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.
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Premier League scores
Just the three Premier League games taking place right now and here are the half-time scores:
Arsenal 2 - 0 Southampton
Chelsea 1 - 1 Leeds
Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
Lots of goals in London and none at all in Merseyside.
Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
Nothing to separate the teams after 45 minutes.
Half-time: Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
45+2 mins: After a couple of added minutes to end the first half the teams head into the break on level terms. No goals at Anfield and Steven Gerrard will think that’s half a job done for his Aston Villa team.
Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
44 mins Chance! It’s a lovely run from Mo Salah who brings the ball under control on the right wing before cutting into the box and weaving around Tyrone Mings. He rolls the ball onto his left foot and drills a low shot towards the near post but Martinez has it covered and makes a good low save to keep it out.
GOAL! Chelsea 1 - 1 Leeds ⚽️
42 mins: Chelsea are back in the game and Mason Mount has the equaliser for the Blues!
Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
41 mins: Villa are defending exceptionally well. John McGinn gets back to stop a cross from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with a sliding challenge.
Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
39 mins: Alexander-Arnold swings Liverpool’s seventh corner of the match into the box. There’s a scramble in the middle and the ball almost drops for Mane but Young hoofs it down the pitch as hard as he can.
Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
36 mins: Van Dijk pings a cross-field pass out to Alexander-Arnold on the right wing. He brings the ball down and knocks it inside to Salah who’s forced deeper by the combined forces of Matt Targett and Douglas Luiz. Good defending from Villa.
Liverpool 0 - 0 Aston Villa
33 mins: We’ve got a good game going on here. Jurgen Klopp seems like a frustrated man in the dugouts and Steven Gerrard will be happy with what he’s seeing.
Another cross from Alexander-Arnold is blocked behind by Douglas Luiz sprinting back into Villa’s box.
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