striker Gabriel Jesus (C) celebrates scoring his team’s third goal
with Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Ferran Torres (R) during
the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton
Wanderers and Manchester City at the Molineux stadium in
Wolverhampton, central England on September 21, 2020. Manchester
City won the game 3-1.Marc Atkins / POOL / AFP
Manchester City survived a scare to start their Premier
League title challenge with a 3-1 win against Wolves as Phil Foden
enjoyed a moment of redemption on Monday.
City’s delayed start to the campaign — due to their involvement
in last season’s Champions League — had allowed Liverpool to build
a six-point lead over them before they had even kicked a ball.
Pep Guardiola’s side could not afford to slip up at Molineux if
they wanted to keep pace with the champions and they raced into a
two-goal lead before half-time thanks to Kevin De Bruyne’s penalty
and Foden’s cool finish.
City’s swaggering first half gave way to an anxious spell as
Wolves dominated after the interval and they had to cling on after
Raul Jimenez got one back before Gabriel Jesus sealed the points in
stoppage time.
Guardiola will not have been happy with the way debutant
centre-back Nathan Ake, the club’s major close-season signing from
Bournemouth, and his defensive partner John St ones were tormented
by Wolves in the second half.
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While City equalled Aston Villa’s record of winning 10
consecutive opening fixtures to a top-flight season, there is
little doubt Liverpool remain the Premier League’s preeminent force
for now.
Mexican striker Raul Jimenez (C) jumps to head the ball to score a
goal during the English Premier League football match between
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at the Molineux stadium
in Wolverhampton, central England on September 21, 2020. Stu
Forster / POOL / AFP
Foden’s goal was a welcome morale boost in his first match since
the midfielder was sent home in disgrace, along with Manchester
United’s Mason Greenwood, after the pair invited local women into
the England team’s hotel.
The breach of coronavirus protocols after England’s Nations
League match in Iceland was publicly condemned by City, but the
20-year-old retains Guardiola’s trust.
It feels like a crucial season for City and Guardiola as they
look to regain the title they won in 2018 and 2019.
Guardiola says he needs to “deserve” an extension to his City
contract rather than just be handed one as he enters the final year
of his current deal.
After finishing 18 points behind Liverpool and suffering a shock
Champions League quarter-final defeat against Lyon, City need to
push the champions harder this term and the early signs were
encouraging.
– Tense finale –
Passing and moving with real intent, City went close when De
Bruyne forced Wolves keeper Rui Patricio to save his dipping
free-kick.
It was De Bruyne, showing no signs of relaxing after being voted
PFA Player of the Year last season, who took the responsibility of
driving City forward and in the 20th minute he prised open the
Wolves defence.
The Belgium midfielder’s burst into the Wolves area drew a rash
lunge from Romain Saiss and referee Andre Marriner awarded a
penalty that De Bruyne converted with ease.
Since the start of last season, De Bruyne has scored and
assisted more Premier League goals (34) than any other player.
City were beaten by Wolves twice last season, but this was
Guardiola’s team at their imperious best and they struck again with
a slick move in the 32nd minute.
Gabriel Jesus laid off to De Bruyne and his perfectly-weighted
pass found Sterling, whose precise cutback teed up Foden to slot
home from 12 yards.
De Bruyne had a chance to make it three from Jesus’s pass, but
for once he couldn’t apply the finishing touch as Rui Patricio
saved well.
Totally out-classed in the first half, Wolves were much improved
after the break and there were worrying side for Guardiola as he
surveyed his creaking defence.
Daniel Podence turned to fire just wide and he threatened again
with a chip over City keeper Ederson that just cleared the
crossbar.
Spanish midfielder Adama Traore (L) crosses the ball past
Manchester City’s French defender Benjamin Mendy (R) during the
English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton
Wanderers and Manchester City at the Molineux stadium in
Wolverhampton, central England on September 21, 2020. Nick Potts /
POOL / AFP
Jimenez should have reduced the deficit when he shot wide from
Adama Traore’s cross.
Jimenez set up a tense finale when he met Podence’s cross with a
powerful header in the 78th minute, but Jesus netted deep into
stoppage-time as his shot deflected in off Conor Coady.
AFP