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Manchester City defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 at the Molineux Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday, September 17. The win saw them temporarily rise to the top of the table, with Tottenham and Arsenal yet to play.
Wolves came into this game struggling to find their shooting boots. They managed just one win in six games, drawing three and losing two. Bruno Lage's men are also the lowest-scoring team in the league, with just three so far. The hosts were hoping to earn a result against formidable opponents.
Manchester City, on the other hand, were one of only two teams still to lose a game this season. They won four and drew two of their opening games and were second in the table prior to kick-off. Pep Guardiola fielded a strong side as he looked to extend his team's good run of form.
Manchester City attacked from the get-go, moving the ball around in quick, smooth combinations. They dominated possession and forced Wolves to chase the game for the majority of the time.
City were off to a flier as Jack Grealish scored in the first minute. He used his physicality to get in front of the defender in a tight area before squeezing the ball past Jose Sa. Kevin De Bruyne provided an assist for the goal.
The hosts, known for their dogged style of defending, continued to sit deep and stay in rigid shape. However, Manchester City simply had too much firepower for Wolves. Erling Haaland extended his red-hot scoring streak, giving his side the lead after 16 minutes. Bernardo Silva provided an assist for the goal.
Things went from bad to worse for Wolves as centre-back Nathan Collins was given his marching orders. He contested a bouncing ball with his leg and ended up hitting Grealish with a flying kick. It was a moment reminiscent of Nigel de Jong's kick to Xabi Alonso's chest in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final. The hosts played the rest of the match with a man down.
An intense first half saw the two teams have 14 shots. Manchester City managed four on target, while Wolves could only muster a solitary effort on goal. The hosts played a physical game, winning 21 duels. However, they lacked creativity in front of goal and trailed 2-0 at the break.
Manchester City's level of play suffered as the half-time break robbed them of momentum. Their low phase allowed Wolves to get into the game, giving them some space in midfield to string together some passes. Despite that, the hosts failed to muster a single shot on target.
De Bruyne then provided his second assist of the night as he set up Phil Foden. Pep Guardiola made multiple substitutions, seeing that the game was beyond their opponents' reach. Despite the change in personnel, City maintained a good intensity. They attempted seven shots in the second period, of which three were on target.
Manchester City's defended well in numbers as they comfortably saw out the rest of the time. That said, let's take a look at the five hits and flops from this game.
#5. Hit - Jack Grealish
Grealish has faced a lot of criticism since his blockbuster £100 million move from Aston Villa in 2021. Many fans and pundits have questioned whether he can recreate the form that prompted City to bring him onboard.
His manager, Guardiola, recently stated that they did not sign the forward just for his goal contributions, but other aspects of the game as well.
Grealish answered his critics well as he scored in the very first minute of the game to give Manchester City the lead. He also completed all four attempted dribbles, played two key passes and won 10 of his 11 duels in a wonderful display.
#4. Flop - Nathan Collins
Nathan Collins' moment of madness was yet another iconic sending off in the Premier League era. Grealish was unfortunate to be on the receiving end of a terribly misjudged challenge.
Midway through the first half, the forward attempted to dart down the left flank to create a chance for his side. The ball arrived with a considerable bounce and Collins attempted to win it in the air using his foot. He misjudged the trajectory of the ball and caught Grealish in the chest, leaving the referee with an easy decision to make. It also put his team in a very tough spot.
#3. Hit - Erling Haaland
Haaland scored yet another goal to make it 11 goals in his first seven games in the Premier League. Considering that Manchester City paid £60 million for his services, the return has been nothing short of extraordinary.
The Norwegian attempted two shots on target, scoring from one of them. Despite having just 24 touches in 90 minutes, he managed to leave an impact on the game.
#2. Flop - Wolves' front three
Wolves have made one of the worst starts in front of goal by any side of the Premier League era. After seven games, they have managed to find the back of the net just thrice. They also haven't scored more than one goal in any of their games across competitions, barring their 2-1 win over Preston North End.
Goncalo Guedes, Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence started as the hosts' main forwards. Between them, however, they managed just four attempts, with just one on target. They also managed just one cross and one long ball in seven total attempts.
Bruno Lage will hope Diego Costa is up to speed once the upcoming international break is over. The veteran looks like Wolves' only hope for the remainder of the season.
#1. Hit - Kevin De Bruyne
De Bruyne played an excellent game, providing his sixth and seventh assists of the season so far. His highest tally since joining Manchester City in 2015 is 20 assists, which he managed in the 2019/20 season. If Haaland continues to be red-hot in front of goal, the Belgian could well and truly be on his way for another record-breaking season with a world class striker operating in front of him.
