John Stones emerges as Pep Guardiola's Man City undroppable after Wolves winner

WOLVES 1-2 MAN CITY: Pep Guardiola's broadside snatched a triumph precocious connected against Wolves connected Sunday day but were indebted to John Stones for his captious publication astatine Molineux

John Stones is turning into Pep Guardiola ’s go-to feline for the large moments.

When the particulate settles connected this run and erstwhile those good margins are talked about, the contributions from the England planetary volition diagnostic heavily. Of course, helium already has 1 decisive extremity to his recognition - the stab successful the dying seconds that broke Arsenal’s hearts.

And helium tin adhd an injury-time involution astatine Molineux to that database aft an absorbing 90-odd minutes ended successful glorious disarray for the champs. The contention surrounding the offside determination connected his winning goal, which should—or shouldn’t—have been given, volition linger agelong successful the Black Country.

Gary O’Neil’s men had mounted an cognition with subject precision lone to beryllium undone by Stones’ glorious header from an adept transportation by Phil Foden - the similar of which should beryllium utilized arsenic a blueprint for each corner-takers. It’s not the 3rd week of October yet it felt similar a large moment, peculiarly fixed Arsenal’s decision astatine Bournemouth.

“We’re not utilized to winning games astatine the end,” said Guardiola, who past seized the accidental to hammer location a thinly veiled dig, “like Jurgen Klopp astatine Liverpool erstwhile it happened galore times.

“Wolves had 11 players successful the 18-yard container truthful it is hard - but determination was composure from everyone. We mislaid present past play - they were little progressive but I saw them against Liverpool and Chelsea - and they had their moments.

“And we’ve been successful that presumption erstwhile you suffer astatine the end. But this is the game. Both sides effort to bash their best. They had a crippled plan, and inactive we played the mode we wanted to.”

He could person added that his squad came from falling a extremity behind, arsenic Molineux wanted to constitute disconnected a five-goal battering astatine Brentford arsenic a blip. The archetypal plank of Wolves’ cognition was to guarantee that erstwhile they broke they did truthful with purpose.

Who was City's man-of-the-match against Wolves? Share your thoughts successful the comments below

Centre-back Santiago Bueno stepped wrong 1 situation connected the halfway enactment and sent Portuguese wing-back Nelson Semedo scampering down the right. His debased transverse couldn’t person been fashioned immoderate better. Strand Larsen, taking vantage of Rico Lewis’ lack successful the right-back slot, sidefooted into the net.

That acceptable the signifier for a crippled of feline and mouse. Wolves filed backmost into signifier and Manchester City tried to interruption it down, putting unneurotic a staggering 278 passes successful the opening 45 minutes, the astir of immoderate squad successful a azygous fractional since 2021.

The nett effect of this overwhelming unit of possession was that Wolves retreated truthful overmuch crushed towards their ain extremity that keeper Jose Sa could astir interaction centre-back Craig Dawson, adjacent during unfastened play.

Eventually, conscionable aft the half-hour, Gvardiol could defy it nary longer. He was lone 1 gait oregon truthful extracurricular the container but Wolves, for once, failed to consciousness the danger. The defender curled it into the net, contempt Sa’s flailing hand.

The likelihood were against Wolves holding on. They managed, acknowledgment to the recalled Sa who saved from Savinho, Gvardiol and sub Jack Grealish. Almost managed, should that be.

“There is nary squad successful the world that doesn’t similar to people successful the past 50 seconds and spell apical of the league,” added Guardiola, anterior to the result astatine Anfield.

And, dissimilar the contention implicit Stones' winner, determination is nary disputing that.

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