Manchester City 4-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers: Leaders extend winning run to 21 games

Gabriel Jesus was directly involved in 46 goals in 53 starts in all competitions for Manchester City at Etihad

Premier League leaders Manchester City scored three goals in the last 10 minutes to end the Wolverhampton Wanderers resistance and claim 21 straight wins in all competitions.

An unlikely second-half equalizer from Conor Coady in a largely one-sided encounter gave the visitors hope for a surprise point before Gabriel Jesus City returned the lead with a shot from Kyle Walker’s deflected cross.

After the wolves’ spirit was broken, Riyad Mahrez scored his seventh goal of the season in form before Brazilian striker Jesus scored his second goal with the final kick as VAR reigned his efforts on the side.

Coady’s equalizer shortly after the hour, which canceled Leander Dendoncker’s own goal in the first half, was the first time the guests touched the ball in the city box.

The surprising equalizer was the Wolves skipper’s first goal in the Premier League. The English defender pushed Joao Moutinho’s beautiful free-kick to take the lead.

Due to the late city turmoil, they increased their lead at the top of the Premier League to 15 points, despite second-placed Manchester United, who will face Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday, have a game in hand.

Man City 4-1 Wolves: We never gave up – Guardiola

Slick City walk on

There were so many pre-game stats in City’s favor that pointed to a 21st straight win for the league leaders – including a remarkable record dating back more than a decade.

City had not lost a midweek Premier League game since Peter Crouch scored Tottenham’s goal in May 2010, which took away a place in the Champions League in a shoot-out.

Marton Fulop was their goalkeeper that night and it’s fair to say City has come a long way since then.

Undoubtedly recognizing their threat and likely dominance, Wolf boss Nuno Espirito Santo chose a team with two right-backs and no strikers.

It was a measure of Nuno’s caution that when Adama Traore was fouled early in the second half and referee Chris Kavanagh played an advantage when the ball ran to Nelson Semedo, he complained knowing there was more chance of joy on set gave piece as an open game.

The fact that City midfielder Rodri had made more passes after 28 minutes than the entire Wolves team demonstrated the dominance of the home team.

One of those passes was also quite important and was delivered over 40 meters from the center of the pitch over the Wolves defense to the feet of Mahrez, whose flank led to the first goal.

Dendoncker knew he had to choose the ball or Raheem Sterling would have had a tap-in.

From that point on, possibly the most interesting aspect of the evening from the city’s point of view was that when Guardiola needed a goal to get his side back up, Ilkay Gundogan was the man he wanted to turn to, rather than Sergio Aguero that remained unused.

As with West Ham United on Saturday, the Wolves couldn’t hold on to one point as City hit a club record of 28 games without a loss.

City have also hit Arsenal’s Premier League record of 19 games without fading at any point.

Man City 4-1 Wolves: We were punished by Man City – Nuno

Patricio’s defense barrier

The fact that the Wolves got into the game so late and had the chance to make something of it was largely thanks to goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

In the seconds before the break, the 2016 Portuguese European Championship winner scored an excellent full-length save to avert Bernardo Silva’s header.

The second period was then just minutes old when Patricio pushed a Kevin de Bruyne shot far as it seemed certain to find the bottom corner. Then he blocked a powerful Jesus effort that was also coming her way.

He earned the luck he enjoyed when Bernardo fired a ricochet from his own exertion over the crossbar and Sterling’s blind blow on the nearby post only hissed well beyond the far post, and not just inside it.

In the end, not even the combination of Patricio and luck could save the Wolves, and there was no repeat of their win from last season.

Rui Patricio had made a couple of big saves before Manchester City’s late riot

Portuguese players make history – the statistics

• Manchester City have won the last 21 games in all competitions, scoring 55 goals and conceding just eight goals. City is one of only three teams from the five major European leagues (England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain) that, after Bayern Munich (23 in 2020) and Real Madrid (22 in 2014), have more than 20 wins in a row posted.
• Riyad Mahrez was directly involved in 30 goals in 38 starts in all competitions for Man City at Etihad (15 goals, 15 assists).
• Only Conor Coady (three) has scored more own goals for Wolves in the Premier League than Leander Dendoncker (two).
• There were more Portuguese players starting Tuesday’s game between Manchester City and Wolves (eight) than any other Premier League game in history.
• Manchester City have made more changes to their starting XI this season than any other team in the Premier League (79).

What next?

Manchester City’s next game is at the Etihad Stadium for Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday March 7th (16:30 GMT). Wolves will be on duty at the Aston Villa on Saturday March 6th (17:30 GMT).

Player of the game

MahrezRiad Mahrez

Wolverhampton Wanderers

1. Cadre number11PlayernameRui Patrício

2. Cadre number16PlayernameCoady

3. Cadre number8thPlayernameRuben Neves

4. Cadre number28PlayernameJoão Moutinho

5. Cadre number27PlayernameSaïss

6. Cadre number37PlayernameTraore

7. Cadre number7thPlayernamePedro Neto

8. Cadre number19thPlayernameJonny

9. Cadre number22ndPlayernameNélson Semedo

10. Cadre number32PlayernameDendoncker

11. Cadre number2PlayernameHow far

12. Cadre number17thPlayernameFábio Silva

13. Cadre number54PlayernameOtas

Constellations

Man City

formation 4-3-3

31Ederson

2Walking aid3Rúben Dias14thLaporte27Cancel

20thBernardo Silva16Rodri17thDe Bruyne

26thMahrez9Gabriel Jesus7thsterling

• 31Ederson
• 2Walking aid
• 3Rúben Dias
• 14thLaporte
• 27Cancel
• 20thBernardo SilvaReplaced byGündoganat the 82 ‘protocol
• 16Rodri
• 17thDe Bruyne
• 26thMahrez
• 9Gabriel Jesus
• 7thsterling

replacement

• 5Stones
• 8thGündogan
• 10omen
• 11Zinchenko
• 13thSteffen
• 21Torres
• 25thFernandinho
• 47Foden
• 50Garcia

Wolves

formation 3-4-2-1

11Rui Patrício

32Dendoncker16Coady27Saïss

2How far8thsnow28João Moutinho19thCastro Otto

22ndNélson Semedo7thgrandson

37Traore

• 11Rui Patrício
• 32Dendoncker
• 16Coady
• 27Saïss
• 2How far
• 8thsnowReplaced byOtasat the 90 ‘protocol
• 28João Moutinho
• 19thCastro OttoReplaced byFábio Silvaat the 55 ‘protocol
• 22ndNélson Semedo
• 7thgrandsonBooked at 71 minutes
• 37Traore

replacement

• 3Ait-Nouri
• 12Da Silva
• 15thBoly
• 17thFábio Silva
• 18thGibbs-White
• 20thVitinha
• 21Ruddy
• 49Kilman
• 54Otas

Live text

1. End of game, Manchester City 4, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1.

2. The second half ends, Manchester City 4, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1.

3. VAR decision: Goal Manchester City 4-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (Gabriel Jesus).

4. Goal! Manchester City 4, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) shot his left foot into the center of the goal from close range. Target based on VAR review.

5. Attempt saved. Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the lower right corner. Prepared by Gabriel Jesus.

6. Foul by Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City).

7. Romain Saïss (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

8. Goal! Manchester City 3, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) shot with his left foot from the center of the box into the lower left corner.

9. Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Owen Otasowie replaces Rúben Neves.

10. Kyle Walker (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

11. Foul by Pedro Neto (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

12. Missed attempt. Leander Dendoncker’s (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the center of the box is too high. Assisted by Pedro Neto with a cross following a corner.

13. Corner of Wolverhampton Wanderers. The corner was caused by Kyle Walker.

14. Foul by Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City).

15. Rúben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

16. Substitution, Manchester City. Ilkay Gündogan replaces Bernardo Silva.

17. Goal! Manchester City 2, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) shot his left foot into the lower left corner from close range.

18. Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

19. Foul by Fábio Silva (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

20. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) hits the right post with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne following a corner.