Wolves 0-3 Man City: Player ratings, Pep Guardiola reaction and how Grealish and Haaland found trademark goals

Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-3 Manchester City (Grealish 1′, Haaland 16′, Foden 69′)

Manchester City earned a comfortable victory over Wolves at Molineux to move top of the Premier League table for the first time this season.

Pep Guardiola‘s side were in control from the very start as the first attack of the game saw them take the league through England forward Jack Grealish. After Rodri swept the ball wide to Phil Foden, Kevin de Bruyne made an overlapping run and, having received a perfectly weighted backheel from his team-mate, sent a superb quick cross across the face of goal which Grealish was able to meet with a smart finish beyond Jose Sa.

Starting to the left of the prolific Erling Haaland, Grealish made the kind of perfectly-timed run to towards the centre of the six-yard box from his wide starting position that Raheem Sterling perfected in his time with the club, this the archetypal City goal under their genius coach.

For the next ten minutes Wolves dominated possession as they sought to reassert themselves in the contest, but Erling Haaland put the match beyond them after just 12 minutes with a trademark goal of his own, as he strode forward and lashed a finish past Sa while defenders backed off him.

At 2-0 City had the three points sewn up inside a quarter of an hour, thanks to one kind of goal which has defined their playing style for so long under Guardiola, and another which is the trademark of a forward who is simply unstoppable. That combination of the old and the new could well take City to a level of dominance beyond that which they have already experienced since Guardiola’s arrival.

Manchester City were not at their very best against Wolves, but were still full value for the win from the very start (Photo: Getty)

Nathan Collins was sent off just after the half-hour mark for the home side for an horrendous foul on Grealish, outrageously stamping into his opponent’s stomach with his studs while jumping in mid-air. Despite the Irishman’s nonsensical protests against referee Anthony Taylor’s entirely justified decision, Wolves were down to ten and their race was run.

In the second-half, Wolves were allowed to push forward while City sensibly allowed themselves to take a rest during the game, refusing to over-exert their energy too often with the victory secured. The home side had a couple of dangerous moments around the edge of the penalty area without really creating a proper goalscoring opportunity.

City did manage to find themselves a third, though, as Phil Foden squeezed a smart finish inside the far post after a neat one-two between Haaland and De Bruyne down the right-hand side. From there, the energy disappeared from the game as both sides drifted towards full-time.

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Afterwards, Guardiola was pleased with Grealish’s performance in particular, but refused to be too effusive about the collective performance.

“[Grealish] played really good and strong,” he told BT Sport after full-time. “It was a good goal arriving there, and he’s a guy who doesn’t lose the ball. In moments we were good, in other ones not so good. Fingers crossed they all come back fit [after the international break]. Of course internationals are important for them.”

Haaland became the first player to score in his four Premier League away games, and Rio Ferdinand believes the Norwegian will go on to score more Premier League goals this season than any other forward has managed before.

“I’m saying 35,” the former Manchester United defender said. ” The guy has got the ability to break records, and he’s in a team which is absolutely dominating. He’s getting a minimum of one good chance per half. He’s an amazing footballer and he’s got the heart and desire to go out and do that.”

Wolves player ratings

Jose Sa – Could potentially have done better with the second goal, as Haaland’s shot was not incredibly powerful and wasn’t placed right in the corner either. 5/10

Jonny Otto – Played reasonably, but no better than that as he was unable to track Grealish’s run for the opening goal and then couldn’t get out of his own half very often due to City’s threat down the left-hand side. 5/10

Nathan Collins – Rightly sent off for a horrendous foul on Grealish just after the half-hour mark, stamping on the England man’s stomach with his boot in mid-air. Dangerous, reckless, and cost his team any chance of getting back into the game. 1/10

Max Kilman – Backed off Haaland for the second goal, allowing the Norwegian far too much time and space to pick his spot. 4/10

Rayan Ait-Nouri – Generally neat and tidy on the ball and made a crucial interception as Haaland looked to swivel and shoot after controlling a cross on his chest at the very end of the first-half, but often held onto the ball for too long and cost his team the chance at counter-attacks. 5/10

Matheus Nunes – Struggled with City’s press, like his colleagues in midfield, and was unable to influence the game going forward. Slightly better in the second-half but still outclassed by those in sky blue. 5/10

Joao Moutinho – Looked physically incapable of coping with the intensity of the City press. Not strong enough on the ball and not enough stamina to help going backwards. 4/10

Ruben Neves – Booked for dissenting against a yellow card Nunes received, and was generally unable to have much of a positive impact, including spurning a couple of free-kicks in decent positions. Shifted to centre-back after Collin’s red card and didn’t do too badly, though almost scored an own goal with a sliced clearance from a corner. 4/10

Daniel Podence – Looked isolated up front for the majority of the match, unable to affect the game in a role he wouldn’t be being asked to play if all three of Wolves’ traditional forwards were not absent. 4/10

Pedro Neto – Like his colleagues in attack, unable to affect a game his team had very little impetus in. Lively towards the start of the second-half without demonstrating real quality. 5/10

Goncalo Guedes – Didn’t track De Bruyne’s run for the first goal, meaning the Belgian was completely unchallenged as he entered the side of the penalty area and crossed for Grealish to score, before fluffing a shot from Ait-Nouri’s cutback in the second-half. 4/10

Substitutes

Boubacar Traore (on for Podence 70′) – N/A

Hwang Hee-chan (on for Guedes 70′) – N/A

Nelson Semedo (on for Ait Nouri 80′) – N/A

Chem Campbell (on for Neto 85′) – N/A

Man City player ratings

Ederson – Made a couple of smart but expected first-half saves to make sure Wolves were unable to gain any impetus, and had little to do aside from that. 7/10

John Stones – Can’t give his the side the same width and speed as the absent Kyle Walker, understandably, but was confident on the ball and defended well throughout. Has impressed in that position this week. 6/10

Manuel Akanji – Doesn’t look like a brand new signing, which might not be too hard in a team as brilliant as City’s, but cannot be asked to do any more so far. Made a couple of crucial blocks early in the second-half as Wolves pushed forward. 7/10

Ruben Dias – Comfortable all afternoon long and started some useful attacks for his time with smart balls out from the back. 6/10

Joao Cancelo – Not at his cutting-edge creative best from left-back, but defended well throughout and contributed to build-up play when stepping forwards towards midfield. 7/10

Rodri – Was booked early in the first-half for a cynical tug back to stop a Wolves counter, and managed the rest of the game well without getting himself into trouble. Made a number of crucial interceptions in his own penalty area as Wolves tried to create chances early in the second-half. 8/10

Kevin de Bruyne – Gorgeous run and cross for the opener, putting the ball on a plate for Grealish to find the net, and dictated the pace of the game for the majority. Great work Foden’s goal too from one of the best players in world football. 7/10

Bernardo Silva – As hard-working as ever, gave Wolves’ midfielders precious little time to settle on the ball with his pressing. 6/10

Phil Foden – Did excellently for the first goal, timing and placing the backheel perfectly for De Bruyne to run onto, before scoring one of his own with great movement and subtle skill to find the far corner. 7/10

Jack Grealish – The run across the box for his goal was excellent and the finish was well controlled. Enraged the home crowd throughout the game by repeatedly winning fouls. 8/10

Erling Haaland – Quiet for the most part, not involved in much of his team’s build-up-play, but utterly ruthless in the key moment. Again. Continued a staggeringly impressive start. 8/10

Substitutes

Ilkay Gundogan (on for De Bruyne 72′) – N/A

Riyad Mahrez (on for Bernardo Silva 72′) – N/A

Julian Alvarez (on for Foden 72′) – N/A

Cole Palmer (on for Grealish 76′) – N/A

Sergio Gomez (on for Rodri 80′) – N/A

Haaland deserves headlines but relentless Rodri is star man

Erling Haaland now has 11 Premier League goals in seven appearances (Photo: Getty)

By Daniel Story, i chief football correspondent

The most goals a Premier League player has ever scored in all competitions in a single season is 44. We have reached mid-September and Erling Haaland is almost a third of the way to that target. The question is now not whether he will take some time to settle in the Premier League or be eased into Manchester City’s shape, but whether he will stay fit all season and thus have a good shot at breaking Mohamed Salah’s record for goals in a 38-game Premier League season. He’s a third of the way to doing that too.

At Molineux on Saturday lunchtime, City replicated their most common Premier League performance: early goal, control of possession, offering slight hope to counter-attacking opponents, killing off the game. Amid all the chatter of fixture congestion and fatigue, you preserve your energy when you can. Both managers would have shaken hands on 2-0 at half-time.

But look a little deeper for City’s best player. Given City’s usual dominance of territory and possession, it is easier to notice Rodri as a progressive passer. It is certainly true that his consistency is astonishing, both in terms of passing accuracy and the decision-making of when to quicken the tempo. He is the conductor maestro.

Yet that isn’t even Rodri’s strongest suit. Three times in the first 15 minutes of the second half, the only minutes in which Wolves troubled City and forced their opponents to play facing their own goal, a ball was pulled back to roughly the penalty spot. Each time, a player in gold was well-placed to take a shot but the pass was intercepted by Rodri. His positional sense, without the ball, is like nothing else in the league.

Against Wolves, City had far more than half of the ball but no player on the pitch won possession more times than Rodri. No Manchester City players made more clearances or intercepted more passes. No midfielder on the pitch gave the ball away less often. He is the holding midfielder who can do everything.

Read chief football writer Daniel Storey’s Premier League verdict every Monday morning by signing up for The Score here

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