Here’s our match report…
…which means we’re finished here. Of course, you’ll want to join Niall Mcveigh for Liverpool v Chelsea, but otherwise, it’s goodbye from me; peace out.
#WOLMCI – 95’ VAR OVERTURN
— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) October 20, 2024
Stones’ goal was disallowed on-field due to Bernardo Silva being in an offside position and in the goalkeeper’s line of vision. The VAR deemed Bernardo Silva wasn’t in the line of vision and had no impact on the goalkeeper and recommended an on-field… pic.twitter.com/4o1AHBWyzb
We said earlier than even if Wolves were to lose today, they could get their season going with a good performance, and they delivered one this afternoon. In defence, they were solid, disciplined and compact while, going forward, though they struggled to attack as often as they’d like, when they were able to counter, they were a threat. If they maintain that standard, they’ll be fine this season.
City were really poor today, unusually stodgy in attack. But they got it done, and will know how much their win will have disappointed Arsenal and Liverpool, the latter now having to get their heads straight for a big game against an in-form opponent. They don’t look as good a side as previously, but I’m not sure those around them have the minerals or quality to better thsm over 38 games.
So City return to the top of the table – where they’ll stay should Liverpool fail to beat Chelsea – while Wolves move from second-bottom to bottom, now below Southampton on goal difference.
Make up your own mind.
"I understand why Wolves would feel aggrieved in this particular moment"
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 20, 2024
Micah Richards on if Man City's second should have stood 🗣 pic.twitter.com/8qtwFKHlUK
This is the law:
A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:
interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or
-
interfering with an opponent by:
preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or
challenging an opponent for the ball or
clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or
making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball
I’ve no idea how we can say the final of these caveats wasn’t met.
Looking at the goal yet again, Bernardo backs into the keeper such that Sa shoves him away then, when the header comes in, Bernardo ducks underneath it. I’ve no idea how the ref can look at the footage and deduce that there was nothing done to impact the keeper’s ability to make the save.
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FULL TIME: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-2 Manchester City
City find a way! Of course they do!
90+8 min it was, by the way, a really good header, Stones peeling away to retrieve the ball from behind him and power home.
90+8 min Someone on the Wolves bench is booked, and I’m certain Gary O’Neil will have some thoughts about this.
90+8 min But the goal stands! It turns out that the linesman flagged to disallow it, but the ref decided Bernardo wasn’t interfering with play after assessing the footage.
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90+7 min The ref is called to the screen and we know what that usually means…
90+6 min But was Bernardo Silva offside? He’s in front of the keeper and certainly in an offside position, but was he interfering with play? I don’t think so….
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GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-2 Manchester City (Stones 90+5)
City find a way! Foden crosses to the front post, Stones is up well, and he punishes a header into the net! He’s saved City late again!
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90+5 min City win a corner down the right, Foden to take. This must surely be their last chance…
90+4 min Better from City, Guedes outmuscled before Gundogan finds Haaland at inside-right, the ball making its way over to Nunes on the opposite side of the box. He dips inside as Molineux holds its breath, exhaling in collective relief when his shot goes wide.
90+2 min City have lacked snap in their passing today, which makes sense given the absence of their two main tempo-setters, Rodri and De Bruyne. Without them, Bernardo Silva is far less effective, receiving the ball later and under more pressure than he’d like. And, though he’s a brilliant player, he’s not a transcendental one.
90 min We’ll have a minimum of five added minutes. If City survive them, they’ll set a new club record of 31 league games undefeated.
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90 min Another change for Wolves, Bellegarde replacing joao Gomes – who’s played well.
89 min Grealish wanders down the left and pokes infield, where Bernardo lashes into the near-post side-netting.
88 min City win a corner down the left and Dawson does enough to make first contact, the ball then laid back for Grealish, Sa scrambling to field his low scuffer.
87 min Coming up next and live now:
86 min City replace Kovacic with Nunes, who gets the expected stick off home fans nauseated by how publicly he agitated for a moves there from Wolves. He’s a much better player than he’s so far shown at the Etihad, and must be hoping that Rodri’s absence will allow him more chances to establish himself.
84 min Lewis inverts and slides a pass in behind for Haaland, who might leather it first-time but instead takes a touch, which allows Dawson to make the challenge.
82 min City are properly missing Kevin de Bruyne, whose crossing would’ve been very useful today. But back to those on the pitch, Grealish cuts back for Foden, whose low shot hits Lewis’ heels and bounces to safety.
81 min City find Grealish but to feet, so Semedo stands him up then blocks him off.
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81 min Check it:
79 min Strand Larsen has cramp, so after addressing the immediate pain he’s replaced by Goncalo Guedes.
78 min If I was Pep Guardiola, I’d be telling my players to get Grealish one on one with Semedo. If he can commit his man, there’s every chance he picks a pass or nicks a penalty.
77 min How on earth is Scott Carson still on the City bench? Does Richard Wright still play for Arsenal?
75 min Nunes was readying himself to come on, but Bernardo wants to continue.
74 min Grealish curls to the far post where Bernardo heads back as Foden volleys him in the swede. He’s bleeding, so there’s a pause while he’s treated.
74 min Another change for City, Grealish replacing Savinho – who looks a talent, but lacks end product.
72 min City’s passing “in and around” the box hasn’t been as slick as you’d expect it to be. If they can get the one-touch stuff going, they can move Wolves around, but they’ve not really tried – they’ve been far too laboured and predictable in possession.
70 min One way of beating a massed defence is running at it and Bernardo picks a way through three men before poking square – behind Haaland but finding Savinho, who curls over the top.
69 min “I vaguely remember reading how in the ballet community, the go-to for a quick sugar rush was a spoonful of honey,” says Eric Peterson. “Natural, predigested courtesy of our bee friends, quickly bioavailable, doesn’t fill you up. Somebody correct me on this before AI gets a hold of what I’ve just typed and starts preaching it as gospel.”
But not much fun.
67 min And immediately Forbs is into the action, Doyle bursting over halfway and sliding a ball in behind. But after drawing men to him, Forbs can’t quite pick out Strand Larsen alongside him. Warning for City, though.
67 min A change apiece, City sending on Foden for Doku and Wolves trying Forbs for Cunha.
66 min Doku, who’ll make way for Foden, has one last go at Ait-Nouri, who again slides in to win a challenge.
64 min Phil Foden has been waiting to come on for well over five minutes now.
63 min Yet more outrage as Joao Gomes is booked for wrestling Kovacic – who does well to avoid similar punishment. Gundogan’s free-kick is then blocked behind, before another wasted corner buys hands Wolves some respite.
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61 min Nice feet from Kovacic on the edge, taking the ball away from Lemina, who’s outraged when penalised after extending a leg and bringing his man down. Free-kick City inside the D…
60 min “I am hardly an example of healthy eating, just ask my doctor and my near-death experiences,” says Mary Waltz.” I am getting better but I give into lovely sugar-based desserts and there is no such thing as healthy sweets. But when you say ‘the Strawberry Element’ I feel compelled to be a boring, annoying nag. It isn’t even remotely ‘strawberry’. It’s chemicals and corn syrup. Go for the real, don’t succumb to the corporate synthetic alternative. Indulge your urges with quality.”
I enjoy the best and the worst. I think that’s fair.
59 min City win a corner down the left, Savinho swinging out and prompting minor panic as the ball drops, Sa doing well to smother with Gvardiol once again on the scene.
57 min Yup, Haaland pulls on to Totti, Savinho espying a potential mismatch and coaxing a cross-kick towards the back post. But Totti isn’t cowed, leaping to head away; Wolves’ defensive discipline has been excellent so far.
56 min Ait-Nouri carries forward and has Cunha alongside, sliding a pass infield and into stride. Cunha controls on the run, has a look, and smacks yet another low curler just wide of the post.
54 min City work space for Dias, picked out on the edge of the box, where he punches a low curler; again, Sa watches it well, tipping around the post before Doku thrashes a shot wide when the corner reaches him.
53 min Haaland has touched the ball just eight times so far today. I wonder if he might pull wider to try and find space, because centrally, he’s struggling to find advantages positions.
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51 min Again, Gvardiol muscles down the left, Doyle heading his cross behind. He’s been excellent today and I’d not be surprised to see the corner directed towards him. Nope, Gundogan seeks Haaland beyond the back post, where he’s easily crowded out.
49 min And there it is, Savinho using the natural width he now gives his side to diddle Semedo on the outside, Gundogan touching on and Haaland barely connecting with a fairy elephant’s backheel.
48 min We wondered if they might do it from the start and they didn’t, but City have now got Savinho on the left and Doku on the right, presumably looking to stretch the play and pick spaces between Wolves’ wing-backs and outside centre-backs.
47 min City have made 218 successful final-third passes to Wolves’ five. And yet the match is level because Wolves deserve it to be; football is great.
46 min Wolves send on Doyle for Andre.
46 min We go again…
“Cereal is the quintessential football food,” reckons Sháhín Houshidari. “Highlight of the weekend as a kid was recording Match Of The Day on a tape on a Saturday night, and then watching it back in the early hours of Sunday morning over a bowl of Cheerios. Each crunch of a sugar-y cardboard capsule is worth every last empty calorie, if for only a second clawed back and spent in recollection. Discounting even that, I maintain a mug of cereal is the perfect price/performance pre-run snack.”
It’s also a tremendous late-evening snack, facilitating self-loathing and self-loving in equal measure.
Half-time email: “If you cereal naysayers are so clever,” posits N Chide, where am I going to get my recommended daily allowance of riboflavin huh, HUH? Answer me that.”
Exactly – to say nothing of the world’s finest breakfast crockery.
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Half-time entertainment:
HALF-TIME: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Manchester City
Wolves have executed their gameplan to perfection but City have so many wats to score, hence we’re level at the break.
46+2 min Bernardo robs Andre inside the box and feeds back to Lewis; he moves the ball across the face of the box to Savinho, who opens his body, curls low and hard through a crowd of players … and Sa plunges late, a solid hand making a save that was much better than it first looked.
45 min City win a corner as we’re advised that we’ll have two additional minutes; again, Wolves clear easily enough before Semedo overhits a pass out to Cunha with the counter on.
44 min “I’m with Mary,” says Jeremy Boyce. “You might as well eat the packaging for all the good you get from the contents, and there’d be more fibre. If you really need a sugar fix you should stick to melon and grapes, I once did a sales conference presentation with a bodybuilder on stage next to me and he was stuffing those down just before we went on as he reckoned they were the quickest way of getting sugar to your muscles. Or just eat a spoonful of sugar washed down with your iced milk and leave out the crap.”
I dunno – I don’t think I’ll ever abandon the occasional nutritionally questionable treat, and it’s the strawberry aspect that intrigues me here, not the sugar.
43 min Wolves are penned inside their own half now, every man behind the ball such that when they clear, City can retrieve and build again.
41 min “Doing some mother-sitting here waiting for the other match,” says Ian Copestake, “and wonder, with City having been thus far described as a ‘machine’ whether their football is enjoyable. For me they are obviously hyper-gifted but unwatchable and thus the Steve Smith of teams.”
I prefer this iteration of them to the first Guardiola side because they’ve a bit more physical power – but I don’t think they’re as good.
39 min Lemina and Gomes combine to rob Savinho and find Cunha, who takes the ball adroitly on the half-turn, only for Savinho to foul him; he’s booked.
38 min Doku slides a pass inside, meeting the run of Gvardiol, who powers into the box and might shoot, but instead tries a cut-back that’s intercepted. He’s been City’s best attacker so far – by a street.
37 min “Good morning from Pittsburgh!” begins Eric Peterson. “How much better Wolves are than their table position is being grossly understated. After next Saturday against Brighton, they’ll have nine games under their belt, and every one of the current top eight except for Tottenham will have been among them. Based on their form through the season so far against the league behemoths, it’ll be no surprise at all to me if they leave the relegation zone in the dust before they play Spurs after Christmas.”
Yup, I agree. I like Gary O’Neil, and I think this 3-5-2 suits them much better than the 4-3-3 they’ve been using prior to today.
35 min We said earlier that Gvardiol is developing into a really good player, and he’s scoring goals like that too often for it to be a streak. It’s City’s seventh from outside the box so far this season, which sounds like the opposite of Guardiolisme but actually shows the freedom his players have within the structure.
GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Manchester City (Gvardiol 33)
City are struggling to pick Wolves apart so Gvardiol takes matters into his own hands, picking up a pass from Doku and shifting it to open a shooting lane before unfurling a glorious curler which Sa can only palm into the roof.
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30 min Doku is so explosive from a standing start, and he scavenges a yard off Semedo, drilling an instacross that catches Haaland on his heels. So Wolves clear again and, well though they’ve defended, City have asked of them few taxing questions. Ans as I type, Lemina slides an interception behind before another poor corner sees Dawson head clear with Bernardo then penalised for a foul.
29 min “Oh how I love these moments,” says Karen Asad. “A breath of hope hoping that City will lose. Of course, we’ve seen that movie one too many times and we all know City’s gonna hit five [at the least] with Haaland bagging a hat-trick. And Daniel, please stick to those green juices.”
Ha! I have largely broken my complex and profound sugar addiction but if it’s in you it’s in you.
28 min Bernardo slams a low cross across the face … and Toti clears.
27 min …and Bueno heads out. He’s made a very assured start.
26 min Doku shapes outside then slips outside Joao Gomes, who extends a leg to concede a free-kick near the left corner of the box. Gundogan will swing in…
25 min Savinho spreads to Doku, who goes back to Kovacic … and Wolves again block them off, Joao Gomes eventually robbing Doku to the delight of the home support.
23 min What a beautiful beginning for Wolves,” returns Mary Waltz. “Could this be the beginning of their PL resurrection? Good on Wolves but the City machine will eventually grind them into the pitch.”
Perhaps, but it’s worth noting that Wolves have had a really difficult start having lost Max Kilman and Neto, their two best players. Even if they lose today, a good performance might still get their season going.
22 min The Sa save from Gundogan aside, City haven’t threatened. But, as I type, Gvardiol comes inside to tease a cunning cross to the far post … which drifts behind. He is developing into a very serious player.
21 min Ait-Nouri and Semedo haul Savinho back; the latter is booked.
19 min Lovely from Wolves, Cunha into Strand Larsen, pulling left inside his own half. He then turns a first-time return-pass into stride and Cunha slides a terrific ball through the middle for the charging Semedo. But he never looks in total control of himself, all the more so once he feels Gvardiol’s hot breath on his cold neck, and Ederson comes out well to smother an effort that’s neither dink nor slot.
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17 min Bernardo is starting to influence the game, taking a pass from Gvardiol and pinching a yard inside the box … only for the ball to rear up and hit his hand.
16 min More City possession, but Joao Gomes does really well against Doku, winning his challenge and clearing.
15 min Savinho takes the kick left-footed … and directs it into the foot of one of the two City players obstructing the wall’s sightline.
14 min Totti stands on the ball and slips, so Savinho pounces, nicking it away and wearing the inevitable foul. Totti is booked and City have a free-kick 20 yards out, right of centre.
12 min “Morning greetings from California,” begins Mary Waltz. “Regarding Kellogs Cereal: hey, eat what you want, But why fool yourself calling these various products cereal, as if they have some nutritional value. If you want to start your day with a massive sugar rush I say have a chocolate pastry, a hot chocolate, or a coffee explosion with sugar and caffeine. Or any combination. Tastes far better than cardboard topped with sugar.”
I have them very rarely, but cardboard topped with sugar topped with ice-cold milk is one of life’s greatest pleasures.
11 min Looking at the goal again, Stones totally loses Strand Larsen – as we said he might. Though he’s excellent on the ball, he lacks nous and physicality – and Wolves have the tools to exploit that.
9 min Back come City immediately, Savio finding Gundogan, who finds Bernardo who shoots from the edge … but Sa palms away on the dive.
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GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Manchester City (Strand Larsen 7)
Who didn’t see this one coming?! A fine clip out wide from Bueno sends Semedo moving forward, no one anywhere near him, and he arcs a gorgeous low cross into Strand Larsen’s path, City’s back four all over the show. The finish, though, is harder than it looks, the ball rushing away from the striker, but he punches home nicely and Wolves have the lead!
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5 min Wolves clear the corner easily enough, but City collects possession and keep them boxed, Gundogan prompting with a give-and-go. And again, though Wolves avert immediate danger, City go at them again, Doku cutting in off the left, playing a one-two off Gundogan, whose backheel sets him for a shot … which he slides wide and plenty.
4 min City move the ball from side to side, Savinho – starting on the right – looking to at Ait-Nouri on the outside. But the defender stands up well, then slides in to concede a corner.
2 min “While Wolves is bad,” writes Adam Griffiths, “you do at least get to see the pitch. Newcastle (never ending stairs, better view of the city than the pitch, need binoculars to see anything) and Everton (pillars! More pillars! Pillars everywhere blocking the view) are much worserer.”
I love Goodison – you can just move to avoid the pillars – but yep, Newcastle is miserable. I thought they’d been made to change it as away fans are now meant to be pitchside, but that’s not in fact the case.
1 min Away we go! For those watching in black and white, City are in the burgundy shirts.
The players take the knee.
Our teams are tunnelled … and here they come!
Email “Will City target Ait-Nouri?” wonders Gary Stover. I’m not sure whether that’s today, or as a left-back for the future. I fear Wolves may struggle to hang on to him in January, but I’d not be surprised to see the space behind him targeted.
Hivemind: has anyone tried these and if so, are they any use?
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Also going on:
Is Molineux the worst away end in the league? Shallow and down the entire side of the pitch, I contend that it is.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how the midfield battle goes. Lemina, Andre and Gomes will want to make the battle a physical one, because Gundogan and Silva, wonderful though they are, are underpowered. They could well pass their way through Wolves nevertheless, but it won’t be easy.
I know O’Neil has gone 3-5-2 to restrict space for City, but I wonder if a tight defensive block might also be a good way to counteract the threat of Erling Haaland, one man able to mark, one to mark the space and the other to troubleshoot. If Wolves keep a low block, Haaland will have to come short to get on the ball, and that is far from his best asset.
A potential template for Wolves might be Newcastle, whose muscular, enterprising style regularly causes City grief. Of course, Newcastle have better players, but their ability to make every contest physical is one that Wolves can imitate.
Guardiola says that Walker came back from the break injured, so hasn’t travelled. But he’s glad to play on Sunday, as it means his players, the Brazilians in particular, have had an extra day to get ready, which is why Savinho starts.
Where is the game? Wolves will look to bottle up the middle of the pitch, forcing City to go around rather than through them; I imagine that’s why Guardiola has picked wingers not wide attackers – for that reason, I wonder if Doku and Savio will play on their natural sides. Otherwise, the home side’s front two might also pose a threat – Cunha looks a potentially taxing match-up for Stones, while Strand Larsen is a threat in behind, all the more so given the lack of pace in the centre of City’s back four.
Talking of City, they welcome back Nathan Aké – he’s on the bench – as is Manuel Akanji, who picked up a minor knock on international duty. As such, Stones comes in at centre-back, while Jeremy Doku and Savinho are handed starts on the wings, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish kept in reserve.
O’Neil is, of course, without Yerson Mosquera, Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso González, Bastein Meupiyou, Boubacar Traoré – and now Hwang Hee-chan, injured playing for South Korea and out for around a month. Consequently, Matheus Cunha and Jørgen Strand Larsen start up front, and have the ability to give John Stones and Ruben Dias a testing afternoon.
O’Neil tells Sky that Sam Johnstone got injured in training, so José Sa comes in – and has been pushing for selection. Morale, he says is fine – Wolves have had a tough run of fixtures and generally played well, though the effort last time out, against Brentford, was unacceptable. Though today is a hard game, they believe they can turn things around and, having won this fixture last year, they know what’s required and how well they have to play to win.
Otherwise, he’s taking the risk out of the buildup because his players don’t need complexity currently, but that’s not why he’s gone to five at the back – he’s always done that against City. Finally, he’s not bothered about Guardiola or any other manager saying Wolves are good – they just need to play well.
Teams!
Wolverhampton Wanderers: (3-5-2) Sa; Bueno, Dawson, Gomes T; Semedo, Gomes J, André, Lemina, Ait-Nouri; Cunha, Larsen. Subs: Bentley, Doherty, R Gomes, Doyle, Sarabia, Forbs, Bellegarde, Guedes, Lima.
Manchester City (4-1-4-1): Ederson; Lewis, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic; Sávio, Gundogan, Bernardo, Doku; Haaland. Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Ake, Grealish, Akanji, Nunes, Foden, O’Reilly, McAtee.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Manchester)
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Preamble
That the league table doesn’t lie is one of football’s truest truisms. There is a metric specifically designed to tell us which team deserves to win a match – it’s better known as “the score” – and these results are then collated into a precise overall ranking which brooks no argument. It sounds simple because it is.
And yet! Wolves, the aforementioned table tells us, are the second-worst team in it, their one point from seven games two fewer than Crystal Palace who sit above them and the same as Southampton who lie below. But the sense persists that they aren’t, or at least shouldn’t be that bad, and as such Gary O’Neil is under severe pressure.
He will not expect any favours from Manchester City. Just as Wolves are more than a number in a column so too are the champions, the relentless accumulation of the early Guardiola years replaced by the sinister certainty that will do that whatever it takes to finish one place above their nearest challenger. And with Arsenal having been beaten yesterday, they will know that today offers them the opportunity to emphasise that punishing reality.
Wolves, though, have the tools to trouble them – particularly in midfield, where their drive and physicality can make things uncomfortable for any team, never mind one still working out how to cope without the best midfielder in the world. If they can start quickly and defend properly, this could be an intense and competitive contest; if they cannot, they are in even more trouble than the league table suggests.
Kick-off: 2pm BST
