Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. vs Man City: Early Pressure and Wolves Strong Start
The game got underway with Wolverhampton Wanderers keen to shrug off the poor start to their campaign. Well, within seven minutes, Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. vs Man City saw the hosts take a surprise lead. At the far post, Jorgen Strand Larsen slotted home after a brilliant run and cross from Nelson Semedo, sending the home crowd into raptures. The Wolves had really struggled late to pick up points, but they managed to execute the counter-attacking game plan and put Manchester City under some early pressure.
Despite conceding a goal, City dominated possession as they constantly created pressure on the well-set-up backline of Wolves, but the statistics explained it all when City had 218 touches in the final third in the first half. However, the backline of Wolves marshaled by goalkeeper Jose Sa stood tall. The early heroics of Sa included two brilliant saves that denied City the equaliser and kept Wolves ahead at the break.
Josko Gvardiol Levels for City
Manchester City vs Wolves match results saw a piece of magic in the 33rd minute, courtesy of Josko Gvardiol. Receiving the ball from Jeremy Doku, the Croatian centre back curled in a right-footed strike into the top corner which left Sa with absolutely no chance. The goal marked the equaliser for City and since then, they looked set to dominate the game.
Wolves, however, were not one to lie down and allow the opposition to run all over them. Gary O’Neil’s men, having changed to a back five for this match, were resolute in their defending as City’s usually free-flowing offense was curtailed. City could not break down the compact shape that Wolves presented. Even with the introductions of Phil Foden and Jack Grealish in the second half, Guardiola’s men could not find a way through.
Chris Kavanagh Man City: John Stones’ Controversial Winner
As the game wore into stoppage time, it looked all set for Wolves to leave the Etihad with a valuable point. But deep into the fourth minute of added time, City was awarded a corner, and John Stones rose highest to head home with a powerful effort from Foden’s delivery to give City a 2-1 lead.
The goal set off wild celebrations among the City players and supporters, but it was not without controversy. Referee Chris Kavanagh had originally flagged Bernardo Silva as being offside before being advised by VAR to take another look at the incident. The debate was whether Silva, while offside, obstructed Wolves’ goalkeeper Jose Sa from seeing the ball when Mahe appeared to lose control. Following advice from VAR, referee Chris Kavanagh consulted the pitchside monitor and judged that Silva had not impeded the line of vision by Ba, and the goal was given.
The decision incensed Wolves manager Gary O’Neil. “I don’t think there’s a bias, but it feels like big clubs get the benefit of the doubt,” O’Neil said post-match, alluding to possible subconscious bias in refereeing decisions. Wolves were at the opposite end against West Ham last season, a decision which left manager O’Neil wondering why the marginal call always seems to go against the low team.
Analysing Chris Kavanagh’s Decision
The goal allowed by Chris Kavanagh has been highly debated. The immediate question was whether Silva’s position influenced Sa’s ability to save the ball. Former referee Mark Clattenburg came to the defense of Chris Kavanagh, saying Silva was not obstructing Sa’s line of sight and did not interfere with his capacity to make a play on the ball. “It was the right decision, as Sa had a clear view when Stones headed the ball,” explained Clattenburg.
On the other hand, Wolves fans and a section of the pundits feel it should have gone the other way. Using proximity to arguably distract the goalkeeper from being in his line of sight, even if not directly blocking his view, was enough to claim for Silva. “There are subconscious biases that come into play when you’re up against the big teams,” O’Neill suggested, and decisions like this are likely to go for Manchester City.
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. vs Man City Stats
Ball Possession: Manchester City had a monopoly with 74% of possession, whereas Wolves had only 26%.
Total Shots: City attempted 18 shots on net to 5 by Wolves.
Shots on Target: City was able to shoot on target 6 times while Wolves have shot on target just twice.
Corners: Manchester City has gained 10 corners in the entire match to 3 by Wolves.
Passes: City ended with an astonishing 692 passes while Wolves had 242. Pass Accuracy: City had a pass accuracy of 89% while Wolves had 65%. Expected Goals: City had an xG of 2.12 – proof of what the team did in the opponents’ area – while Wolves had an xG of 0.68, depicting the posture of the visitor.
Fouls: Wolves committed 12 fouls, while City gave away 8. Yellow Cards: Both teams had 2 yellow cards each.
What’s Next for Man City F.C. and Wolves?
With the win, City leapfrogs Liverpool into the top position in the Premier League table. However, Guardiola will be worried that his side has fallen behind in five of their last seven matches, a trend that may cost them dearly if it continues.
Chris Kavanagh supports which team?
The controversy created outrage among the Wolves fans even when they questioned the ethics of the referee; Chris Kavanagh supports which team? For Wolves, the Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. vs Man City encounter may have ended in defeat, but there were several bright spots taken from the game. Bottom of the table, their defensive organisation at times managed to frustrate one of the best attacking teams in the world, and that should give them hope in future games.
