New boss Lambert’s facing an uphill task
RAMS boss Steve McClaren’s honeymoon goes on but new Wolves manager Paul Lambert has his work cut out for him.
Tom Ince gave Derby a sixth-minute lead before Darren Bent doubled their advantage nine minutes later in a sparkling first-half display.
Helder Costa reduced the deficit in the 61st minute before Ince struck from the spot in the 76th minute, with Dave Edwards setting up a frantic finale with an 83rd-minute strike.
McClaren has won three of his five games since returning to Derby and said: “It was a fantastic first half. We earned the right to play and played great football. That is the kind of football that we want to see.
“We should have scored more than two in the first half but it was good to see the level and the progress that we have made in three weeks.
“It is hard to maintain for 95 minutes and we knew that we needed a third goal.
“But when it came we shot ourselves in the foot again. In the end it was frustrating but you can’t fault the attitude and commitment.
“The confidence was there for 45 minutes. It wasn’t for 95 but it will come.
“We have seen what we are capable of doing and we need to do that for 95 minutes.”
Wolves appointed former Norwich, Aston Villa and Blackburn boss Lambert as their new manager after the game and he faces a massive task after a run of only two points from the last 21.
But Wolves’ caretaker boss for the day Rob Edwards thinks Lambert will inherit a squad that can move up the table.
He said: “I think that they saw in the second half that there is a really good group of players here.
“There is a lot of quality here and it is about finding some consistency now.
“I really think we can look forward.
“We all need to stick together and I am sure that when the new manager comes in and has a couple of weeks to work with the players, we can get a positive result.”
In fact, they were punished for a sloppy second-half show when Marten De Roon headed an added-time equaliser for resurgent Middlesbrough.
The Boro midfielder met a cross from George Friend to stun City and give his side their third impressive result in succession.
Earlier, Sergio Aguero’s 14th goal of the season looked like giving City a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
But it was not to be and all this unfolded on the day City boss Pep Guardiola insisted that, after defeating Barcelona, there is a new standard for the club.
He said: “Now, future generations of City players and supporters will realise that we can compete with, and beat, the best.
“We have set ourselves a benchmark that everyone now, and in years to come, must aspire to.
“Everyone believes that little bit more in each other and in the methods we are going through.”
With Yaya Toure remaining out in the cold at City, despite his apology to Guardiola after the damaging comments of his agent, his club-mates were not exactly red hot.
They were frustrated in the first half by Guardiola’s f or mer Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes.
The Boro man – who had a miserable spell in Manchester with United – denied Aleksandar Kolarov, Aguero and David Silva twice.
And when Kevin De Bruyne did beat Valdes with a low drive, the ball travelled across the face of the goal and just wide of the far post.
But City finally cracked Valdes’ resistance two minutes f rom half-time.
De Bruyne supplied a superb low cross from the right and Aguero timed his run perfectly to poke the ball past the Boro keeper.
It was almost 2-0 before the break as Jesus Navas cracked the ball against the post.
But Boro made the better start to the second half as ex-City striker Alvaro Negredo produced a brilliant long-range effort in an attempt to capitalise on Claudio Bravo being off his line.
The City keeper had to backpedal before turning the ball over the bar.
And in their next attack, Bravo blocked well from Adam Forshaw.
City were strangely subdued for long periods of the second half.
That gave Boro hope, despite City heavily dominating possession. Aguero and De Bruyne both missed late chances to wrap up the points.
And the visitors were rewarded for their fight and organisation by having the final word.
Boro boss Aitor Karanka said: “I felt amazing when we scored right at the end.
“But I have to say our keeper Victor Valdes was really important and I am pleased for him.
“Victor is important for us on the pitch and also in the dressing room.”