ball on the edge of the box with 56 minutes gone, there were little options for him, so he went himself towards the near post and watched his effort crash back off Ederson’s upright.
Wolves wouldn’t get closer than that, in truth. For City, Marmoush curled over after Doku had stretched the visitors, while Mateo Kovacic dragged harmlessly wide from the edge of the box.
From there City kept possession, without testing Sa, but as the half wore on, and substitution took place, Wolves’ threat decreased. In the final minute of added time Hee Chan Hwang won the Old Gold a corner, which Jose Sa went up for, but as City cleared, referee Peter Bankes called time on the game and Wolves’ winning run.
Full-time | Man City 1-0 Wolves
Man City | Ederson, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly (Akanji 58), Kovacic (Gonzalez 90), Gundogan (McAtee 84), De Bruyne (Foden 84), Bernardo, Doku, Marmoush (Lewis 83).
Unused subs | Ortega, Haaland, Grealish, Savinho.
Wolves | Sa, Semedo (Bueno 86), Doherty (Sarabia 65), Agbadou, Toti, Ait-Nouri, Andre (Guedes 80), J Gomes, Bellegarde (R Gomes 66), Cunha (Hwang 85), Munetsi.
Subs | Bentley, Lima, Djiga, Doyle.
