Manchester City grabbed a dramatic late winner against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday to preserve their unbeaten start to the Premier League season.
The Blues looked set to slip up for a third time in four Premier League matches, until John Stones’ injury-time header saw them take all three points in controversial circumstances.
It wasn’t a day where City had it all their own way, though. Pep Guardiola said prior to the international break that he would try and find a solution to City’s recent defensive issues. Evidently, the answer still eludes him, as it took Wolves just seven minutes to take the lead.
The hosts cut through City’s porous centre with surprising ease, and Jorgen Strand Larsen was on hand to tap in at the back post from an excellent weighted Nelson Semedo cross. It was the fourth time in eight league games that City have conceded first this season, an alarming habit they must break.
It could have been worse had Ederson not pulled off a great save to deny Semedo soon after, as he flew out of his net and smothered the former Barcelona defender’s shot with Wolves again managing to break through the City ranks.
At the other end, Gary O’Neil’s side defended stoutly, as Jeremy Doku shot over from a promising angle, Ilkay Gundogan’s flicked header sailed off target and Jose Sa pulled off an excellent low save at his right post to turn away Bernardo Silva’s effort.
But the keeper could do nothing as Josko Gvardiol turned inside and fired a rocket into the top corner from 25 yards with his weaker right foot. It was the sort of inspiration City needed having huffed and puffed against the organised Wolves defence with little joy. Sa got a hand to the curling effort but couldn’t palm it over, as a slightly relieved Pep Guardiola turned to his bench to celebrate.
Sa was kept busy all afternoon, and again produced an excellent stop to deny Savinho in first-half injury-time, in an opening 45 minutes that City exercised more and more control over. That waned significantly after the break with Sa only really called into action to stop Dias’ effort from distance, while Savinho shot over from a promising position in the 70th minute.
Wolves continued to carry a threat on the break with Matheus Cunha firing wide after dribbling at the City defence, while Carlos Forbs - against his old club - could neither find the back of the net or pick out Larsen in the middle with an opening late on.
Substitutes Jack Grealish and Matheus Nunes tried - and failed - to find the breakthrough goal as the game ticked towards a conclusion. And as the match entered the final minute of allotted five in injury-time, Stones converted a header from a City corner.
A lengthy VAR pause followed in which a decision on whether the offside Silva had blocked Sa’s eyeline was determined. Ultimately, referee Chris Kavanagh decided the goal should stand, despite the pandemonium and furore inside Molineux. It meant City grabbed a crucial win, while Wolves again suffered a frustrating afternoon. Here’s how we rated the players...
1. Ederson- 7
Made an excellent stop to deny Semedo and flew out to head the ball on another occasion, but that was about the height of it on a quiet afternoon.
2. Rico Lewis- 5.5
Was at fault for Wolves' goal as he pushed up and left a gap at the back post for Larsen to exploit. Lewis pushed into midfield and linked well with team-mates, but he struggled to find any gaps in the well-organised Wolves defence.
3. John Stones- 6
Could perhaps have done slightly better for the goal, although the blame mainly lay with Lewis. Stones moved the ball well and didn't push into midfield, instead operating in a typical centre-back role. His dramatic header secured a dramatic late win.
4. Ruben Dias- 6
Went close with an effort at the start of the second half and, like all of the City back four, didn't look at his assured best in the Midlands.