Man City vs Wolves LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today
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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.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
45+6 mins: Grealish dribbles into the box and slides a pass out to Zinchenko on the left side. He pulls the ball back into the box and picks out Bernardo Silva. He rolls the ball onto his left foot to shoot but gets closed down and has to send the ball back to Gundogan. City’s captain shoots from outside the box but his effort is blocked!
Red card! Jimenez is sent off!
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
45+3 mins: Raul Jimenez you absolute wally. Jimenez lunges into a tackle on Rodri in the middle of the pitch and clips the Manchester City player. Jon Moss pulls out the yellow card and awards City a free kick.
Rodri tries to restart play but Jimenez then stops the free kick being taken and the referee has no choice but to pull out another yellow card followed by a red!
Two yellow cards in the space of 30 seconds and Wolves are down to 10-men.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
45 mins: Coady fouls Grealish just outside the box but Gundogan’s ball into the middle is cleared. City bring the ball back and win a corner that Coady deals with again. Wolves have been solid at the back so far.
There’s seven minutes of added time to play.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
42 mins: The game is turning into a bit of a scrap. The last 10 minutes have been very stop-start but remarkably there’s only been one yellow card. Ruben Dias picks it up for a foul on Adama Traore.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
39 mins: Jack Grealish curls the City corner into the box and almost picks out the arriving Ruben Dias. He gets a head to cross abut sends it wide of the goal.
After a few eye drops Romain Saiss is back on the pitch for Wolves.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
36 mins: The stoppage was about five minutes in total but thankfully both players seem fine and are back on their feet.
Joao Moutinho runs the ball out of play and City’s throw in comes to Cancelo. He slides a though ball into the box for Sterling who breezes past Saiss. Sterling flicks him in the face with a trailing arm and Saiss throws himself to the floor. Sterling’s pass into the six-yard box is sent behind but Saiss remains on the deck.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
33 mins: Max Kilman has a bandage wrapped around his head and he’s back on his feet. Ruben Neves is sat up and still being seen to by the physios. He’s helped to his feet and takes a breather. Neves looks like he took the worst of the collision and he’s going to play on as well.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
30 mins: Ouch. Man City sweep forward on the counter-attack with Bernardo Silva dinking a pass up the pitch. Ruben Neves and Max Kilman both jump at the ball in an attempt to head it clear. The teo Wolves players collide with each and clash heads. Neves drops to the pitch and Jon Moss immediately stops the game. There’s blood on Kilman’s forehead and the game has to stop whilst they get treatment.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
27 mins: Sterling attempts to weave his way into the box through the middle but runs into Saiss who wins the ball and passes it away. Saiss is having a good game so far alongside Conor Coady.
Man City 0 - 0 Wolves
24 mins: Close! Sterling and Bernardo make similar runs into the right side of the box as Cancelo chips the ball in from the wing. The ball counces over Sterling and he tries tos shoot on the volley but Sa gets there first and scoops up the loose ball.
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