MAN CITY 4, WOLVES 1
Manchester City needed to display resilience and a fighting spirit to equal a club record 28 games without defeat following a hard-earned home win against Wolves.
They matched City’s centurions who in 2017 also went 28 games without defeat while City are now the highest scoring side in the Premier League and also possess the meanest defence.
It was also City’s 21st straight win in all competitions – 15 in the Premier League – as they pursue Bayern Munich’s 23, the best-ever run by a team in Europe’s top five leagues.
Yet with 10 minutes left, the match was 1-1 and on a knife-edge as spirited Wolves had again proved troublesome opponents.
Since Wolves were promoted to the Premier League in 2018, they have taken seven points from City, more than any other team in the same period.
City found another gear and in an explosive finish to the game, Gabriel Jesus scored twice and Riyad Mahrez once to seal victory as they went 15 points clear at the top with 11 games left.
They also equalled Arsenal’s record of 19 games in which they had never trailed for a single minute in any of those matches.
Embed from Getty ImagesCity manage Pep Guardiola admitted it was a tough match, but praised the “solidarity and friendship” of his players in this incredible run.
He said: “We were fantastic and restricted them to only one shot on target which was so good.
“After 1-1 we suffered, but we created lots of chances against one of the best organised teams in the Premier League, a team that beat us twice last season.
“It was a deserved victory, a big compliment to the guys. They were outstanding and it was a really good night for us.”
On winning 21 games in a row, he said: “Manchester United. That’s all we care [about now]. The champions is Liverpool, the crown belongs to them.
“We are in the best position right now to take them out and we are going to try, but they are the champions.
“There is 33 points to play [for]. Tomorrow our opponents will play, we have one or two days off and prepare for Manchester United at home.”
Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo said City showed how good they were.
“We were punished very badly in the latter stages of the game,” he said.
“City are very talented, amazing players, amazing manager. All the other teams that come here find it difficult because they are a good opponent.”
City made six changes from the side that beat West Ham 2-1 in their previous outing.
Raheem Sterling, Jesus, Aymeric Laporte, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo were the players recalled.
The players to lose out were John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan, Sergio Aguero, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ferran Torres and Fernandinho.
There was just one change for Wolves, unbeaten in their previous five league games, from Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Newcastle as Ki-Jana Hoever replaced Willian Jose.
City enjoyed up to 86 per cent possession in a one-sided opening and Sterling was denied by Rui Patricio in the second minute.
The breakthrough came after quarter of an hour when the hapless Leander Dendoncker put through his own goal.
Rodri sprayed a superb crossfield pass to Mahrez on the right and his low cross was diverted by Dendoncker past Patricio as Sterling lurked behind him ready to convert.
There was an enormous lull before the next action in the last minute of the half when City had a second goal ruled out by VAR – it was the most marginal of decisions.
Mahrez crossed from the right and Bernardo Silva flicked on the ball for Aymeric Laporte who coverted at the far post.
Initial replays suggested Dendoncker was playing Laporte onside, but a further viewing showed the defender’s arm was offside.
Then in stoppage time Silva’s header forced a decent stop from Patricio as City ended a half with 75 per cent possession and eight goal attempts to none from Wolves.
City almost doubled their advantage early in the second half when Kevin De Bruyne was denied by a fine stop by Patricio low to his left to divert his shot for a corner.
Patricio then did well to turn away a shot from Mahrez who dribbled inside from the right.
Then out of nothing, Wolves equalised just after the hour with their first goal attempt of the game, indeed it was also their first touch in the City penalty area all game.
Rodri fouled Joao Moutinho whose picked himself up to deliver a delightful free kick for Coady to find the net with a diving header, his first goal for Wolves in three years.
City would have regained the lead moments later but for a fine save from Patricio to deny Gabriel Jesus.
Suddenly there was a rare sense of urgency from City as they looked to regained the lead.
Sterling twice went agonisingly close as a back flick flew narrowly wide from Mahrez’ cross and then he bent a shot just past the upright from 22 yards.
The pressure eventually paid off as City went ahead with 10 minutes left.
Kyle Walker drove in a low shot which was cleared only as far as Jesus who fired home from six yards through a crowd of players for his 10th goal of the season.
There was an anxious wait for a VAR review to determine whether Walker was offside when he received the ball.
City immediately brought on Gundogan for Silva as they looked to close out the game.
They sealed victory in the 90th minute when Mahrez added a third goal after Wolves’ substitute Owen Otasowie, who had been on the pitch barely one minute, lost possession in his own penalty area.
Gundogan and Sterling linked to set up Mahrez who fired home a low shot from 10 yards, his eighth of the season.
And it got better for City as they scored a fourth in stoppage time as Jesus struck his second of the game.
Gundogan’s 30-yard drive was well kept out by Patricio but Jesus knocked in the rebound from six yards.
Assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis initially flagged for offside, but VAR ruled the Brazilian was clearly onside as the final scoreline didn’t reflect the earlier struggle.