Manchester City secured a contentious 2-1 victory over Wolves, with a late goal by John Stones confirmed after a VAR review, propelling the champions to the top of the Premier League on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola’s side initially fell behind to Jorgen Strand Larsen’s surprise goal for Wolves early in the first half. However, City levelled through Josko Gvardiol before halftime. In the dying seconds of stoppage time, Stones headed in the decisive goal, sealing City’s sixth win in eight league matches this season.
Wolves, currently at the bottom of the table, argued that the goal should have been ruled out for offside and interference by Bernardo Silva, who they claimed obstructed goalkeeper Jose Sa. But after consulting the pitchside monitor, referee Chris Kavanagh upheld the decision.
Guardiola defended the decision, stating, “Of course I didn’t understand it. I don’t know the reason why the linesman did it, but Bernardo isn’t disturbing the position. Sa had the perfect vision. The header by John Stones was magnificent.”
Wolves manager Gary O’Neil expressed his frustration, saying, “I’m trying to remain calm. I have been involved in a few of those and not had many go in our favour. There is some grey area that can go either way and once it was like that I wasn’t confident it would go our way.”
City now sit two points ahead of former leaders Liverpool, who have the chance to reclaim top spot with a win against Chelsea later on Sunday. Chasing their fifth consecutive English title, Guardiola’s men have set a new club record, extending their unbeaten league run to 31 games since their defeat to Aston Villa in December.
Historically, only six teams in English top-flight football have gone beyond 30 matches unbeaten, with the most recent being Liverpool’s 44-game streak from 2019 to 2020.
Wolves shocked City within seven minutes when Nelson Semedo’s precise low cross found Strand Larsen at the far post, allowing the striker to score with a close-range finish. City almost responded instantly, but Silva’s shot was saved by Sa.
City’s usually solid defence looked vulnerable, and Wolves nearly extended their lead when Semedo broke through, only to be denied by Ederson’s save.
Wolves’ fans briefly taunted City when Savinho missed a chance, but Gvardiol equalised in the 33rd minute with a stunning curler into the top corner, marking his fifth goal in his last seven away league appearances.
Erling Haaland, who had previously scored eight goals in four games against Wolves, struggled to make an impact. His first real opportunity came in the 49th minute, but he missed from eight yards.
As City continued to press, Ruben Dias tried a long-range shot, which was saved by Sa, while Wolves’ Matheus Cunha narrowly missed putting his side back in front with a powerful effort.
Ilkay Gundogan’s free-kick and Jack Grealish’s shot were also kept out by Sa as City pushed for a winner. Finally, Stones rose to meet a corner, with Silva initially blocking Sa’s view before ducking as the ball went in. After a VAR review and a check by Kavanagh, the goal was allowed to stand, sparking celebrations among City’s players and staff.
