Manchester City pulled off another dramatic comeback victory, this time against Wolves, thanks to a last-minute winner from John Stones. The Premier League champions found themselves trailing early, but their resilience under Pep Guardiola once again shone through.
Wolves took an early lead in the seventh minute, with Jorgen Strand Larsen finishing off a well-executed counter-attack after Nelson Semedo’s pinpoint cross exposed City’s defense. Despite the setback, City didn’t panic. As has become characteristic of Guardiola’s side, falling behind seems to have become part of their game plan, having now gone 12 consecutive matches without losing after conceding first, breaking Arsenal’s Invincibles’ record.
While defensive frailties remain a concern for City, especially without Rodri anchoring the midfield, they showed their typical calmness and composure. Erling Haaland was struggling to get involved, and Mateo Kovacic wasn’t quite filling the gap left by Rodri, but City persisted. Their patience paid off when Josko Gvardiol, their £78m center-back turned goal-scorer, stepped up to fire home a spectacular equalizer, curling a shot past Wolves keeper Jose Sa with his weaker foot. It’s the Croatian’s seventh goal since joining City, a tally only surpassed by Phil Foden and Haaland in that period.
Gvardiol’s transformation into a dynamic left-back has been a revelation for City, as he continues to impress not only in defense but in attack. His emergence is a testament to City’s recruitment strategy of buying players with the potential to excel in multiple roles, something the club has thrived on under Guardiola. Meanwhile, Savinho’s effective wing play caused problems for Wolves, though his counterpart Jeremy Doku struggled to make the right choices and was eventually subbed off.
When Phil Foden came off the bench to replace Doku, he couldn’t quite spark the magic that City needed, but Jack Grealish’s introduction added more menace to their attack. As time ticked down, it looked like City would leave Molineux with just a point. But in the 95th minute, Stones rose highest from a corner to head in what would prove to be the winning goal. Initially ruled offside, referee Chris Kavanagh overturned the decision after a VAR review, giving City the dramatic victory.
A crucial part of City’s late surge came from Matheus Nunes, the former Wolves player who was booed throughout the match. Nunes made an inch-perfect tackle and drove forward, forcing a corner that ultimately led to Stones‘ winning header. His impact in those final moments was vital.
With Arsenal dropping points against Bournemouth, City’s victory moved them further ahead in the title race. Extending their unbeaten league run to 31 matches, City managed to turn what could have been a missed opportunity into another momentum-building win, thanks to some unlikely heroes. As always, their ability to find a way to win under pressure is what makes them such a feared team across the league.
