Manchester City held to 1-1 draw at Wolves in tense encounter

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:28 am

Manchester City stumbled to a 1-1 draw at Wolves in a tense lunchtime encounter at Molineux.

For all of their possession, City were unable to create many meaningful attacks, and were held firm by a resilient Wolves side.

It was in fact the home side who threatened first, having a goal disallowed after 20 minutes. Raul Jimenez was ajudged to have been offside from Diogo Jota's cross as he tapped it in, before Sergio Aguero immediately went down the other end and rattled Rui Patricio's post.

City hit the woodwork again two minutes later, when Raheem Sterling had an audacious half-volley tipped onto the bar by Patricio.

A cagey first half was capped off by a fizzing Benjamin Mendy cross, which was punched away by Patricio, but Aguero had his tame shot deflected safely back to the Wolves goalkeeper.

The hosts started the second half faster, and just over 10 minutes after the interval Helder Costa managed to break clear of Aymeric Laporte and Vincent Kompany, but was unable to sort his feet out and Ederson was able to push his shot behind.

Wolves broke the deadlock from the resulting corner though, with Joao Moutinho's cross brushing Matt Docherty's head and Willy Boly managed to direct it past Ederson into the City net, though replays showed that he in fact handled it in.

Willy Boly of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring.
Willy Boly of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring.
Sam Bagnall - AMA/Getty Images

Their lead only lasted for little over 10 minutes though, as City leveled on the 69-minute mark after Laporte headed home an Ilkay Gundogan free kick.

City threatened to take all three points with a quarter of an hour remaining, but Gabriel Jesus' header from Mendy's cross was directed straight at Patricio.

Leroy Sane was thrown on in the latter stages by Pep Guardiola in search of a winner, while Nuno Espirito Santo brought on club-record signing Adama Traore, whose pace and crossing caused City problems at the back.

Aguero was felled just over 20 yards from goal in the last minute of stoppage time, but his free kick hit the top of the bar and went to safety as his search for a first away league goal in 2018 goes on.

Wolves held on for the point and managed to extend a season-long record of remaining unbeaten when scoring the first goal in matches in the Premier League.