3 years ago
339 
Phil Foden has been directly involved in 22 goals in 33 starts for Manchester City (12 goals, 10 assists)Manchester City held off a second-half Wolves fightback to begin their quest to regain the Premier League title with a win at Molineux.
City did the damage in a superb first half as Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden, playing for the first time since being sent home from England duty in disgrace, both found the net.
At that stage it seemed a case of how many the visitors would get, with Foden and Raheem Sterling both going close and Wolves keeper Rui Patricio making two decent saves.
However, City ran out of steam after the break.
Daniel Podence twice went close for the hosts and Kyle Walker hacked a scuffed Ruben Neves shot off the line, before Raul Jimenez, scorer of 27 goals last season, netted for the second time in this one 12 minutes from time.
However, Wolves were unable to repeat last term's exploits, when they came back from 2-0 down to win this fixture, and Gabriel Jesus' injury-time effort sealed victory for Pep Guardiola's side.
De Bruyne and Foden shine
De Bruyne was superb in the number 10 role as City made light of the absence of seven senior players.
In opening the scoring from the penalty spot, after he had been fouled by Romain Saiss, the Belgian extended his record of being involved in more goals - 34, 14 goals and 20 assists - than any other player since the start of the 2019-20 league campaign.
While it was those attributes that led to him winning the PFA prize despite playing for a team that finished the season 18 points behind champions Liverpool, it was De Bruyne's tenacious streak that came to the fore in the second period on Monday, when City had to be on their toes defensively and new £40m centre-back Nathan Ake showed his class.
But if De Bruyne was the standout City player, it was also a good night for Foden.
The 20-year-old England midfielder has been shielded to an extent by City since that regrettable incident in Iceland, which both he and Guardiola said was a mistake. Whatever lessons Foden needs to learn off the field, he is evidently a very able student when it comes to matters on it.
His goal was a thing of beauty, as he firmly finished off a move he started from Sterling's cutback. Foden also nearly scored a sensational second with a floated effort that just went wide of the far post.
What's next?
Wolves travel to London Stadium to take on West Ham United on Sunday (19:00 BST kick-off).
Manchester City host Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup third round on Thursday (19:45), before taking on Leicester City at Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday (16:30).
More to follow.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers
Squad number11Player nameRui Patrício
Squad number37Player nameTraoré
Squad number15Player nameBoly
Squad number16Player nameCoady
Squad number27Player nameSaïss
Squad number5Player nameMarçal
Squad number28Player nameJoão Moutinho
Squad number8Player nameRúben Neves
Squad number7Player namePedro Neto
Squad number9Player nameJiménez
Squad number10Player nameDaniel Podence
Squad number17Player nameFabio Silva
Squad number29Player nameRúben Vinagre
Squad number32Player nameDendoncker
Manchester City
Squad number31Player nameEderson
Squad number2Player nameWalker
Squad number5Player nameStones
Squad number6Player nameAké
Squad number22Player nameMendy
Squad number25Player nameFernandinho
Squad number16Player nameRodri
Squad number47Player nameFoden
Squad number17Player nameDe Bruyne
Squad number7Player nameSterling
Squad number9Player nameGabriel Jesus
Squad number21Player nameTorres
Line-ups
Wolves
11Rui Patrício37Traoré15Boly16Coady27Saïss5Marçal de OliveiraSubstituted forVinagreat 8'minutes28João MoutinhoSubstituted forDendonckerat 78'minutes8Neves7NetoSubstituted forSoares Silvaat 78'minutes9Jiménez10Castelo PodenceSubstitutes
17Soares Silva20Machado Ferreira21Ruddy29Vinagre32Dendoncker49Kilman59BuurMan City
31Ederson2Walker5Stones6Aké22MendyBooked at 35mins25Fernandinho16RodriBooked at 86mins47Foden17De Bruyne7SterlingSubstituted forTorresat 81'minutes9Gabriel JesusBooked at 35minsSubstitutes
13Steffen21Torres26Mahrez30Otamendi48Delap69Doyle82BernabéLive Text
Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Manchester City 3.
90'+6'
Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Manchester City 3.
90'+5'
Goal! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Manchester City 3. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
90'+4'
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Rui Patrício.
90'+4'
Attempt saved. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
90'+1'
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Conor Coady.
89'
Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Fernandinho.
88'
Foul by Benjamin Mendy (Manchester City).
88'
Adama Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
87'
Attempt missed. Willy Boly (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Rúben Neves following a set piece situation.
86'
Rodrigo (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card.
86'
Foul by Rodrigo (Manchester City).
86'
Raúl Jiménez (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
81'
Substitution, Manchester City. Ferran Torres replaces Raheem Sterling.
80'
Attempt saved. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is saved in the centre of the goal.
79'
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
79'
Foul by Leander Dendoncker (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
79'
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
79'
Foul by Willy Boly (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
78'
Goal! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Manchester City 2. Raúl Jiménez (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Daniel Podence with a cross following a corner.
