Pep Guardiola’s men have closed the gap back to four points on their title rivals Liverpool with a 3-0 victory at the Etihad. They brushed aside a Wolves team who still currently maintain the best record against the top six teams compared to all other teams outside the Premier League’s elite.
It did not take long for City to take the lead when Gabriel Jesus got a foot onto the end of Leroy Sane’s squared ball from four yards out. However, it was Laporte’s pass down the left flank to Sane which caught the Wolves defence off guard and showed how clinical Pep’s team are from any position on the pitch, only taking two forward passes starting from the halfway line to set up Jesus to take the lead.
Manchester City continued to dominate the ball and create sparks of chances, remaining unpredictable. Frustration from Willy Boly saw him sent off after 20 minutes for a needless and forceful tackle which saw both feet leave the floor. He won the ball but the velocity from leaving the ground saw his studs up through the ball with a helpless Bernado Silva on the receiving end. It was unnecessary and only furthered City’s dominance on the ball.
The extra man proved too much for 10-man Wolves when City got behind the Wolves defence once more and caught Bennett on the wrong side of Sterling who fouled him in efforts to get the ball. Jesus stepped to calmly send Rui Patricio the wrong way and give City a two-goal advantage.
Wolves introduced Adama Traore for Raul Jimenez at the break to try and catch City out using quick counter attacks as an alternative tactic against the Champions but despite their efforts, City were in complete control from the kick-off for the final 45 minutes.
Manchester City introduced Kevin De Bruyne for Sane midway through the second half who forced City’s third goal. A whipped in-swinging ball from the left caused Conor Coady to throw his leg at the ball only to help guide it into the far bottom corner. The pacey, dipping cross is often a defender’s nightmares, and is always a risk for defenders getting an own goal etched next to their name, like Coady in this case.
Wolves’ hope of a result vanished when Boly was dismissed and City never needed to get exhaust themselves to break down Wolves. The sky blues controlled the game from start to finish like in many of their home games and comfortably dismissed their opponents adding to their impressive goal tally.
Ruben Neves: Should he stay or should he go?
Pep Guardiola has branded Neves as an ‘excellent’ player when discussing the rumours of links with the player to Manchester City but has made it clear that he is not going to pay £100 million for a holding midfielder. The 21-year-old Portuguese star recently made headlines when scoring from outside the box to knock current Premier League leaders, Liverpool, out of the FA Cup. He was vital in Wolves’ promotion and has proved important in grabbing occasional goals and assists in the Premier League.
There is a lot of potential, but would it be better to stay and develop with a squad who know him and a manager who has helped develop his talent? This is probably the reason there has been a £100 million price tag slapped on the midfielder to prevent him leaving this January. He is guaranteed first team football at Wolves and can continue playing in a system that he performs exceptionally well in.
However, if the opportunity arises to play under Pep Guardiola and his Man City squad with world class talent, that too could produce the right environment for the young player to flourish. Even though Pep has ruled out paying £100 million, an offer may still be submitted and maybe even from another top club with other Premier League teams expressing interest.
The future is bright for the young Portuguese player and he has not been phased by or expressed his desire to leave the club that introduced him to the world on the Premier League stage. It’s refreshing to see a player keep working on their game with the club they are at in the face of interest from bigger clubs. It’s understandable if he chooses to leave if an offer comes in but under Nuno, he will still continue to grow and attract attention from other big names in the footballing world. Perhaps a big money offer may be too good for Wolves to reject.
Gabriel Jesus: Family key to his returning form
Gabriel Jesus has struggled in the Premier League this season only scoring five goals in 17 appearances with braces against Wolves and Everton and with one against Huddersfield. However, four of these goals have come in the last month of football.
Since his family came over from Brazil, he started scoring again and the City gaffer highlighted that his family is key to the player’s form. Even with this blip in the young striker’s form, he was still praised by his manager for his work ethic, runs and attitude which he feels contributed to his teams’ victories.
The 21-year-old competes for a place against one of the Premier Leagues best ever strikers in Sergio Aguero and last season, he was keeping him out of the team resulting in rumours of a potential exit for the Argentine. This season has been a different story as he has not been able to match Aguero’s contributions to goals every 80 minutes, instead he’s achieved a contribution every 157 minutes.
However, he is finding his form in this busy period of football and it highlights how personal pressures affect the youngster’s performance with him playing better with his family with him. As Jesus gets older and develops his skills, it’s likely he will come into his own and be regarded a top striker considering what he has proved in his young age.
He is already an exceptional modern-day striker capable of creating and finishing chances while being a professional poacher in front of goal. Pep will be pleased that he is beginning to recapture his form as he now has two fantastic strikers consistently finding the back of the net.
Can Wolves break the top six in coming seasons?
Even with tonight’s result, Wolves still have the best record against the top six compared to the rest of the league. Leicester’s title-winning season has shown the other teams in the Premier League that anything is possible, so Wolves breaking into the top six doesn’t seem so far-fetched.
Their signings in recent windows have seen them bring in great talent and some big names which bodes well when a team is looking to progress and build in the Premier League. They have then managed to exceed expectations with results so far this season and their attractive style of football has caught attention of the football community. Only halfway through their first season since returning to the Premier League, they are already looking years ahead of teams around them and like an established Premier League team.
However, if Wolves want to mount a serious attempt at cracking the top six, they must build on the momentum they have gained this season. The January transfer window is a chance to bring more depth to a stretched squad and maintain a top ten finish this season.
On top of this, they must evaluate whether their in-demand players like the £100 million-rated 21-year-old, Ruben Neves, can bring more to the club by keeping them or profiting from their inflated price tags and investing this into other players.
Nuno’s focus will be on finishing as high as possible this season and earning a chance to qualify for next season’s Europa League but planning ahead is pivotal in whether Wolves will thrive or fall in the Premier League.
Would a Quadruple attempt cost City the Premier League title?
Tonight’s result still leaves City in with a chance of the quadruple, being only four points behind Liverpool. However, Pep still claims the Quadruple is impossible, whether that is to remove pressure from his squad or if that’s his genuine belief, Manchester City are still in the hunt. Would a fight on four fronts be too much or could City make history and be the first club to achieve the Quadruple under Pep?
Usually, the top teams in the Premier League field weaker teams in domestic cup competitions if they have priorities in the Premier League and Europe, however despite City’s squad having immense depth, it could be argued that Pep has not let up in any competition so far. They are all but officially in the League Cup final and still hot on the heels of Liverpool in the Premier League, but could focus in other competitions be the downfall in their attempt to retain the Premier League title?
Manchester City have been dominant in the Premier League over the last season and a half and it came as a shock when they lost back to back games against Crystal Palace and Leicester City. They seem to have got back on track having then defeated Liverpool weeks later. They do not have the security of letting off the pace in the Premier League as it seems they have genuine competition this year, but this could be the year they do the unthinkable if they take the risks.
The Champions League is their biggest hurdle as they have not challenged as much as they should have in recent years. The League Cup final is a certain and there is still a way to go in the FA Cup.
With this in mind and them trailing the leaders in the Premier League with both home and away fixtures against Liverpool already played, can they afford to risk fielding weaker teams in the Premier League to share the load across the four competitions? Guardiola is one of the best coaches in modern day football and City need to take risks to be greater than the rest while they have him at the helm.
