Wolves return to rub salt in City’s wounds
‘Doing so well gives us the chance to become better. I believe we can win every match’
Wolverhampton Wanderers are becoming the most unwelcome party guests at Ashton Gate. Having launched the slow and painful death of Bristol City’s promotion hopes with victory here last year, Nuno Espirito Santo’s men rode their luck this time to kill off the hosts’ proud recent run as Europe’s most in-form team.
Nuno, who had apologised for over-zealous celebrations when these two teams last met, said progression to the
FA Cup quarterfinals was a “moment of joy”. Wolves had considered their opponents equals. Not even Manchester City have enjoyed a better recent run of results than Bristol City had until yesterday.
Once again, tempers flared as City’s coaching staff were enraged by the Wolves response to what turned out to be the winning goal. Assistant coach Jamie Mcallister escaped with a booking after being pulled away by colleagues during a half-time scuffle. “This time I wasn’t involved,” said Nuno with a smile.
Lee Johnson, the City manager, said it was “handbags” and claimed that the true moment of controversy had been Wolves’ goal, when play should have been stopped in the build-up for a handball, before Matt Doherty broke clear and crossed into the path of scorer Ivan Cavaleiro.
“I wasn’t sure if we were playing Wolves or the Harlem Globetrotters at one point,” said Johnson.
City were also denied a penalty during the second half after Jay Dasilva’s cross deflected against the arm of Wolves’ Doherty. When Nuno was asked whether he thought the video assistant referee would have penalised his defender, the manager said: “I don’t want VAR... the referees are well prepared and I’m afraid that will change the real game.”
For the second time in just over a year, the visit of Wolves came amid heady days for Johnson’s men. Last season City had recently beaten Manchester United in the League Cup and were the closest challengers to Wolves, last year’s Championship winners. After that match, the wheels fell of their season.
This time, Johnson can take heart from an improved second-half performance. Wolves were lucky to weather a late City onslaught – including a shot from goalkeeper Frank Fielding – to end the home side’s run of nine wins and a draw, including two prior victories in the FA Cup, against Bolton and Huddersfield.
City took a while to settle in against Wolves’ industrious 3-5-2 set-up and fell behind after 28 minutes when Doherty skinned Dasilva down the right and the ball appeared to bounce up and hit the full-back on the hand.
Play carried on, however, and he sent a low cross into the path of Cavaleiro, whose close-range effort slipped through the grasp of Fielding.
Doherty was fast emerging as Wolves’ most potent threat. With plenty of room in the right channel, he then darted in to flash an effort against a post.
With Famara Diedhiou isolated, Johnson was unimpressed and changed his team’s set-up at halftime, withdrawing the inexperienced pairing of Niclas Eliasson and Joe Morrell in favour of striker Matty Taylor and Marlon Pack.
With increased midfield presence, Pack, who won praise last year from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, immediately restored calm.
After 52 minutes, City were left to rue a shocking miss. Callum O’dowda burst down the right before aiming a neat cutback in to the onrushing Dasilva, one of three on-loan Chelsea players in City’s line-up. His body language said it all, however, as he leaned back and fired over, to the despair of the noisy fans in the home end. Taylor was also a welcome introduction, but found close-range strikes blocked by Wolves’ burly back three.
At the other end, Wolves were a fingertip save away from doubling their lead. Joao Moutinho sent in a blistering free-kick from 18 yards, but Fielding reacted well to tip the ball over the bar.
Nuno hinted afterwards that he was now starting to dream of lifting the FA Cup. “I don’t rotate the team,” he said. “Doing so well gives us the chance to become a better team. I believe we can win every match.”