WOLVES 1, MANCHESTER CITY 1
Willy Boly scored a goal to earn Wolves a point against under-par Manchester City but refereeing officials missed a handball by the French defender as he dived to bundle the ball over the line.
City hit the woodwork a total of three times and were denied a penalty as they failed to beat a good Wolves side who fought hard for their point after Aymeric Laporte’s bullet header levelled the scores although City should have won all three points after crucial decisions went against them.
Pep Guardiola made two changes to the side that beat Huddersfield Town, with Kyle Walker replacing John Stones while Raheem Sterling came in for Gabriel Jesus with Pep Guardiola switching back to the familiar 4-3-3 formation.
Captain Vincent Kompany was making his 250th appearance for City – but he was in the referee’s notebook early after being booked for a foul – and looked shaky as Wolves targeted the City defence.
Despute being under par for much of the game, City had earlier hit the woodwork twice through Sergio Aguero and Sterling while Wolves had the ball in the City net only to be denied by an offside flag and Ederson saved from Costa as the immensely hardworking Wolves side kept City on their toes during a goalless first first.
Boly’s diving header from a short corner routine whipped back in and bundled over the line with his (obscured) hand put Wolves into a shock lead in the 57th minute which delighted the home crowd.
That, and an unsuccessful appeal for a penalty against Ruben Neves on David Silva showed that luck was not with City on the day although both sides had had opportunities to score during the game with the visitors racking up 18 shots alone with six on target but were lacking the creativity of Kevin De Bruyne to break down Wolves.
Gabriel Jesus came on for Bernardo Silva and City were back on level terms not long after when an Ilkay Gundogan free kick found Aymeric Laporte whose bullet header went in past Rui Patricio in the 69th minute.
It was the young defender’s first Premier League goal for City and Gabriel Jesus should have won it for City late on but his header from Benjamin Mendy’s cross was saved by the legs of the Wolves ‘keeper.
Leroy Sane came on for Gundogan while Riyad Mahrez replaced Sterling as City made their final changes but Wolves held on for a draw after Aguero’s 25 yard free kick hit the bar five minutes into injury time after a mazy run by Sane before the Argentine was brought down after the ball broke to him.