Man City vs Wolves LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today
Follow all the action live from the Etihad
It was the type of game against mid-table opposition at the Etihad that Manchester City typically make light work of and this victory, earned by the 100th Premier League goal of Raheem Sterling’s career, will keep the defending champions at the top of the table this weekend, no matter what happens elsewhere. City were good value for their win, too, improving considerably in the second half.
Yet that improvement and the three points only came once Wolverhampton Wanderers had been reduced to 10 men by one of the most ridiculous, self-inflicted sendings-off you are likely to see this season for Raul Jimenez, while the winning goal only came from a debatable penalty that summed up an inconsistent, at times unauthoritative display by referee Jonathan Moss.
Overall, this was a forgettable affair, and only Jimenez’s bizarre red card warrants committing to memory. At the end of the first half, after already being cautioned for a questionable foul on Rodri, Jimenez refused to move out of the way for the subsequent free-kick then immediately intercepted it, inviting Moss to show him a second yellow and a red.
Wolves’ game plan up to that point had produced a dour, lifeless first half that was nevertheless frustrating City’s attempts to break them down and ultimately working in their favour. Jimenez’s sending off ripped that blueprint up and City proceeded to rip Wolves apart, eventually taking the lead through Sterling and dominating against 10-man opponents in a manner not reflected by the 1-0 scoreline.
Sentimentality the enemy for Steven Gerrard as Liverpool legend returns to Anfield
The question hadn’t reached its tail end yet but in the absence of hesitation, Steven Gerrard interrupted with the answer.
“Hiding my emotions at times,” he offered, citing his primary personal challenge in the early months of transitioning from player to manager at Liverpool’s academy.
In four years, that initial poser has evolved into a proud strength. He has mastered the art of using his fervour to electrify and gain full buy-in from his players.
Sentimentality the enemy as Steven Gerrard returns to Anfield
The Aston Villa manager returns to Anfield on Saturday as an opponent for the first time knowing sentimentality is the enemy of his ambitions
Liverpool vs Aston Villa: Head-to-head
Liverpool have won six of the last seven Premier League meetings between the teams, scoring at least twice in all seven matches.
Aston Villa have lost their last three league games at Anfield, most recently due to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s stoppage-time goal in April.
Last season there were 17 goals in the three encounters between the sides with Aston Villa winning a memorable game at Villa Park 7-2.
Liverpool vs Aston Villa
Reaction to come from the Etihad Stadium but the focus moves to Anfield where Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa are taking on Liverpool. Here’s a reminder of the line-ups:
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mane
Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Nakamba, Luiz; J Ramsey, Watkins, A Young
Full-time: Man City 1 - 0 Wolves
90+4 mins: Manchester City win courtesy of Raheem Sterling’s penalty kick. It was just one of many strange incidents during the game and Wolves will feel hard done by. Manchester City dominated throughout and it’s hard to argue that they didn’t deserve to win but on the other hand Wolves probably didn’t deserve to lose.
Man City 1 - 0 Wolves
90+2 mins: Chances! Wolves almost earn an equaliser with a driving run down the left side. The cross is whipped deep into the box and Kilman arrives to fire a header at goal. It’s sneaking under the crossbar but Ederson manages to tip the ball over the goal.
Wolves’s corner is then swung into the box and Kilman gets there again but this time fires his header wide of the back post!
Man City 1 - 0 Wolves
90 mins: Four minutes of added time to play at the end of this game. Joao Cancelo gets forward on the overlap and slides the ball to Sterling. He pulls it back into the middle of the box where Foden hits a first time shot from the edge of the six-yard only to be denied by a body block from Max Kilman!
Man City 1 - 0 Wolves
88 mins: Save! De Bruyne swings a pass out to Zinchenko on the left wing. He dinks the ball into the box and picks out Foden who brings the ball down and takes a left-footed shot on the turn. He strikes it well but Jose Sa gets two hands to the effort and parries it away for Wolves.
Man City 1 - 0 Wolves
86 mins: Bruno Lage hasn’t given this match up yet. Daniel Podence comes on to replace Leander Dendoncker for the final few minutes. Wolves just need one chance to steal a point from this one but Manchester City are managing the game well.
Man City 1 - 0 Wolves
83 mins: Francisco Trincao comes on for Wolves replacing Ruben Neves. Hwang Hee-Chan receives the ball and dribbles it up the pitch before drawing Joao Cancelo into a foul but the Wolves free kick comes to nothing for the visitors.
Man City 1 - 0 Wolves
81 mins: Save! Zinchenko carries the ball down the left side for City and passes it into De Bruyne. He threads a pass into the left side of the box where Jesus runs onto it and drives a shot towards the near post. Sa has the post covered and sticks out a right hand to palm the ball behind for a corner.
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