TOPS/FLOPS – Haaland’s hat-trick, the Skyblues concerned or the Wolves who tried: find our tops and flops from the match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton in the Premier League.
TOPS
Haaland panics the counters
If you are a record, hide: Erling Haaland is coming. The Skyblues striker scored a hat-trick, his fourth in 19 Premier League appearances. So far, no one has done it as quickly as Ruud van Nistelrooy, who needed… 65 matches. Haaland opened the scoring with a header, imposing his physique in the air in front of Nathan Collins (40th). He worsened the mark from the penalty spot (50th) before killing all suspense on an offering from Mahrez in front of goal (54th). With 25 league goals, the Norwegian puts Harry Kane (15 goals) very far in his rearview mirror.
From Grealish to De Bruyne, serious City
Stirring at the start of the match, in the continuity of recent weeks, Jack Grealish comes out of this match without having been decisive. Not Kevin De Bruyne or Riyad Mahrez, both decisive passers. The Belgian was rightly applauded when he left, after a new shower of well-felt passes that could have topped the bill. Like him, Pep Guardiola’s players attacked the 2nd period with teeth to cut the ground under Wolves’ feet, between good ball circulation and coordinated pressing. City had not conceded a shot at half-time.
FLOPS
Jose Sa leads Wolverhampton
His beautiful horizontal on a shot from Grealish (28th) and his parade against Alvarez (73rd) will remain overshadowed by his dumpling which condemned the Wolves. What went through José Sá’s head for the Portuguese goalkeeper to miss a pass at this point, easily intercepted by Riyad Mahrez from 16 meters? The Algerian did not have to be asked by shifting Erling Haaland for what was not his most difficult goal of the day (54th). At 3-0, the Midlands club were doomed.
Wolves’ starters haven’t changed anything
You can’t blame Julen Lopetegui for trying. At the break, João Moutinho, Matheus Cunha and Pablo Sarabia came on. City’s two early goals to make it 3-0 killed all suspense. Frustratingly, as Wolves took advantage of the spaces left between the lines by City. Sarabia, just arrived from PSG, will continue to think that he deserved a penalty for the hand of Nathan Aké on his shot from the left (63rd). Daniel Podence, also entered, almost lobbed Ederson (68th). While unrewarded, Wolves have shown a better face than numbers: 12 goals in 20 Premier League appearances, no one has done worse this season.