• MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson – 7: The Brazilian again spent much of the first half keeping warm as he only saw the ball six times in the first 45 minutes. Forced into his first real save in stoppage time when Kilman’s header headed goalwards. Reuters
    MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson – 7: The Brazilian again spent much of the first half keeping warm as he only saw the ball six times in the first 45 minutes. Forced into his first real save in stoppage time when Kilman’s header headed goalwards. Reuters
  • Joao Cancelo – 7: Switched to right back and saw a long-range shot fire over the crossbar before aiming a low shot at Sa. Good tracking back to recover after moving to an advanced position. Standout with 73 touches of the ball by half-time and over 150 by full-time – the most by a margin. EPA
    Joao Cancelo – 7: Switched to right back and saw a long-range shot fire over the crossbar before aiming a low shot at Sa. Good tracking back to recover after moving to an advanced position. Standout with 73 touches of the ball by half-time and over 150 by full-time – the most by a margin. EPA
  • Ruben Dias – 7: Did well in the first half to keep Traore quiet, alongside Laporte, but largely a spectator. Booked. Reuters
    Ruben Dias – 7: Did well in the first half to keep Traore quiet, alongside Laporte, but largely a spectator. Booked. Reuters
  • Aymeric Laporte – 7: A relatively quiet display with the two centre-backs rarely worked but did well late on to dispossess Tricano. AFP
    Aymeric Laporte – 7: A relatively quiet display with the two centre-backs rarely worked but did well late on to dispossess Tricano. AFP
  • Oleksandr Zinchenko – 7: Kept his place in the side following City’s defeat against RB Leipzig and had a bouncing effort collected by Sa. A lively game for the Ukrainian. Reuters
    Oleksandr Zinchenko – 7: Kept his place in the side following City’s defeat against RB Leipzig and had a bouncing effort collected by Sa. A lively game for the Ukrainian. Reuters
  • Ilkay Gundogan – 6: Another one who struggled to get going in the first half but had his goalwards header cleared off the line by Coady just before his afternoon was cut short as City looked for a change. Reuters
    Ilkay Gundogan – 6: Another one who struggled to get going in the first half but had his goalwards header cleared off the line by Coady just before his afternoon was cut short as City looked for a change. Reuters
  • Rodri – 7: Good work in the middle to ensure any loose balls remain in City’s control. Couldn’t quite get a header off cleanly as Sa had no problem collecting. Booked for holding back Traore. PA
    Rodri – 7: Good work in the middle to ensure any loose balls remain in City’s control. Couldn’t quite get a header off cleanly as Sa had no problem collecting. Booked for holding back Traore. PA
  • Bernardo Silva – 7: Could have added to his goal tally early on when he was played in by a great ball and couldn’t quite curl his effort on target. Forced a low save from Sa in the second half with the ball bouncing around the goalmouth. PA
    Bernardo Silva – 7: Could have added to his goal tally early on when he was played in by a great ball and couldn’t quite curl his effort on target. Forced a low save from Sa in the second half with the ball bouncing around the goalmouth. PA
  • Jack Grealish – 6: Seemed unable to get into first gear in the first half but the former Aston Villa man finally looked to put his foot on the gas as City increased the intensity after the break. Should have doubled City’s lead when he failed to meet Sterling’s cross from six yards. AFP
    Jack Grealish – 6: Seemed unable to get into first gear in the first half but the former Aston Villa man finally looked to put his foot on the gas as City increased the intensity after the break. Should have doubled City’s lead when he failed to meet Sterling’s cross from six yards. AFP
  • Gabriel Jesus – 7: Could have got City off the mark seconds after the restart when his shot went narrowly wide. Forced a superb save from Sa in the final 10 minutes. Getty
    Gabriel Jesus – 7: Could have got City off the mark seconds after the restart when his shot went narrowly wide. Forced a superb save from Sa in the final 10 minutes. Getty
  • Raheem Sterling – 7: A man on a mission as he looked lively on the ball and often reading Cancelo’s lofted passes well, before netting his 100th Premier League goal through a penalty to break the deadlock. Getty
    Raheem Sterling – 7: A man on a mission as he looked lively on the ball and often reading Cancelo’s lofted passes well, before netting his 100th Premier League goal through a penalty to break the deadlock. Getty
  • SUBS: Phil Foden (Gundogan 56’) – 6: An early change for City who looked for inspiration in the second half. Had a shot on the turn met by the goalkeeper. Getty
    SUBS: Phil Foden (Gundogan 56’) – 6: An early change for City who looked for inspiration in the second half. Had a shot on the turn met by the goalkeeper. Getty
  • Kevin De Bruyne (for Grealish 74’) – 6: Dropped following City’s Champions League defeat but a fairly quiet reintroduction. Getty
    Kevin De Bruyne (for Grealish 74’) – 6: Dropped following City’s Champions League defeat but a fairly quiet reintroduction. Getty
  • WOLVES RATINGS: Jose Sa – 7: The 28-year-old likely expected a busier first half than he saw with City unable to get going. Went the wrong way for the penalty and could only watch it go straight down the middle. Great save to deny Silva netting City’s second, and another to keep Jesus out. AFP
    WOLVES RATINGS: Jose Sa – 7: The 28-year-old likely expected a busier first half than he saw with City unable to get going. Went the wrong way for the penalty and could only watch it go straight down the middle. Great save to deny Silva netting City’s second, and another to keep Jesus out. AFP
  • Max Kilman – 7: Almost let Jesus free on goal after 20 minutes when miscontrolling, but did well to rescue the ball in the penalty box. Great work to cut out Silva and Zinchenko before storming forward and managing to find Hwang. Brilliant block to deny Foden in stoppage time and nearly equalised. Getty
    Max Kilman – 7: Almost let Jesus free on goal after 20 minutes when miscontrolling, but did well to rescue the ball in the penalty box. Great work to cut out Silva and Zinchenko before storming forward and managing to find Hwang. Brilliant block to deny Foden in stoppage time and nearly equalised. Getty
  • Conor Coady – 7: A doubt coming into the game but vital in clearing up when Sterling was through on goal, albeit at a tight angle. Seemed to be all-over the backline covering as his side were unable to get out of their half. Cleared Gundogan’s goalwards header off the line in another piece of great defending. Getty
    Conor Coady – 7: A doubt coming into the game but vital in clearing up when Sterling was through on goal, albeit at a tight angle. Seemed to be all-over the backline covering as his side were unable to get out of their half. Cleared Gundogan’s goalwards header off the line in another piece of great defending. Getty
  • Romain Saiss – 6: Did not find himself in the good books of the home fans when he was controversially caught by Sterling, but relatively sturdy. EPA
    Romain Saiss – 6: Did not find himself in the good books of the home fans when he was controversially caught by Sterling, but relatively sturdy. EPA
  • Nelson Semedo – 6: Didn’t see too much of the ball for large parts of the game but did do well to intercept Silva and keep the ball moving forward. Getty
    Nelson Semedo – 6: Didn’t see too much of the ball for large parts of the game but did do well to intercept Silva and keep the ball moving forward. Getty
  • Leander Dendoncker – 6 Wasted no time filling the vital role in defensive midfield to stop City getting through early on but didn’t see much of the ball. overall Booked for challenge on Rodri. Getty
    Leander Dendoncker – 6 Wasted no time filling the vital role in defensive midfield to stop City getting through early on but didn’t see much of the ball. overall Booked for challenge on Rodri. Getty
  • Ruben Neves – 6: The 24-year-old displayed some great tracking back when City counter-attacked, and tackled Grealish, but was left worse off when he collided heads with his teammate Kilman. Booked. PA
    Ruben Neves – 6: The 24-year-old displayed some great tracking back when City counter-attacked, and tackled Grealish, but was left worse off when he collided heads with his teammate Kilman. Booked. PA
  • Joao Moutinho – 6: The only change to the side as the Portuguese man came in for Hwang. He threw his body at the ball when Rodri had a chance from distance. Was unhappy when his block of Silva’s cross resulted in a penalty, which VAR didn’t overturn. AP
    Joao Moutinho – 6: The only change to the side as the Portuguese man came in for Hwang. He threw his body at the ball when Rodri had a chance from distance. Was unhappy when his block of Silva’s cross resulted in a penalty, which VAR didn’t overturn. AP
  • Rayan Ait-Nouri – 7: The young Frenchman held his own well considering the opposition and facing Sterling. Didn’t look nerved by throwing in a tackle or trying to move play forwards. Getty
    Rayan Ait-Nouri – 7: The young Frenchman held his own well considering the opposition and facing Sterling. Didn’t look nerved by throwing in a tackle or trying to move play forwards. Getty
  • Adama Traore – 5: Had to be extremely patient for long ball clearances to run on to but was largely stopped by City’s backline. Left isolated by Jimenez’s sending off, and then ineffective. AP
    Adama Traore – 5: Had to be extremely patient for long ball clearances to run on to but was largely stopped by City’s backline. Left isolated by Jimenez’s sending off, and then ineffective. AP
  • Raul Jimenez – 3: The 30-year-old received his second yellow just 48 seconds after picking up his first booking for a tackle on Rodri when he stopped a free-kick from being taken. Refused to leave the pitch for several minutes. Unforgivable and left Wolves at a disadvantage for the entire second half. Getty
    Raul Jimenez – 3: The 30-year-old received his second yellow just 48 seconds after picking up his first booking for a tackle on Rodri when he stopped a free-kick from being taken. Refused to leave the pitch for several minutes. Unforgivable and left Wolves at a disadvantage for the entire second half. Getty
  • SUBS: Hwang Hee-Chan (Traore 67’) – N/R Mostly isolated and on the backfoot after he came on. AP
    SUBS: Hwang Hee-Chan (Traore 67’) – N/R Mostly isolated and on the backfoot after he came on. AP
  • Francisco Trincao (Neves 82’) – N/R: Lively from the bench in the closing stages but ultimately harmless. AP
    Francisco Trincao (Neves 82’) – N/R: Lively from the bench in the closing stages but ultimately harmless. AP
  • Daniel Podence (Dendoncker 87’) – N/R: Produced an absolute cracker of a ball in for Kilman in stoppage time for Kilman to head. Getty
    Daniel Podence (Dendoncker 87’) – N/R: Produced an absolute cracker of a ball in for Kilman in stoppage time for Kilman to head. Getty

Sport

Football

Manchester City v Wolves ratings: Sterling 7, Grealish 6; Traore 5, Jimenez 3

City stay top of the Premier League after narrow victory against 10-man Wolves

Emma James

December 12, 2021

  • English
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Raheem Sterling scored his 100th Premier League goal as leaders Manchester City claimed a hard-fought win over 10-man Wolves at the Etihad Stadium.

The England forward struck from a controversial penalty after 66 minutes to settle an ill-tempered contest that swung in the champions’ favour after Raul Jimenez was sent off for two quickfire bookings late in the first half.

Jimenez was given a first yellow card for fouling Rodri and then, by blocking the resulting free-kick at close range, he gave referee Jon Moss no option but to dismiss him.

Player ratings for the game can be seen in the picture gallery above. To view the next image, click on the arrows or swipe if on a mobile device.

Updated: December 12, 2021, 4:13 AM
Premier LeagueManchester City