Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring the winning goal.
Image credit: Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne marked his penultimate home game with a crucial strike that lifted Manchester City to third place in the Premier League after a hard-fought 1–0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium.
De Bruyne, who announced last month that he will leave Manchester City when his contract expires at the end of the season, demonstrated his quality with a first-time finish from Jeremy Doku’s low cross in the 35th minute.
That goal proved to be the difference in a match where Wolves were anything but passive.
Wolves, fresh off an impressive six-match winning streak, showed early signs of danger.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde had an excellent chance to open the scoring after breaking through City’s defense, but opted to square the ball instead of shooting.
His decision cost Wolves dearly, as Marshall Munetsi’s sliding attempt to connect fell short.
City struggled to break through in the first half, with Wolves putting pressure on the defending champions.
Rayan Ait-Nouri came inches away from putting the visitors ahead with a strike that hit the far post, and his follow-up was cleared off the line by Josko Gvardiol.
The visitors’ pressing and counter-attacks left City rattled, and they were fortunate to go into halftime with a one-goal lead.
The second half saw Wolves continue their push for an equalizer.
Matheus Cunha came close with a whipped effort that struck the woodwork, adding to City’s defensive anxieties.
Despite the visitors’ efforts, Manchester City managed to hold firm and take all three points.
The match against Wolves marked a significant victory for Pep Guardiola’s side, who are now four points clear of sixth-placed Nottingham Forest in the race for Champions League qualification.
Guardiola admitted that City’s season has not been good enough, but with a recent FA Cup final appearance and a nine-match unbeaten run, his team is hitting form at just the right time.
With matches remaining against already-relegated Southampton, Bournemouth, and Fulham, City knows that victories in those games will confirm their place in next season’s elite European competition.
As for De Bruyne, the iconic midfielder, whose contribution to Manchester City’s rise has been immeasurable, was a standout in this match.
Despite nearing the end of his City career, his performance showed that he still has plenty to offer.
With six goals and five assists against Wolves during his time at City, it’s clear that the Midlands club will be relieved to see him leave.
On the other hand, Wolves’ manager, Vitor Pereira, can take pride in his team’s performance despite the defeat.
The Portuguese coach has worked wonders since taking over from Gary O’Neil in December, guiding his side to Premier League safety.
Wolves have been one of the form teams in the league, with only Liverpool and Newcastle winning more games since Pereira’s arrival.
In this match, despite the loss, Wolves showed they could have stolen a point or more, having hit the woodwork twice and missed key chances.
With safety assured for next season, Wolves can now enjoy the remainder of their campaign with upcoming fixtures against Brighton, Crystal Palace, and Brentford.
Man of the Match: Kevin De Bruyne (7.46 rating)
Next for City: Southampton, Bournemouth, Fulham
