And with that, this MBM reaches its natural end. All that’s left is to direct you to our match report from Stuart James at Molineux ... and remind you that the 3pms are under way, so open another tab for Barry Glendenning’s Clockwatch!
Pep talks! “It was a good game. We conceded too many counter attacks. But we created a lot of chances. That is a good point. I compliment Wolves. It is difficult against a good team. We tried, we will improve, because defensively we were not solid. Every game we play we learn for the next one.” Guardiola was also asked whether he thought VAR should be introduced to the Premier League. “It is none of my business.” And was he complaining about the Wolves goal when he had a word with referee Martin Atkinson at the full-time whistle? “No. I was complimenting him on his game.”
Nuno speaks! “All the credit is for my players, the way they worked. We knew it was going to be tough, but we played in the shape and style we believed. The players supported each other, it was a very good game. We want to create an identity, you just have to go, no matter who you have in front of you. Recognise the strengths, take advantage of the weaknesses, and prepare yourself to compete. We did very well with the ball, with the amount of chances we created against Manchester City. But the result is not what we want. We want to win! Stay humble, stay humble. It’s just one point!”
A disappointed but sporting Kyle Walker talks. “I think we created a lot of chances to put more than one past them. But they’re a well-organised team. It’s going to be very difficult to come here, a lot of teams will come here and drop points. So full credit to them, they deserved the point. We’ve had enough chances. I’ve heard the ball went in off Boly’s hand, but it’s hard for the referees and we just had to go and get the equaliser, which we did. And we could have nicked it at the end. We know it’s going to be tough this season, we need to go again, and dust ourselves down.”
Wolves vice-captain Conor Coady speaks to Sky. “It was good. That’s what we’ve got to do in this division, we have to play really well. They’re a fantastic side, they move the ball fantastically well. But we stuck to our plan really well, showed we can play, and we had a few chances. I think a draw was a fair result. I though we deserved a goal, no matter how it went in, we’ll have to have a look back at it! They’re one of the best football clubs in the world, and we had a go at them. We’re very pleased.”
That’s Wolves’ second point of the new Premier League season, and a rare instance of dropped points for Manchester City. Controversy over the Wolves goal, of course - shades of offside and hand ball - and City hit the woodwork three times. The luck wasn’t with them today. And yet on balance, a draw seems the right result. City weren’t quite at their sparkling best, while Wolves announced themselves as a team to be taken very seriously with a resolute performance. They soaked up plenty of City pressure, and attacked the champions with style and purpose too, something not too many teams have managed of late. It was a wonderfully entertaining game. For differing reasons, neither side deserved to lose.
FULL TIME: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Manchester City
And that’s that! A draw, and a fair result. Pep embraces Nuno warmly. It’s no more than Wolves deserve.
90 min +5: Aguero takes, and sends the free kick towards the top left. Rui Patricio is beaten all ends up ... but the crossbar comes to Wolves’ rescue! The ball clips off the top of the frame, and out for a goal kick.
90 min +4: Sane embarks on a discombobulating dribble down the left, skipping past five challenges from a very tight spot! He lays off for Aguero, who is clipped on the ankle by Moutinho. This is a free kick in a very dangerous position, 25 yards out, just left of centre.
90 min +3: Sane crosses from the left. Mahrez heads harmlessly behind.
90 min +2: City ping it around the middle of the park again, but Wolves are holding their shape and there’s no way through.
90 min +1: Sane balloons the corner straight out of play. On the touchline, Pep frowns and crosses his arms very, very tightly.
90 min: Silva feeds Sane down the left. It’s a corner. There will be five minutes of added time.
89 min: Nothing comes of the set piece, but City can only half clear. Jota makes his way down the left and whips to the far post, where Doherty heads wide.
88 min: Traore again zips down the right, leaving Mendy behind again. He blasts low into the centre for Jimenez, but Kompany slides in to intercept and Laporte slashes out in a panic for a corner.
87 min: Traore goes on a power dribble down the right. He walks past Mendy and loops long. Jota chests down and tries to Le Tissier a spectacular shot across Ederson and into the top right. It’s over the bar, but not by much. A fine effort.
86 min: A long free kick is launched into the mixer by City. Kompany rises to win a header, but he’s been climbing on the back of an opponent. The resulting free kick is celebrated like a goal. Wolves fans desperate for their team to hold on for a point against the champions.
85 min: Jonny is replaced by Ruben Vinagre, while Raheem Sterling makes way for Riyad Mahrez.
84 min: Jonny’s up and about again. Sane’s corner leads to another, after which he’s bundled off the ball. He skips about in frustration.
82 min: Sterling probes down the right and wins a corner off Jonny, who immediately goes down with cramp. Wolves have worked hard this afternoon. Manchester City have worked them hard.
81 min: The game’s got a bit fragmented. Sane dribbles down a blind alley. Laporte launches one long that goes straight through to Rui Patricio.
79 min: Corner for Wolves out on the right. Moutinho’s delivery is headed away powerfully by Fernandinho.
77 min: City make a second change. Ilkay Gundogan is replaced by Leroy Sane.
76 min: City play keep-ball in the middle of the park. Then suddenly Mendy barrels down the left and whips a cross in. Jesus meets it six yards out, heading down powerfully. It looks a certain goal ... but Rui Patricio hacks clear with his feet. That’s some save.
74 min: A break in play. Doherty is down after accidentally clashing heads with Jesus. It looks as though he’ll be OK to continue.
72 min: Aguero spins down the inside-left channel and sends a snapshot towards the top right. It’s always going wide. And then Wolves make their first change of the afternoon, Helder Costa making way for Adama Traore.
70 min: Aguero goes over in the Wolves box, dribbling in from the left and feeling a brush on his shoulder from Moutinho. The referee isn’t interested.
GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Manchester City (Laporte 68)
Silva wins a free kick just to the right of the Wolves area. Gundogan whips a gorgeous ball to the far post, where Laporte steams in and powers a stunning header into the top left! There was no stopping that, it was a bullet! Laporte’s first goal for City draws the champions level!
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67 min: A slo-o-o-ow replay of the Wolves goal suggests even more controversy. Moutinho’s cross brushed the head of Doherty, standing just in front of Boly. So Boly was possibly offside as well as using his arm.
66 min: Wolves launch a counter attack. Jota races down the left and should be clear on goal, but he miscontrols and is forced wide left, unable to shoot. Instead he waits, and pulls the ball back for Neves, who drags a shot wide left. This is a really entertaining game.
65 min: City are coming at Wolves in the relentless style. Silva dances down the left and reaches the byline, but can’t find anyone with his pullback. Then he tees up Gundogan on the edge of the box, but Gundogan’s low bobbler is swallowed by Rui Patricio.
63 min: From the corner, the ball pings around the Wolves box awhile. Rui Patricio eventually claims it to loud cheers. This could be a long half hour for Wolves.
62 min: A corner for City out on the right. Before it can be taken, Bernardo Silva is replaced by Gabriel Jesus.
61 min: A free kick for City out on the left. Bernardo Silva’s delivery is no good. But this is otherwise a fine response to falling behind from the champions.
59 min: City come straight back at Wolves. Sterling and David Silva bustle into the area down the right. A few flicks. Neves is right behind Silva as he goes over. Silva wants a penalty ... but he’s not getting one, having kicked his own heel while going over. Silva is beyond livid, sure he’s been barged in the back. He’s booked for complaining.
GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Manchester City (Boly 57)
The corner’s worked back down the left flank to Moutinho, who curls a stunning ball to the far post. Boly flies low to meet it with his head and flicks it into the right-hand corner, Ederson rooted to the spot! The ball also flicked Boly’s arm, though that’s not been spotted by the ref ... or even any of the City players, who aren’t complaining.
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56 min: Kompany and Laporte are snoozing, and allow Costa to barge clear down the inside-left channel. Costa is one on one with Ederson. He hesitates, and Ederson is able to turn his shot around the post for a corner. A chance spurned! But no matter, because ...
55 min: Fernandinho has a whack from distance. It’s deflected out for a corner on the left. Gundogan curls one into the box, but it’s easily headed clear by Coady.
54 min: City continue to ping it around. Jota again loses his rag and clatters Walker to the floor. Another free kick just outside the Wolves box, but City try a quick one that doesn’t come off.
52 min: Wolves can’t get a sniff of the ball. It’s all City. Laporte floats a pass down the inside-right channel, but it’s just a bit too long for David Silva.
50 min: More early second-half pressure from City. Aguero slips the ball to Sterling on the left edge of the Wolves box. Sterling drops a shoulder to cut inside, and curls a shot towards the top right. But it’s a wild one. “On a scale of one to Serge Aurier, how bad/hilarious was Mendy’s foul throw?” asks Adam Kline-Schoder. “Good to know that professional footballers are human too.”
48 min: The corner ends up at the feet of Walker, who shoots low and hard from distance. A second corner is the result. Kompany meets it at the far post, but his header is always going high and wide.
47 min: City stroke it around for a bit. Jota gets fed up and bowls Aguero over. A free kick, just outside the Wolves area to the right. Gundogan curls in. Coady heads over the bar to concede a corner; fine defending seeing the box was teeming with City players.
And we’re off again! No changes. City get the ball rolling for the second half. “Can I be proud of a team I do not support?” wonders Ian Copestake. “Is great to see Conor Coady, formerly (for want of a better word) groomed by Liverpool as the next Gerrard, throwing himself into that role with complete conviction.”
Half-time reading:
HALF TIME: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-0 Manchester City
What’s Jonathan Wilson’s catchphrase again? Goals are over-rated? That’s as good a 45 minutes of goal-free football as you’re likely to see. Really not sure how it’s stayed this way, but here we are. See you soon for another fine 45?
45 min: Jimenez withdraws from a 50-50 in midfield with Mendy, and City are away on a quick-break. The ball’s shuttled to Bernardo Silva, who dribbles into the area from the right. He’s got Rui Patricio in his sights, but hesitates a little, and Coady is across quickly to scuff the ball away from danger.
44 min: Mendy takes another throw. The Wolves crowd give him pantomime pelters. Then Kompany gives the ball away with a loose pass out of defence ... but Jota can’t take advantage. Kompany has been very sloppy today; his passing has been all over the shop.
43 min: Costa barges Mendy off the ball, and breezes into the City area from the right. he cuts the ball back for Neves, who unleashes an instant low drive that’s blocked pretty much at source. Then there’s a throw to City out on the left. Mendy takes ... and steps a good yard infield while doing so. Foul throw. Not a great 60 seconds for the City left-back.
42 min: Coady is booked for coming through the back of Aguero. He can have no complaints about that one.
41 min: City come close again. David Silva slips a pass down the left for Mendy, who hammers a low ball across the face of goal. Rui Patricio parries, but only to Aguero, six yards out. Aguero scuffs his shot, the ball having snagged under his feet, and Rui Patricio smothers. How is this game goalless?
40 min: Jimenez has the ball on the edge of the City box. He can’t sort his feet out. City swarm him and the chance is gone.
38 min: And here come Wolves again, Costa winning a corner down the right off Kompany. City half-clear the set piece. Neves, out on the left, loops a diagonal ball towards Jimenez at the far post; he takes it down and tries to send a screamer across Ederson and into the top left. It’s wild. But at least Wolves are showing in attack again.
36 min: So having said all that, Wolves move into the City half, having pinged the ball back and forth in the middle for a while. Neves looks for the top-left corner from the best part of 30 yards. Full marks for ambition, if nothing else. Sterling goes up the other end and nearly breaks clear down the left, but Bennett does well to stay with him and, with help from Coady, Wolves clear.
35 min: Wolves haven’t spent much time in the City half lately. And after a lively start, the Molineux crowd has fallen quiet as a result. City might not have scored yet, but that’s their first job done.
33 min: Mendy puts his head down and drives along the left wing. His industry and power wins a corner. Gundogan’s delivery isn’t all that, and the ball’s headed clear by Boly. But there’s immediately another phase of attack, and Fernandinho whistles a low shot towards the bottom left. He drags it wide of the post.
31 min: David Silva slips a pass down the right and very nearly releases Aguero on goal. Jonny comes across to concede a corner. City over-elaborate and the ball is soon all the way back with Ederson.
29 min: City are beginning to ask some serious questions now. Aguero dances into the Wolves box from the right. He’s about to pull the trigger when Boly arrives and does just enough to put him off. Rui Patricio comes off his line to smother. Danger over. But the champions will likely be back soon enough: they’ve enjoyed over 80% possession in the last ten minutes.
28 min: Bernardo Silva goes on a dribble down the right. He’s brought down just outside the box by Jota. His namesake David takes the resulting set piece, but it doesn’t clear the first man. Uncharacteristically slack by the little magician.
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26 min: The first lull of the match. Here’s Mac Millings to fill the void with a wonderful anecdote: “I’ll always have a soft spot for Wolves, on account of my dad’s brother having been on their books for a year or so, back in around 1960. It happens that a teenaged Alan Ball was there at the same time, and the usual story is that Wolves let him go because he was too small - and that’s true; but the more specific story, as related by Uncle Mac, is that Ball comes into the changing room from a meeting with Stan Cullis, and they’re all in the big bath after a reserve team win, and little Alan is sobbing. ‘What happened?’ they asked. ‘Well [sob, sob], the gaffer said I should pack up my stuff and get out of here. He said [sob, sniffle] that I should go and get a job at the Post Office, because I’ll never make it as a footballer.’ Oh, Stan!”
24 min: City are beginning to press harder now. That disallowed Wolves goal has inspired quite a response.
22 min: City hit the woodwork twice in two minutes! First Aguero sends a snapshot curling towards the bottom right. It clanks off the base of the post and away. Then Sterling chests down a loose pass, 25 yards from goal. He pearls a half-volley towards the top right. It’s flying in, a stunning effort ... but Rui Patricio fingertips it onto the corner of post and bar! That would have been a sensational goal. The save was pretty special, mind. Wonderful football all round!
20 min: Wolves have the ball in the net ... but it’s disallowed. Kompany, who has been uncertain, gives up possession in the midfield. Jota is tearing clear down the left. He enters the box and sends the ball across for Jimenez, who taps home. But he’s a few inches offside. Great break upfield, and a good decision from the ref.
18 min: Some confusion between Bennett and Coady allows Augero to slip the ball past them down the inside-left channel. Gundogan latches onto it, but miscontrols and it’s a goal kick. Wolves are getting repeatedly done down this side of the pitch. City are probing the flank with great interest.
16 min: It’s end-to-end entertainment all right. Gundogan has a shot from a tight angle on the left. Rui Patricio makes a meal of gathering it, but does so eventually. Then Wolves win a corner on the right. The ball drops to Neves, who has a habit of scoring from distance: all of his seven goals for Wolves have come from outside the box. He looks to send a power curler into the top right, but gets too much on it and it sails high and wide.
14 min: Fernandinho dangles out a leg to stop Jota bursting upfield. It’s just a foul and a taking-to, but the City midfielder is lucky to escape a yellow. On the touchline, Nuno wants to know why the player hasn’t been booked. There’s a full and frank exchange of views.
12 min: Jota scampers down the left and crosses low. Costa tries to slam home from ten yards, but can’t connect. The ball breaks to Jimenez, who tries to return the ball to Costa ... but he’s offside. That got the crowd going, and it’ll give Wolves confidence that City can be got at.
11 min: Kompany is again diddled on the turn, as Neves spins gracefully in the centre circle. The City captain drags him down, and is booked.
9 min: Kompany tugs the shirt of Jonny, who was threatening to spin him down the left. A free kick, and a chance to load the box. Neves sends a poor set piece straight down Ederson’s throat. Ederson then drop kicks the ball straight into Bennett’s backside. It’s a clumsy mistake, and for a second City are seriously on the retreat, but the ref blows up for a free kick. It’s not totally clear why. It was hardly this:
7 min: Sterling is zipping around in a very determined fashion. Again he whizzes down the inside-left channel, and nearly takes down a scooped Gundogan pass. Again, not quite. But Coady and Bennett were sleeping a little there, as Sterling nipped in between them.
6 min: Bernardo Silva drops deep down the right, cuts inside, and sends a high diagonal ball into the box with the intention of finding Sterling down the inside-left channel. Nearly, but Bennett rises to snuff out the move.
4 min: This game already has a nice, open, end-to-end feel. Sterling skedaddles in from the left, reaches the byline, and nearly flicks a pass to Aguero. Not quite, but Wolves hearts were in mouths for a split second there.
3 min: But Wolves make an early statement of their own, Neves making off down the left and whipping a deep cross that only just evades Doherty, coming in from the right. Moutinho tries to keep things going with a floated cross from the right, but Kompany deals with it easily enough.
2 min: It’s a cracking atmosphere at Molineux, even if the first couple of minutes see City hogging the ball.
And we’re off! Wolves get the party started. “There’s no limit to what Nuno can achieve with this Wolves team,” opines William Hargreaves. “No no, Nuno, no no limit.” I suppose somebody had to say it.
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The teams are out! Wolves are in their famous old gold and black, while Manchester City wear their second-choice dark-blue with neon-lemon pinstripe. We’ll be off in a minute ... but just before the players get going, there’s a sweet moment when former Wolves goalkeeper Carl Ikeme takes to the pitch with his kids. He’s in full remission after being diagnosed with acute leukaemia, and Molineux rises as one to send him much love.
Pre-match photo op. The underpass near Molineux is decorated with heroes of a bygone age. Here are some fans taking the opportunity to be pictured with Billy Wright et al. It would also appear that, seeing Manchester City are in town, a performance-art homage to the cover of (What’s The Story) Morning Glory is taking place.
Nuno talks! “Everybody is looking forward to this, the fans, the team. It’s a good challenge for us. We want to keep doing the things that we do. We believe in the things we do, we train like this, we play like this. It doesn’t mean there can’t be other options, because there is a squad, and chances will come. We have to be better, clinical, manage better the games. We want to keep improving the team. But we have to recognise we are playing the best team in the Premier League, we have to adapt. We need focus.”
Pep speaks! “My English is not good, because I didn’t complain about our physical condition, which is good, knowing the part of the season that we are in. My reflection in the press conference was we need more time and games to achieve our best condition, that is normal. We have played at a good level, but it is just two Premier League games. Wolves is an excellent team, what they achieved last season was outstanding. And the way they play is so attractive. They are well organised, Nuno is an excellent manager. Games against newly promoted teams are always tough.”
“We don’t know how to play another way. We will not change because we want to build something. Adapt, of course, because you are facing a good team, but don’t change. When you build something you have to truly believe in what you’re doing.” Wolves coach Nuno, there. And he’s walking it like he talks it: he names an unchanged XI for the third match in a row. Adama Traore continues to wait for his full debut.
Pep Guardiola makes a couple of changes, though. John Stones and Gabriel Jesus drop out of the XI named against Huddersfield Town last week. They’re on the bench, making way for Kyle Walker and Raheem Sterling. The 19-year-old Aro Muric, freshly recalled from NAC Breda in the wake of Claudio Bravo’s injury, is the back-up keeper.
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The teams
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Rui Patricio, Bennett, Coady, Boly, Doherty, Neves, Joao Moutinho, Jonny, Jota, Jimenez, Helder Costa.
Subs: Gibbs-White, John Ruddy, Saiss, Ruben Vinagre, Hause, Leo Bonatini, Traore.
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Laporte, Mendy, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Silva, Sterling, Aguero.
Subs: Stones, Delph, Sane, Mahrez, Otamendi, Gabriel Jesus, Muric.
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
Preamble
Two games in, and Manchester City are already top of the league again. Can anyone stop Pep Guardiola’s champions? As things stand, they’re on course for a 114-point haul.
We jest, of course we jest. But we’re not distorting reality by that much: City did rattle up 100 points last time round, after all, and having already swatted Chelsea, Arsenal and Huddersfield Town aside this season, appear to be in a familiar frame of mind. They’re not letting up. They’ll take some stopping.
Can newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers put a stop to their gallop? Given that they’ve drawn 2-2 against ten-man Everton and lost 2-0 at ten-man Leicester City, you’d think 11 of Manchester City’s finest might be a bit too hot to handle. Then again, results don’t always tell the whole story, and Nuno’s team have impressed in terms of both skill and spirit. In a parallel universe somewhere, they’ve won both of those opening games. We’re not distorting reality by that much.
City will also recall that Wolves gave them a thorough examination in last year’s League Cup, pushing Guardiola’s side all the way to penalty kicks. And Wolves have lost just one of their last 23 league games at Molineux. City may be hot favourites to make it three Premier League wins from three this season, but they won’t be taking the result for granted. It promises to be a fascinating match. Kick off is at 12.30pm BST. It’s on!
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