Man City dig deep to overcome 10-man Wolves with Raheem Sterling penalty

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:01 am

Manchester City eventually overcame 10-man Wolves with Raheem Sterling's second-half penalty in their Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Raul Jimenez picked up two yellow cards in quick succession -- the second of which for preventing Rodri from taking a quick free-kick -- in first-half stoppage time to leave his teammates with an uphill task.

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Prior to the red card, Wolves were more than in the game and manager Bruno Lage was unhappy with the first booking picked by Jimenez for a tackle on Rodri.

"The first yellow card, he did not touch the guy and it is in our half and we had 10 men behind the ball," Lage said after the match. "I don't believe in tactical fouls when you are in transition.

"The first yellow card is a crazy decision for me, in my opinion. A hard decision to accept."

City attacked from the start of the second half but struggled to make the breakthrough with Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa and defender Conor Coady producing impressive saves on the line.

However, City did get the chance from the spot on 66 minutes after a Bernardo Silva cross was adjudged to have hit Joao Moutinho's arm.

Manchester City's Raheem Sterling (centre) celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game from the penalty spot
Manchester City's Raheem Sterling (centre) celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game from the penalty spot
Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images

And Sterling displayed incredible composure to roll the ball beyond Sa for his 100th Premier League goal. 

"I believe in VAR and that it can help this game and the referee," Lage said of the decision. "The referee saw his arm and the rules say he is trying to create a bigger body. But the ball touched here [his armpit]. But after the referee whistles it's a VAR decision.

"Look, It's on to Brighton and I want to boost the morale of the players because they gave everything. We move on."

City manager Pep Guardiola said his team were the better team throughout and deserved their victory

"We were much better with 11 players and with 10 from Wolves," Guardiola told BT Sport after the match. "It is so difficult against a team who defend the way they defend.

"I didn't see [the penalty]. I saw it on the field but I didn't see it now on TV."