Manchester City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers. Premier League.
Etihad StadiumAttendance52,613.
Free match highlights and report as Raheem Sterling reaches 100 Premier League goals with penalty in City win over Wolves; Raul Jimenez sent off for two bookings within 31 seconds; City have won seven on the trot and will end weekend on top of table; Wolves with no goal or win in four
Sunday 12 December 2021 00:00, UK
Raheem Sterling scored his 100th Premier League goal as Manchester City beat 10-man Wolves 1-0 following Raul Jimenez's foolish first-half red card.
At the end of a sleepy opening half, Jimenez inexplicably saw red for two yellow cards in the space of just 31 seconds, first for a foul on halfway and then for attempting to block the resulting free-kick.
City finally broke the deadlock with a controversial penalty award - Bernardo Silva's cross hit Joao Moutinho's armpit, though Jon Moss and VAR adjudged the ball to have hit enough of the midfielder's arm - allowing Sterling to reach his Premier League century from the spot, the 32nd player to do so and the eighth-youngest at 27 years old.
Wolves boss Bruno Lage disagreed with the decision, saying after the game to BT Sport: "He put his arm out but where did it touch? Come on."
The result means City extend their winning Premier League run to seven, and will end the weekend top of the Premier League, while Wolves are now winless and without a goal in four.
The majority of the first half was joyless and tepid as Manchester City dominated the ball, but struggled to break down a tight Wolves unit, who themselves struggled to implement the game plan on the counter-attack.
But in first-half stoppage time, the game came to life as Jimenez foolishly received two bookings in quick succession. After seeing yellow for fouling Rodri on halfway, the Mexican then stood in the way of the City free-kick, leaving Jon Moss with no choice but to send him off. Jimenez, seemingly shocked and embarrassed by the needless red, took an age to walk off the pitch.
Jimenez's manager Lage had more of an issue with the referee's decision, saying after the game that the first yellow was undeserved and hard to take.
City had a strong shout for a penalty denied minutes later as Jack Grealish's cross hit the arm of Max Kilman in the box, and though the Wolves defender leaned into the ball with his arms by his side, both Moss and the VAR gave him the benefit of the doubt.
As expected, the numerical advantage only increased City's pressure on the Wolves goal, but more clear-cut openings began to appear. Ilkay Gundogan's header was cleared off the line by Conor Coady, before City were awarded a controversial spot-kick.
Bernardo's cross looked to hit the armpit of Moutinho in the box - in truth, it looked less of a penalty than the Kilman incident in the first half - but after a VAR review the initial decision of penalty stood. Sterling stepped up, and rolled his penalty down the middle to join the Premier League 100 club.
Jack Grealish should have made it two minutes later, turning over the bar with most of the goal gaping at the far post from a Sterling cross.
Wolves, in their own defensive third for most of the game, put their bodies on the line to keep within one goal of City, and they were nearly rewarded in stoppage time with their only meaningful attack of the afternoon. Leander Dendoncker crossed for Kilman back post, and his header had to be tipped over the bar by Ederson, who was a mere spectator until then at the Etihad.
It wasn't City's most impressive performance, but with 71 per cent possession and 24 shots to three, few could deny they didn't deserve it.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola on BT Sport: "We were much better with 11 players and with 10 from Wolves. It is so difficult against a team who defend the way they defend."
In post-match press conference: "Up against a team who didn't want to play, didn't want to attack. They defend so well and we deserved to get the win, we were by far the better team."
Wolves boss Bruno Lage on BT Sport: "No penalty for me. That's why it is very strange, the referee decision and the VAR decision. I protect VAR every time, it is very good for modern football. He put his arm out but where did it touch? Come on."
On Jimenez's red card: "He knows he cannot do that. I went into the dressing room and saw his face. But the first yellow, he didn't touch the man and we have 10 men behind the ball. So it is a very hard decision and cost us a lot.
"We started the season like this. With that goal against Man Utd and a penalty against Tottenham - little things. I don't want to talk about referees and VAR, but we need to go in the right direction because football is a beautiful game."
Man City now host Leeds at 8pm on Tuesday, while Wolves are at Brighton at 7.30pm on Wednesday. Watch free highlights from both games shortly after full time on Sky Sports.com, the Sky Sports App and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.
