December 24, 2024

Manchester City 4-1 Wolves: Premier League – as it happened

Man City #ManCity

5.22pm EST 17:22

Jamie Jackson was at the Etihad tonight. His report has landed, so you know what to do: clickity click! Meanwhile thanks for reading this MBM. Stay safe. Nighty night!

Jesus and Mahrez send Manchester City 15 points clear with win against Wolves

5.21pm EST 17:21

Nuno’s turn. “First half we were organised but not a threat … it was difficult to recover the ball … in the second much better until we reached the draw … but after the draw we lost control of the game again and made clear mistakes … but we were in the game at 1-1 and threatening … but the game went away from us … we were 1-1, and that says the team was compact and organised … City are very talented … the way they press and recover the ball really punishes you.”

5.13pm EST 17:13

Pep talks. “Well deserved … it was a fantastic game … we suffered because we conceded a goal with their first shot on target … it is so difficult to play against them … but we were fantastic … we played really well … after 1-1 we suffered for five minutes, but calmed that situation and we created a lot of chances at the end … yeah, well deserved … we lost two balls because we wanted attack too quick … sometimes you need more process … but the rest was brilliant.” He’s then asked about continuing the 21-match winning run, and his answer is simple: “Man United.” He’s not deviating from his mantra: one game at a time.

Updated at 5.14pm EST

5.06pm EST 17:06

Riyad Mahrez, named man of the match, speaks to BT Sport. “It was a tough game … I think we started very, very good … we could have killed the game in the first half … it was offside for maybe this [pinches thumb and forefinger] … second half was more difficult, they pressed higher … they managed to score but we finished very good, we never gave up, kept pressing and made chances to score … sometimes you can have the ball for 95 percent but you have to kill the game and we didn’t do it in the first half … the last ten minutes was so good … we are very happy, we keep going … we have to play game by game and see what happens … the quality of every player is so good and everyone makes his contribution.”

5.00pm EST 17:00

Pep Guardiola’s relentless side now have a 15-point lead at the top of the Premier League table. Manchester United, in second, come to the Etihad on Sunday. Should City win the derby, making it 22 wins on the bounce, they’ll surely be home and hosed. They’re surely home and hosed even if they don’t. Meanwhile Wolves, for all their second-half effort, remain in 12th with 34 points.

4.55pm EST 16:55

FULL TIME: Manchester City 4-1 Wolverhampton Wanderes

That’s the final act of the evening. As contradictory as it may sound, the 4-1 scoreline is the least City deserve for their dominance, determination and overall panache, and yet simultaneously harsh on Wolves, who came so close to eking out a draw, and even threatened to find a winner for a while. City are 21 up!

Updated at 4.56pm EST

4.53pm EST 16:53

GOAL! Manchester City 4-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (Jesus 90+3)

Gundogan aims for the bottom right. Rui Patricio parries well, but the rebound falls to Jesus, who slams home. The flag goes up for offside, and the referee initially rules it out, but VAR spots Coady playing Jesus onside. Goal!

Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus scores his side’s fourth goal of the game. Photograph: Carl Recine/Pool/PA Here’s the view of the finish from behind the goal. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/NMC Pool Jesus celebrates his goal. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters There’s lots of happy faces after Jesus bagged his second and City’s fourth. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/NMC Pool

Updated at 5.46pm EST

4.51pm EST 16:51

90 min +2: A huge sigh of relief for City, who were made to work hard to keep their winning streak alive.

4.50pm EST 16:50

90 min +1: The first of three added minutes is mainly taken up with cavorting.

4.50pm EST 16:50

GOAL! Manchester City 3-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (Mahrez 90)

The sub’s first touch gifts City the clincher. Otasowie dawdles with the ball at his feet, just inside his own box. Rodri strips him and feeds Gundogan inside. Gundogan and Sterling combine to tee up Mahrez, who sweeps into the bottom left. 21 up!

Riyad Mahrez sweeps home City’s third. Photograph: Carl Recine/Pool/PA Mahrez celebrates his goal. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/NMC Pool Wolves’ keeper Rui Patricio reacts after conceding a third goal. Photograph: Carl Recine/Pool/Reuters

Updated at 5.02pm EST

4.48pm EST 16:48

89 min: Walker is forced to reach top speed to deny Neto a free run down the left. That’s almost as valuable as his assist. Staunch, with City otherwise extremely light at the back. Otasowie replaces Neves.

4.46pm EST 16:46

87 min: Moutinho whips to the near post. Laporte heads clear. Neto sends it back in from the left. Dendoncker slams a header miles over the bar. Half a chance, if not a sitter.

4.45pm EST 16:45

86 min: But here we go. Neto takes on Walker down the left and earns a corner. Moutinho, their dead-ball specialist, races over to take.

4.44pm EST 16:44

85 min: Wolves seem a little stunned, having done so well to hold City to a one-goal lead, then haul themselves level. For a while, they threatened to take the lead themselves, until City settled. They haven’t really responded to Jesus’ goal.

4.42pm EST 16:42

83 min: City were rocking for a few minutes after Wolves’ equaliser, but how they cleared their heads, gathering themselves to come at their opponents again, like a train! What moxie! Mentality monsters, to borrow a phrase coined by last season’s champions.

Updated at 4.42pm EST

4.40pm EST 16:40

GOAL! Manchester City 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (Jesus 80)

Mahrez slides Walker clear down the right. Walker fizzes into a crowded six-yard box, looking for Sterling. The ball clanks off Dendoncker’s heel, teeing up Jesus, six yards out. Jesus makes no mistake, slamming home, and City’s run is back on!

Jesus is congratulated by Kyle Walker (left) as other members of the Manchester City come over to join in the celebrations. Photograph: Carl Recine/Pool/Getty Images Whilst Wolves’ Conor Coady, Rui Patricio, Ruben Neves and Romain Saiss look crest-fallen. Photograph: Sam Bagnall/Wolves/Getty Images

Updated at 5.45pm EST

4.38pm EST 16:38

79 min: City are pressing hard. Wolves are holding firm. But then …

4.37pm EST 16:37

77 min: Yep, this is locked into a groove alright. Once again, Wolves half-clear a corner. Once again, Sterling looks to send a curler into the top right. This one’s beaten Rui Patricio, but shaves the outside of the post. Sterling cocks his head back and wails in frustration. Such a good effort. He’s been marvellous tonight.

4.35pm EST 16:35

76 min: Wolves half-clear the corner. City come again, Rodri crossing from the right. Coady again heading out for a corner. Wolves half-clear again. Sterling tries a curler towards the top right. Blocked. Another corner. Safe to say a pattern is developing.

Updated at 4.35pm EST

4.34pm EST 16:34

75 min: Mahrez probes down the right. He curls in low. Coady dives low to turn the ball out for a corner. “Here in Finland we get the official Premier League broadcast,” reports Kári Tulinius. “When Coady headed it in, the score ticked up to 2-0. I understand the scorekeeper, the idea that anyone but City would score the next goal seemed ludicrous, the game had settled for a nap under a blanket of City domination.”

4.32pm EST 16:32

73 min: Mahrez crosses from the right. Jesus prepares to flick goalwards, but Coady eyebrows out for a corner, then clears the set piece himself. Coady is really putting in a captain’s shift here. But then City come back at Wolves, Silva rolling a ball down the right for Mahrez, who crosses low. Sterling elegantly back-flicks towards the bottom left. It flies inches wide. Wow! What a finish that would have been.

Raheem Sterling goes close with an audacious effort. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/NMC Pool Sterling reacts. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/NMC Pool

Updated at 5.39pm EST

4.30pm EST 16:30

71 min: Neto becomes the first man to go in the referee’s notebook, for a cynical clip on De Bruyne’s ankle. City load the box for the resulting free kick, but nothing occurs.

4.30pm EST 16:30

70 min: Wolves have come alive, City are suddenly all over the shop, and good luck guessing which way this is going to go. Moutinho crunches into Rodri and sends Wolves on a five-on-three counter. Traore lashes wastefully over the bar. City go up the other end, De Bruyne slamming a shot straight at Rui Patricio from the edge of the box.

4.28pm EST 16:28

69 min: The corner’s worked long to Hoever on the left. His low cross is deflected off Laporte, towards the bottom left. Ederson reacts extremely well to change direction and gather, because that was squeaking into the corner.

4.27pm EST 16:27

68 min: City want to watch themselves here, mind you. Traore makes a bit of space for himself on the edge of the City box, and shoots. Dias does extremely well to arrive on the scene and block. But Wolves come again, Traore burning a path down the right and pearling a rising shot towards the top right. It’s deflected off Dias, and sails inches wide of goal for Wolves’ first corner of the match.

4.25pm EST 16:25

66 min: Nothing comes of the resulting corner. A couple of City players already wearing furrowed brows of frustration. A bit too early to get down on yourselves, chaps.

4.24pm EST 16:24

65 min: Silva threads a pass down the inside right and releases Jesus into the box. He’s one on one with the keeper, albeit facing a tight angle. His low drive is heading across Rui Patricio and into the bottom left, but the keeper sticks out a toe to deflect it out wide for a corner! What a save that was.

4.23pm EST 16:23

63 min: Jesus tries to respond immediately with a bustle down the right, but his powerful shot is always rising over the bar. All of a sudden, that 20-game winning run looks in jeopardy!

4.22pm EST 16:22

62 min: All that possession, and City have been punished by Wolves’ first foray into their area! That was Wolves first touch in the City box, and Ederson is still yet to make a save.

4.20pm EST 16:20

GOAL! Manchester City 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (Coady 61)

Wolves are level, City are stunned! Moutinho curls towards the far post. Dias has dropped too deep, allowing Coady to power through and stoop to steer a header into the bottom right!

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Conor Coady ducks to head the ball … Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Pool/Reuters And the ball flies into the net. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/EPA Coady celebrates scoring his side’s equaliser. Photograph: Paul Ellis/Pool/PA

Updated at 5.13pm EST

4.19pm EST 16:19

60 min: Wolves work their way back into the game, pinging some passes of their own hither and yon. Suddenly Neto springs in from the right and finds Moutinho, who is clattered from behind by Rodri. A free kick, 30 yards out, just to the right of centre.

4.17pm EST 16:17

58 min: City continue to hog possession, but they’re not pinging it around at quite the same speed of earlier.

4.15pm EST 16:15

56 min: Wolves make the first change of the match. Silva comes on for Jonny.

4.15pm EST 16:15

55 min: De Bruyne romps down the left with a view to cutting back for Sterling, but runs the ball out of play for a goal kick. The overall quality of City’s play hasn’t been matched by their actions in the Wolves box.

4.13pm EST 16:13

54 min: Mahrez drops a shoulder to swan in from the right. He aims for the top left, but Rui Patricio parries with strong hands. City are asking questions again.

4.12pm EST 16:12

53 min: Rodri bulldozes his way down the inside left, all the way into the box. He shapes to shoot, but lumbers a little, and by the time he’s sorted himself out, Wolves can block.

4.10pm EST 16:10

51 min: Sterling backheels De Bruyne into space down the inside-left channel. That’s a lovely touch. De Bruyne enters the box and whistles a low diagonal shot towards the bottom right. Rui Patricio fingertips the ball inches wide of the post. Nothing comes of the resulting corner. So close to a second!

4.08pm EST 16:08

49 min: Silva surveys his options on the edge of the Wolves box on the right. Walker tears past him, begging to be sent clear on the overlap. Silva delays the pass, and by the time he plays it, Walker is miles off. City come again, Sterling, De Bruyne and Cancelo combining down the left, the latter crossing into an area bereft of City players. Wolves clear.

4.06pm EST 16:06

47 min: Traore runs down the middle of the park, De Bruyne yet again shipping possession uncharacteristically easily. He’s got Neto in acres on the left, and should release him on goal, with City light at the back, but opts for Semedo to the right instead. There’s nowhere for Semedo to go, and the chance to stun City early in the second half is spurned.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Adama Traore surges forward. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Pool/Reuters

Updated at 4.21pm EST

3.54pm EST 15:54

Half-time chores. Quickly clean the kitchen. Put out the bins. Pop into the Little Room to attend to personal affairs. Pour yourself a beer. Sign up for the Fiver.

The Fiver | Football’s coming home (to Montevideo, hopefully)

3.50pm EST 15:50

HALF TIME: Manchester City 1-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Jesus skitters down the left. His shot is blocked and loops towards Bernardo, just by the right hand post. Bernardo heads down towards the corner. Rui Patricio saves, and Bernardo skies the rebound. And that’s the final act of a half which City have dominated, Wolves nearly passed into submission … but there’s only one goal in it. Both managers, for different reasons, will go in feeling a strange mixture of contentment and frustration.

3.48pm EST 15:48

45 min: Closer than I thought. But Laporte was an inch or so ahead of Dendoncker, and it’s still 1-0.

3.47pm EST 15:47

44 min: Mahrez’s corner is half cleared. Semedo is robbed by Jesus, who slips the ball down the right for Mahrez. A cross towards the far post is helped on towards Laporte, who slams home. They celebrate, but surely that’s going to be ruled out for offside.

Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte sticks the ball into the net … Photograph: Paul Ellis/Pool/Reuters Laporte celebrates (right) but his joy is short lived courtesy of VAR disallowing it. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Pool/Reuters

Updated at 3.55pm EST

3.45pm EST 15:45

43 min: De Bruyne shoots from 25 yards. It’s deflected out for another corner on the right.

3.43pm EST 15:43

41 min: Neto carelessly gives the ball away with a blind infield pass to Jesus, allowing the striker to scoot towards the Wolves box. The ball’s worked wide left to Sterling, whose shot is blocked and loops towards Jesus. He chests down for Mahrez. His shot is deflected out for a corner, which is claimed easily by Rui Patricio.

3.41pm EST 15:41

39 min: A rare period of possession for Wolves in the midfield. Hoever is once again waiting in acres on the right touchline, but by the time Moutinho eventually finds him, he’s surrounded and gives up possession. Wolves punished for being too ponderous.

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