Manchester City produced a calm, professional display to improve their Champions League hopes, as Kevin De Bruyne’s goal was the lone marker in a 1-0 win over red-hot Wolves at the Etihad Stadium.
MORE — Pep Guardiola, Kevin De Bruyne react to win
Wolves entered the game as the Premier League’s form team but saw their league-best winning streak stopped at six.
WATCH — Manchester City v Wolves full match replay
City sit third with 64 points, four points above sixth place and three points behind Arsenal.
Wolves’ 41 points are good for 13th place.
De Bruyne going out in style
Kevin De Bruyne turns 34 this summer and he’s surely not as quick as his younger years, but he’s still showing the hunger and precision that made him a Premier League legend. It’s unclear what his playing time expectations are at his next stop, but Friday saw De Bruyne put up an advertisement to the rest of the division. ‘KDB’ was terrific in possession, completing 93% of his 43 passes and combining for 0.45 xG+xA in a game City only delivered 0.65. De Bruyne still has juice, and both he and City will hope he ends his career with the club by winning the FA Cup as well as driving the club back to the Champions League. And who knows? Maybe a few more terrific performances could change the higher-ups minds.
Manchester City vs Wolves player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Manchester City vs Wolves player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Manchester City vs Wolves player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Man City goes to Southampton at 10am ET Saturday, May 10, then heads to Wembley for the FA Cup final versus Crystal Palace on May 17.
Wolves host Brighton at 10am Saturday, May 10.
How to watch Manchester City vs Wolves live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3pm ET Friday (May 2)
Venue: Etihad Stadium — Manchester
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
Manchester City vs Wolves final score: 1-0
Kevin De Bruyne 35'
Manchester City vs Wolves live updates
Full time — Man City 1-0 Wolves
Few last subs
Kovacic exits for Nico Gonzalez halfway through stoppage time.
Wolves subs
Cunha and Semedo exit for Hee-chan Hwang and Santi Bueno.
Goncalo Guedes had replaced Andre a few minutes earlier in the match.
Man City subs
No Haaland, as Phil Foden, James McAtee, and Rico Lewis sub in for De Bruyne, Gundogan, and Marmoush.
Still 1-0 City into the 84th minute.
Rayan Ait-Nouri could be in trouble
The Wolves star back steps over the ball and goes studs-up into the ankle of Silva.
There’s a long VAR review but the Moroccan is off the hook.
Still 1-0 City, now into the 74th minute.
Wolves subs
Pablo Sarabia and Rodrigo Gomes make 66th-minute entrances for Matt Doherty and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.
Man City sub
Nico O’Reilly will depart for Manuel Akanji in the 58th minute.
Halftime — Man City 1-0 Wolves
Decent watch.
Truly anyone’s game, but you get the feeling City will be a bit more put together in the second half.
And will we see Haaland?
Kevin De Bruyne goal — Man City 1-0 Wolves (35th minute)
What a feint by Jeremy Doku, who cooks two Wolves defenders before chopping back a pass that takes a slight turn on its way to Kevin De Bruyne.
That probably defies Doku’s chances of an assist but it’s too bad. Nice work from Ilkay Gundogan in driving the play.
City in control but Wolves should be ahead!
Wolves have had numbers twice and failed to open the scoring.
First it’s a Matheus Cunha-led rush down the left but his pass his too strong and Marshall Munetsi’s sliding bid is in vain.
Then it’s a point-blank chance that is not within the reach of Ederson but is blocked by Ruben Dias.
0-0, 28'
Surprise! Erling Haaland back on the bench
Good news for City’s Club World Cup bid and bad news for Crystal Palace’s FA Cup upset hopes.
Manchester City lineup
Ederson, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Kovacic, Gundogan, De Bruyne, B. Silva, Doku, Marmoush
Wolves lineup
Sa, Semedo, Doherty, Agbadou, T. Gomes, Ait-Nouri, Andre, J. Gomes, Munetsi, Bellegarde, Cunha
Manchester City vs Wolves preview
Wolves have won the last six matches of their seven match Premier League unbeaten run, but this will be the first test against a team from the top half of the table.
City are also unbeaten in six Premier League matches, a run that’s hit eight if you include the FA Cup wins at Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest that pushed them into the final versus Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s men have not been perfect but certainly are improved, with four clean sheets in that run (Leicester City, Man United, Everton, Forest).
City can go third with a win, setting the pace for the other top-five chasers with this first game of the match week.
Manchester City team news, focus
OUT: Erling Haaland (ankle - MORE) John Stones (thigh), Rodri (torn ACL - MORE), Nathan Ake (ankle)
Wolverhampton Wanderers team news, focus
OUT: Sam Johnstone (muscular), Yerson Mosquera (knee), Enso Medina (knee), Sasa Kalajdzic (knee), Leon Chiwome (knee - out for season) | QUESTIONABLE: Pedro Lima (ankle)
Manchester City vs Wolves prediction
Matheus Cunha is a scary proposition for anyone right now, and Wolves’ terrific form means this is anything but straight-forward. This will be close. The 2-1 City win at the Molineux came against a much less steady Wolves team. The same score line seems reasonable. Manchester City 2-1 Wolves.
