Wolves vs Man City LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Kevin De Bruyne nets four
Relive the action as Pep Guardiola’s men extended their lead at the top of the Premier League
Kevin De Bruyne scored four goals as Manchester City restored a three-point lead at the Premier League summit with a 5-1 win at Wolves.
The playmaker rattled in a left-footed hat-trick inside the opening 24 minutes and added another on the hour as City demonstrated the firepower they have even before Erling Haaland arrives next season.
City’s victory was also an emphatic response to title rivals Liverpool’s success over Aston Villa the previous night and tightened their grip on the title race with just two games to play.
The De Bruyne show was briefly interrupted by a Leander Dendoncker strike early on but a late Raheem Sterling tap-in ensured they would score five for a second successive game.
With the extra insurance of a goal difference now plus seven better than their Merseyside rivals, City are closing in on their fourth title in five seasons.
Wolves 1-3 Man City
34 mins: City burst forward once more but this time De Bruyne can’t pick the right pass into Sterling and Wolves come away with it.
City have it straight back though. Just the 67 per cent possession for the visitors so far. Feels like a lot, lot more.
Wolves 1-3 Man City
32 mins: ALL of De Bruyne’s goals have come with his supposed ‘weaker’ left foot. Absolutely remarkable.
Is this match all over already?
Wolves 1-3 Man City
30 mins: Molineux has been stunned into silence by Kevin de Bruyne. His hat-trick has left the Wolves supporters utterly stunned.
This time it’s not a goal but a foul that De Bruyne provides as he brings down Chiquinho.
Wolves then have a rare foray into the City half but when the ball is pulled back to Jimenez on the edge of the box he gets his shot all wrong and barely makes contact.
Wolves 1-3 Man City
27 mins: Could be four.
Wolves try to play the ball out from the back and give it away to City in the middle of their own half. Rodri carries it forward 10 yards or so and then has a go but it’s a few yards over the top.
ALL CITY.
GOAL! Wolves 1-3 Man City (De Bruyne, 24)
24 mins: GOAL! A 17-minute hat-trick for Kevin de Bruyne.
His first goal of the game came after seven minutes. In the 24th minute he has completed his hat-trick. Simply incredible from the Belgian.
Cancelo takes a throw-in and when Sterling appears to be fouled De Bruyne picks it up and drives at the Wolves defence. He reaches the edge of the area and lets fly with an arrow-like effort into the bottom corner.
World class.
Wolves 1-2 Man City
24 mins: It’s just relentless from City. Chiquinho wins the ball back for Wolves but he is immediately surrounded by Zinchenko, Silva and De Bruyne. The trio swarm the Wolves right-back and get their reward by instantly recovering possession.
Wolves 1-2 Man City
22 mins: You can hear the Manchester City supporters loud and clear at the moment. They are happy for their team to knock the ball around without a care in the world.
Wolves look like a relatively solid unit until one or two touches open them up in a flash. There is very little they can do about it.
This is City at their best right now.
Wolves 1-2 Man City
20 mins: Lovely play from City yet again. Zinchenko is found in behind and tries to cut a ball back for Foden but Boly gets their in the nick of time to clear with a slide tackle.
Wolves have offered a threat on the break once or twice, but it has been a supreme 20 minutes for City - give or take a couple of hairy moments.
Wolves 1-2 Man City
18 mins: Who predicted 2-1 after 16 minutes? Some start to this game. Man City now right back on the throat of Wolves after a nervy few moments.
How can the hosts respond?
GOAL! Wolves 1-2 Man City (De Bruyne, 16)
16 mins: Man City back in front. That didn’t take long.
Zinchenko lifts a ball over the top and into some space which De Bruyne has scurried into. He flicks it onto Sterling and when the England international misses the ball it hits Sa and rolls perfectly for De Bruyne to stroke home from 12 yards.
De Bruyne utterly running this game.
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