Wolves 0-3 Manchester City: Erling Haaland scores again in dominant win
Wolves #Wolves
Only 55 seconds had elapsed when Jack Grealish poked Manchester City ahead
Erling Haaland continued his impressive scoring run as Manchester City went back to the top of the Premier League with a comfortable win against 10-man Wolves at Molineux.
The hosts had only touched the ball once before Jack Grealish put City in front after just 55 seconds.
Haaland scored for the seventh consecutive game and took his tally to 14 in the past nine when he doubled the visitors’ advantage with a long-range effort after 16 minutes.
A spirited Wolves continued to try and attack, even after Nathan Collins was sent off for a high first-half tackle on Grealish.
However, with Raul Jimenez missing through injury and new arrival Diego Costa not deemed fit enough for any involvement beyond meeting some fans before the game, they never looked likely to add to their paltry tally of three league goals.
By contrast, City have 23, with Phil Foden completing their victory by flicking home Kevin de Bruyne’s low cross midway through the second half.
Haaland’s superb start shows no signs of stopping Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-3 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola pleased with early lead
Haaland had scored more goals on his own than 13 of City’s 19 Premier League rivals before kick-off – and by the end the visiting fans were singing “Erling Haaland has scored more than you” at Wolves supporters. The current tally is Haaland 11, Wolves three.
For context, when Mohamed Salah broke the record for goals in a 38-game season in 2017-18, he had found the net on four occasions after seven games.
Haaland’s latest effort was unusual in that he scored it from outside the penalty area.
Erling Haaland has scored 14 goals in 10 matches in all competitions for Manchester City so far this season
Receiving possession inside the Wolves half, Haaland was allowed to turn and run before drilling a low shot past Jose Sa.
In doing so, he became the first player to score in their first four Premier League away games.
Haaland also provided the pass from which De Bruyne created Foden’s second-half goal.
While there is too much time left in the season to make concrete judgements, on current evidence it is hard to see how Haaland, or champions City, can be stopped in terms of the title.
A tough task made impossible for Wolves Wolves made mistakes with the ball – Bruno Lage
An already tough assignment for Wolves was made impossible after barely half an hour.
The game had barely started before Grealish scored. Although the former Aston Villa man was the subject of home fans’ ire after Collins’ dismissal, the blame lay squarely with the home defender, a £20m summer signing from Burnley.
Collins is still finding his feet at Molineux and a three-match ban that will rule the defender out of league matches against West Ham, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest will not help that process.
At least Collins knows what he is dealing with, though.
Wolves paid a club record £38m initial fee for Matheus Nunes. The former Sporting Lisbon man is struggling to make an impact.
At one point in the first half, the midfielder lost possession near the halfway line, then chased after three City players who completed a neat triangle of passes and moved the ball out towards the touchline without Nunes getting near enough to make a tackle.
As good a talent as he is, Nunes is finding out what an unforgiving environment he is operating in, which is why Costa could not be risked, even for a 10-minute cameo off the bench, given how short of fitness he is.
Player of the match
De BruyneKevin De Bruyne
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Squad number8Player nameRúben Neves
Squad number7Player namePedro Neto
Squad number27Player nameMatheus Nunes
Squad number6Player nameTraoré
Squad number28Player nameJoão Moutinho
Squad number3Player nameAït-Nouri
Squad number10Player nameDaniel Podence
Squad number1Player nameJosé Sá
Squad number23Player nameKilman
Squad number22Player nameNélson Semedo
Squad number19Player nameJonny
Squad number17Player nameGonçalo Guedes
Squad number77Player nameCampbell
Squad number11Player nameHwang Hee-Chan
Squad number4Player nameCollins
Line-ups Wolves
Formation 4-3-3
1Malheiro de Sá
19Castro Otto4Collins23Kilman3Aït-Nouri
27Nunes8Neves28João Moutinho
7Neto10Podence17Gonçalo Guedes
Substitutes
Man City
Formation 4-3-3
31Ederson
5Stones25Akanji3Rúben Dias7Cancelo
17De Bruyne16Rodri20Bernardo Silva
47Foden9Haaland10Grealish
Substitutes
Live Text
Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0, Manchester City 3.
90’+4′
Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0, Manchester City 3.
90’+1′
Attempt missed. Cole Palmer (Manchester City) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is high and wide to the left. Assisted by João Cancelo with a cross.
86′
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Chem Campbell replaces Pedro Neto.
86′
Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
86′
Foul by Jonny (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
84′
Attempt saved. Julián Álvarez (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez.
83′
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Rúben Neves.
82′
Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Rúben Dias.
81′
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Nélson Semedo replaces Rayan Aït-Nouri.
81′
Substitution, Manchester City. Sergio Gómez replaces Rodri.
78′
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Rúben Neves.
78′
Attempt blocked. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Cole Palmer.
78′
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Boubacar Traoré.
77′
Substitution, Manchester City. Cole Palmer replaces Jack Grealish.
77′
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Matheus Nunes.
73′
Foul by Rúben Dias (Manchester City).
73′
Hwang Hee-Chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
72′
Substitution, Manchester City. Riyad Mahrez replaces Phil Foden.
72′
Substitution, Manchester City. Ilkay Gündogan replaces Kevin De Bruyne.
