Despair for City after Ederson sees red
TOM COLLOMOSSE
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 ten 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 onto 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 back 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 Argentinian to be on the bench, but Gabriel Jesus’ absence through illness forced the change on him.
In Aguero’s absence, City fell further behind in the title race as they dropped crucial points against Newcastle and Manchester United.
His inclusion, and that of midfielder Rodri, were Guardiola’s only changes to the team that had beaten Leicester five days previously. Jesus was absent and Ilkay Gundogan dropped to the bench.
Aguero’s return lasted only 13 minutes in a bizarre first half, when the ball seemed to be in play for less time than the game was stopped.
The first break came when Leander Dendoncker and Benjamin Mendy challenged for a high ball and clashed heads. Both players needed treatment, with a pause of nearly three minutes.
During that time, Wolves pair Jota and Conor Coady were in animated conversation, and their plan became clear at the restart. 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 keeper Claudio Bravo, with Sterling now alone up front in a 4-4-1 formation.
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 Martin Atkinson to overturn his decision after advice from VAR. Two more minutes to reach that decision.
Sterling took the kick, and Patricio saved to his right — but City had another VAR reprieve when replays indicated Coady had strayed into the area before Sterling struck the ball.
On the touchline, Guardiola appeared to be demanding 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 anymore.’
Between the original foul on Mahrez and Sterling’s goal, five minutes had passed.
As Sterling celebrated, an object that looked like a hip flask 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’ onto the field, and mentioned the threat of prosecution.
Although Bravo looked nervy, Wolves struggled to test him
effectively as those in front of him held firm until half-time, which came only after seven minutes of stoppage time.
Referee Atkinson and his assistants walked off with three security staff for company as boos rang out.
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, though, and should have equalised when Jota again found space to meet Jimenez’s delightful chipped pass, but steered the ball over the bar on the stretch.
Sterling showed him how it should be done moments later. The England forward was released by an even better pass from De Bruyne 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 following tussles with Garcia and Walker.
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 that cannoned in off a post.
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 of normal time, Doherty took a sublime back-heeled return pass from Jimenez and found Bravo’s bottom-right corner from the edge of the box — and there was still time for Sterling to hit the bar with a free-kick.
If Liverpool don’t win the title from here, they may wonder if they ever will.
WOLVES (3-4-3): Rui Patricio 6; Dendoncker 6, Coady 5, Saiss 6; Doherty 7, Neves 6, Moutinho 7, Jonny 6 (Vinagre 73); Traore 8, Jimenez 7 (Bennett 90), Jota 7 (Neto 79). Subs not used: Vallejo, Cutrone, Ruddy, Kilman. Booked: None. MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Ederson 4; Walker 5, Fernandinho 6, Otamendi 7, Mendy 5; De Bruyne 6 (Gundogan 67), Rodri 6, Bernardo 6; Mahrez 6 (Garcia 46), Aguero 6 (Bravo 14), Sterling 7. Subs not used: Zinchenko, Angelino, Cancelo, Foden. Booked: Otamendi. Sent off: Ederson. Man of the match: Adama Traore. Referee: Martin Atkinson. Attendance: 31,737.