Three goals in the space of four minutes helped Manchester City sweep aside Wolves 5-2 and book their place in the Carling Cup quarter-finals.
Mancini's men book their place in the last eight with five-star show
Three goals in the space of four minutes helped Manchester City sweep aside Wolves 5-2 and book their place in the Carling Cup quarter-finals.
The hosts took a deserved lead early on at Molineux through Nenad Milijas, but were caught napping towards the end of the first half as Adam Johnson, Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko all found the target.
An own goal from Dorus de Vries and another from Dzeko had City out of sight after the interval, meaning an effort from Wolves substitute Jamie O'Hara counted for little.
Things had started so well for Mick McCarthy's side, with the home support doing their utmost to get behind their team following a weekend of discontent.
They took the lead with 18 minutes on the clock, with Milijas pouncing to lash home a loose ball following some uncharacteristically sloppy defending by City.
Roberto Mancini's men proved in Sunday's 6-1 demolition of Manchester United that they know the way to goal, though, and responded with a slick three-goal blitz as half-time approached.
First Johnson swept past De Vries on 37 minutes and moments later they were ahead as Nasri was sprung clear and rolled the ball into the bottom corner.
Johnson was causing havoc at this stage and he played a part in City's third, with Dzeko hammering into the roof of the net after De Vries could only block a close-range effort from Luca Scapuzzi back into play.
It was four for the visitors five minutes after the interval as Scapuzzi's bundled effort was hacked clear off the line, but ricocheted back over it off De Vries.
Dzeko then grabbed his second of the game on 64 minutes, with Aleksandar Kolarov awarded acres of space down the left to burst into the box and square for the Bosnian to poke home.
Wolves refused to throw in the towel despite finding themselves four goals down and O'Hara pulled one back a minute later as he fired past Costel Pantilimon with his first touch.
Clinical
City have now scored 45 goals in 15 games this season after producing the same sort of clinical finishing evident in their derby win over United at the weekend.
Wolves showed plenty of spirit but the gulf in class was massive and they will not relish having to face City again at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Stefan Savic became the first player to be booked after seven minutes for body-checking Stephen Hunt after a powerful run to the edge of the City box.
Wolves started confidently and David Edwards headed just over from Hunt's first time centre.
The home supporters appealed in vain for a penalty for handball against Kolarov when replays indicated the ball appeared to strike his arm.
But after 18 minutes Milijas, who scored in both league games with City last season, put Wolves in front.
Sam Vokes made good ground down the left before centring and Milijas was able to turn and fire a left-footed shot into the roof of the net.
Setback
Craddock was booked a minute later for a late challenge on Dzeko.
City tried to respond to their setback and Dzeko threaded the ball through to Abdul Razak, but George Elokobi made a superb tackle as the Ivory Coast player prepared to shoot.
After 37 minutes a clinical finish from Johnson put City on level terms.
Dzeko teed up the England winger on the edge of the box and his left-footed 20-yard drive flew past De Vries into the corner of the net.
Johnson then turned provider for Nasri two minutes later. His superb pass picked out the former Arsenal player and he arrowed a low shot into the corner of the net.
City were now rampant and after 40 minutes Dzeko made it 3-1. De Vries made a fine save to block Scapuzzi's close-range effort from a Nasri centre but Dzeko converted the rebound.
Hunt had a great chance to reduce the arrears after 47 minutes when he got on the end of Elokobi's ball back into the box, but failed to make a clean contact on his shot.
City were soon back on the offensive and an own goal from De Vries made it 4-1 after 50 minutes.
Blocked
Kolarov found himself in plenty of space on the left before crossing into the path of Nasri. The Frenchman's initial shot was blocked by De Vries but then the follow-up effort from Scapuzzi rebounded off him over the line.
City looked like scoring every time they ventured forward and De Vries made a point-blank save to deny Dzeko.
Hunt was booked for a foul on Nigel de Jong before Dzeko struck again after 64 minutes with a simple tap-in.
Wolves pulled one back within a minute via the first touch of substitute O'Hara, who turned home a Ward centre.
Dzeko had the chance to complete his hat-trick but his shot was blocked by Craddock.
But Wolves showed plenty of spirit and O'Hara was only just too high with a 20-yard drive.
Then Pantilimon saved Ward's drive at the second attempt and beat away an O'Hara piledriver.
| Wolverhampton Wanderers |
Team Statistics |
Manchester City |
| 2 |
Goals |
5 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
3 |
| 6 |
Shots on Target |
9 |
| 6 |
Shots off Target |
4 |
| 6 |
Blocked Shots |
5 |
| 10 |
Corners |
5 |
| 15 |
Fouls |
12 |
| 0 |
Offsides |
0 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 82.6 |
Passing Success |
86.2 |
| 20 |
Tackles |
14 |
| 60 |
Tackles Success |
50 |
| 44.8 |
Possession |
55.2 |
| 56.9 |
Territorial Advantage |
43.1 |
| 402 |
Total Passes |
521 |
| 30 |
Total Crosses |
16 |
| 133 |
Lost Balls |
135 |
| 59 |
Recoveries |
53 |
|
