Wolves feast on 10-man City
IF this was the game that gave Liverpool their first Premier League title, it will live long in Pep Guardiola’s memory for all the wrong reasons.
Down to 10 men for all but the first 11 minutes after goalkeeper Ederson was sent off, Raheem sterling’s double appeared to have helped Manchester City cut Liverpool’s lead to 11 points, only for goals from Adama traore, Raul Jimenez and Matt Doherty to give Wolves a stunning victory, and a league double over City.
Yet those details tell only a fraction of the story of this remarkable match. Wolves could face sanctions for the objects that were thrown on to the pitch after sterling put City in front in the first half.
sterling had seen two penalties — the first given on VAR advice, the second a retake following encroachment — saved by Rui Patricio, but the second save fell into sterling’s path and allowed him to score the opener.
Referee Martin Atkinson had a frantic evening and made the home fans furious throughout, but they will no longer care after seeing one of the most famous wins of their club’s recent history. sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez were substituted by Guardiola, decisions that came back to haunt him.
Aguero was making his first start since the win over Chelsea on November 23, following a thigh injury. Guardiola had said before the game that he expected the Argentine to be on the bench, but Gabriel Jesus’ absence through illness forced the change on him. But his return lasted only 13 minutes in a bizarre first half.
Jota lost Kyle Walker and, with the City defence caught square, ran on to Coady’s lofted pass, only for Ederson to foul the Portuguese as he lifted the ball beyond him. When the red card followed, Guardiola chose to take off Aguero for his substitute goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, with sterling now alone up front in a 4-4-1.
Controversy continued to run through the game. City were furious when no penalty was awarded after Mahrez went down under Dendoncker’s challenge, only for Atkinson to overturn his decision after advice from VAR.
sterling took the kick, and Rui Patricio saved to his right — but City had another VAR reprieve when replays indicated Coady had strayed into the area.
On the touchline, Guardiola appeared to demand a change of kicker, but sterling stepped up again. Patricio saved again but this time, the ball fell perfectly for sterling to tap into an empty net.
Even though his team were one up, Guardiola had a face like thunder. the Wolves fans were just as angry, singing: ‘it’s not football any more.’
As sterling celebrated, an object that looked like a hip flash was launched on to the pitch from the south Bank containing the home fans. As Rodri remonstrated with them, more missiles arrived, prompting the PA announcer to warn fans against throwing ‘foreign objects’ on to the field.
Although Bravo looked nervy, Wolves struggled to test him as those in front of him held firm until half-time
Guardiola made another change at the start of the second half, introducing Eric Garcia for Mahrez and switching to a back five.
Wolves started the second half at pace only for City to score again. Sterling was released by a De Bruyne pass and dummied Patricio before lifting the ball casually beyond him. Guardiola pumped his fists on the touchline, perhaps believing the job was nearly done.
The home fans continued to rage, perplexed that first Jonny and then Jota were denied penalty claims. Atkinson probably got both calls right, yet there were no doubts about the goal Wolves did score. Traore had largely been kept quiet by Mendy yet he kept pushing and had his reward when he beat Bravo with a low drive from 25 yards. Driven on by their fans’ fury and the subtlety of Joao Moutinho, Wolves pressed for the equaliser. Traore, Doherty and Jimenez all came close but it was a City howler that handed it to them. Mendy had ample time to thrash the ball clear but he tried to shepherd it out of play. Traore robbed him, squared it and Jimenez did the rest from inside the six-yard box.
Then in the final minute, Doherty took a sublime back-heeled return pass from Jimenez and found the bottom corner from the edge of the box — and there was still time for Sterling to hit the bar late on.
If Liverpool do not win it now, they may wonder if they ever will.