DEFENCE IN TATTERS
City frail backline exposed as title starts to slip away
THE warning signs have been there for weeks, now the damage for Manchester City is real.
A second defeat of the Premier League campaign for means it is now Liverpool’s title to lose, with Jurgen Klopp’s side holding an eight-point lead over Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions.
The prospect of Liverpool surrendering such a commanding advantage appears remote, even at this early stage of the season, with City wholly unconvincing in their pursuit of a third straight title.
Wolves exposed City’s shortcomings at the back by hitting them twice with breakneck counter-attacks late on, Raul Jimenez the provider for Adama Traore on both occasions.
Yet City only had themselves to blame. They were laboured in attack and vulnerable at the back, with the hapless Nicolas Otamendi, right, and ageing makeshift centre-back Fernandinho, 34, unable to cope.
City had two days more than Wolves to prepare for this one, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side having been in action on Thursday night in their superb 1-0 away win over Besiktas in the Europa League.
Yet it was Guardiola’s men who were sluggish and lethargic, lacking the clinical and ruthless edge that has made them the country’s dominant football force for the past two seasons.
This was their first home defeat since December last year and the first time in 17 months they have failed to score at the Etihad since a 0-0 draw with Huddersfield in May 2018, with the title already won. Injuries to Aymeric Laporte and John Stones may have stretched Guardiola’s defensive personnel and forced him to play midfielder Fernandinho at the back, but the failure to replace former skipper Vincent Kompany is starting to bite hard.
Wolves quickly set the tone for the afternoon, opening up the City defence with just five minutes played when Traore put Patrick Cutrone through on goal with only Ederson to beat. City received a let-off when the Wolves forward scooped his shot horribly wide under pressure from the advancing goalkeeper.
If that was a warning, it was not heeded by City as the visitors were
presented with two further chances to take the lead midway through the first half thanks to sloppiness.
An under-hit pass from Riyad Mahrez allowed Jimenez a clear sight of goal but he was thwarted by Fernandinho, who blocked his effort as well as the rebound from Cutrone.
Moments later Otamendi was the culprit. His lame pass was intercepted by Jimenez who again had the run on Fernandinho, but the latter did enough to thwart the Wolves forward.
City created few clear-cut chances of their own, to the growing frustration of their manager and fans not used to such a laboured performance from their team.
Wolves made the breakthrough in the 80th minute when Cancelo lost the ball, allowing Jimenez to break on the counter.
He skipped past Otamendi, who dived in without winning the ball, and squared for Traore to calmly slot past Ederson.
Traore repeated the feat in added time to prove Wolves were rightful winners, in a virtual carbon copy of the opening goal.
Fernandinho was unable to keep pace with Traore, who showed a cool head again to steer the ball beyond Ederson and leave Liverpool in pole position to claim a first league title for 30 years.