Erling Haaland’s first four-goal haul in the Premier League left Manchester City three wins away from an historic fourth successive English league title.
City were given a helping hand they did not need thanks to a favourable 12th-minute penalty decision from referee Craig Pawson.
Haaland sent Wolves keeper Jose Sa the wrong way, then beat the Portuguese from the spot again just before the break after he had been brought down by Nelson Semedo.
In between, the striker had scored with a superb far-post header, climbing to an amazing height unchallenged at the far post, to send Rodri’s cross back across goal and into the corner.
A minute after Hwang Hee-chan had pulled one back for the visitors, Haaland struck again, powering onto Phil Foden’s brilliant lofted pass.
It took the Norwegian onto 25 Premier League goals for the season and five clear of Alexander Isak and Cole Palmer in the Golden Boot standings.
Julian Alvarez finished off the scoring five minutes from time to leave City a point behind Arsenal, but now with three games remaining to the Gunners’ two.
More to follow.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Manchester City
Starting XI
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Squad number31Player nameEdersonAverage rating
6.00
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Squad number2Player nameWalkerAverage rating
6.09
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Squad number25Player nameAkanjiAverage rating
6.03
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Squad number6Player nameAkéAverage rating
6.15
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Squad number24Player nameGvardiolAverage rating
6.33
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Squad number16Player nameRodriAverage rating
6.50
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Squad number8Player nameKovacicAverage rating
6.13
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Squad number20Player nameBernardo SilvaAverage rating
6.49
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Squad number17Player nameDe BruyneAverage rating
7.18
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Squad number47Player nameFodenAverage rating
7.05
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Squad number9Player nameHaalandAverage rating
7.43
Substitutes
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Squad number5Player nameStonesAverage rating
6.92
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Squad number10Player nameGrealishAverage rating
6.84
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Squad number11Player nameDokuAverage rating
6.71
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Squad number19Player nameÁlvarezAverage rating
7.28
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Squad number27Player nameMatheus NunesAverage rating
6.30
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Starting XI
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Squad number1Player nameJosé Sá
Average rating6.13
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Squad number22Player nameNélson Semedo
Average rating5.57
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Squad number23Player nameKilman
Average rating5.65
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Squad number24Player nameToti Gomes
Average rating5.60
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Squad number3Player nameAït-Nouri
Average rating5.71
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Squad number8Player nameJoão Gomes
Average rating5.77
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Squad number5Player nameLemina
Average rating5.65
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Squad number6Player nameTraoré
Average rating5.69
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Squad number17Player nameBueno
Average rating5.67
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Squad number11Player nameHwang Hee-chan
Average rating6.09
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Squad number12Player nameMatheus Cunha
Average rating5.91
Substitutes
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Squad number4Player nameBueno
Average rating5.31
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Squad number21Player nameSarabia
Average rating5.10
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Squad number27Player nameBellegarde
Average rating5.75
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Squad number62Player nameChirewa
Average rating5.22
Line-ups
Man City
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 31Ederson
- 2Walker
- 25Akanji
- 6AkéSubstituted forStonesat 69′minutes
- 24Gvardiol
- 16Rodri
- 8Kovacic
- 20Bernardo SilvaSubstituted forDokuat 80′minutes
- 17De BruyneSubstituted forNunesat 79′minutes
- 47FodenSubstituted forGrealishat 80′minutes
- 9HaalandSubstituted forÁlvarezat 82′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Rúben Dias
- 5Stones
- 10Grealish
- 11Doku
- 18Ortega
- 19Álvarez
- 21Gómez
- 27Nunes
- 82Lewis
Wolves
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Sá
- 22Nélson SemedoBooked at 45mins
- 23Kilman
- 24Gomes
- 3Aït-Nouri
- 8João GomesBooked at 66mins
- 5LeminaBooked at 41minsSubstituted forBellegardeat 45′minutes
- 6TraoréBooked at 64mins
- 17BuenoSubstituted forBuenoat 71′minutes
- 11Hwang Hee-chanSubstituted forChirewaat 87′minutes
- 12Matheus CunhaSubstituted forSarabiaat 76′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Doherty
- 4Bueno
- 21Sarabia
- 25Bentley
- 27Bellegarde
- 30González
- 61Okoduwa
- 62Chirewa
- 63Fraser
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Manchester City 5, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1.