Manchester City 1, Wolves 0
Raheem Sterling notched up 100 Premier League goals with a penalty for Manchester City against 10-man Wolves after Raul Jimenez was sent off.
Wolves will feel they could have had an equaliser but for Ederson’s save right at the end which saved the points for City and earned the Brazilian his 100th clean sheet for City.
In many ways it wasn’t a vintage performance for City but the win is enough to keep them on top of the Premier League for another round of games.
City boss Pep Guardiola made just two changes from the side that beat Watford last weekend – a total of eight changes from the side that lost to RB Leipzig.
Embed from Getty ImagesPhil Foden was nursing an ankle knock and was benched and he was joined there by Kyle Walker who paid for his sending off against RB Leipzig by being dropped – Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus came in for them.
City were restricted to few real shots on goal as Wolves massed their defence to frustrate their hosts.
Max Kilman and Ruben Neves clashed heads accidentally as the visitors worked hard to deny space to the visitors.
And Romain Saiss went down after Sterling accidentally hit him as the Wolves man tried to pull his shirt with the winger running into the Wolves box.
City had a claim for handball in the area turned down when Grealish’s cross came off Kilman’s arm, which was tucked in close to his body.
Raul Jimenez sent offer petulant second booking at the end of the first half
The niggly fouls continued until Raul Jimenez got himself sent off for a petulant second booking just 31 seconds after getting cautioned for fouling Rodri.
The Wolves forward blocked Rodri from taking a quick free kick and was promptly handed his second yellow card much to the delight of the whistling City fans.
The Mexican knew what he had done and milked every second of his slow exit from the field while applauding the visiting supporters.
City were sharper after the break but still faced a stubborn Wolves side.
And after waves of pressure City won a penalty after Joao Moutinho won a penalty after Bernardo Silva’s cross hit the outstretched arm of the Wolves midfielder.
A VAR check ratcheted up the tension as question marks over where the ball hit the Portuguese man fed the controversy until the stadium erupted as VAR did not overturn the spot kick.
Raheem Sterling stepped up and notched up his 100th Premier League goal from the penalty spot, coolly sending the ball down the middle as Jose Sa leaped to his right.
Jack Grealish ballooned a great chance to make it 2-0, sent in by Raheem Sterling but skied well over the bar while Bernardo Silva had a low show blocked by Sa.
Sa also denied Foden as City racked up the chances without threatening a second but they almost paid for it in injury time as Daniel Podence’s cross fell for Kilman whose header was tipped over the bar by Ederson.
That save earned Ederson his 100th clean sheet of his City career, a fitting way to chalk up the milestone.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 1, Wolves 0
Ederson: 7. Deckchair time for the Brazilian. Had nothing to do until 82nd minute and then tipped an injury time header over the bar to preserve the points.
Joao Cancelo: 7. Sloppy start at right back, had early shots but nothing to overly test Jose Sa but his balls into the box were good and he was better in the second half
Ruben Dias: 6. Had work cut out up against pacy Adama Traore.
Aymeric Laporte: 6. Spare man in defence, headed wide from a Jack Grealish corner and saw a second half shot deflected.
Oleksandr Zinchenko: 7. Sat deeper in the second half as City pushed up against 10 men of Wolves – kept his cool against Adama Traore. Had a shot saved and generally good on the ball.
Ilkay Gundogan: 6. Somewhat pedestrian, poor set pieces in the first half. Had a goal bound header cleared off the line by Conor Coady.
Rodri: 7. Looked after Raul Jimenez when he tried to drop deep – was targeted for his ability to recycle the ball.
Bernardo Silva: 7. Good form continued, had shots saved and blocked and his cross earned the penalty that Raheem Sterling broke the deadlock with.
Raheem Sterling: 7. Didn’t make much progress on the right flank as he found it hard to get past the Wolves defenders, not least Romain Saiss who had a running sniping war throughout. Had a penalty shout turned down but scored his 100th Premier League goal from the penalty spot.
Jack Grealish: 6. Risky balls didn’t come off for him early on, taken off.
Gabriel Jesus: 6. Used as centre forward but just as frustrated as his team mates, improved after the break and had a great chance saved by Jose Sa.
Phil Foden (on for Ilkay Gundogan, 56): 6. Some sharp passing after he came on as City improved.
Kevin de Bruyne (on for Jack Grealish, 73): 6. Still feeling his way back for form. Some good passes.
GOAL – Manchester City 1, Wolves 0
Man City 1, Wolves 0: 66. Raheem Sterling nailed his 100th Premier League goal from the penalty spot, a coolly taken one straight down the middle with Jose Sa leaping to his right, after Bernardo Silva’s cross hit the outstretched arm of Joao Moutinho.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 1, Wolves 0
Man City: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko, Gundogan (C) (Foden 56), Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Sterling, Grealish (De Bruyne 73), Jesus
Man City subs not used: Steffen, Walker, Stones, Ake, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Palmer
Bookings: Dias 40 (foul on Adama Traore); Rodri 44 (foul on Adama Traore); Cancelo 81 (foul on Hwang)
Goal: Sterling 66 pen
Wolves: Sa, Kilman, Coady (C), Saiss, Semedo, Moutinho, Neves (Trincao 82), Dendoncker (Podence 87), Ait-Nouri, Traore (Hwang 67), Jimenez
Wolves Subs not used: Ruddy, Hoever, Marcal, Podence, Boly, Fabio Silva, Cundle
Bookings: Jimenez 45+1 (foul on Rodri); Neves 45+3 (dissent); Dendoncker 78 (foul on Rodri);
Red Card: Jimenez 45+2 (second booking, stopping a free kick from being taken)
Referee: Jonathan Moss