John Stones emerges as Pep Guardiola's Man City undroppable after Wolves winner
WOLVES 1-2 MAN CITY: Pep Guardiola's side snatched a victory late on against Wolves on Sunday afternoon but were indebted to John Stones for his vital contribution at Molineux
by Neil Moxley · The MirrorJohn Stones is turning into Pep Guardiola ’s go-to guy for the big moments.
When the dust settles on this campaign and when those fine margins are talked about, the contributions from the England international will feature heavily. Of course, he already has one decisive goal to his credit - the stab in the dying seconds that broke Arsenal’s hearts.
And he can add an injury-time intervention at Molineux to that list after an absorbing 90-odd minutes ended in glorious disarray for the champs. The controversy surrounding the offside decision on his winning goal, which should—or shouldn’t—have been given, will linger long in the Black Country.
Gary O’Neil’s men had mounted an operation with military precision only to be undone by Stones’ glorious header from an expert delivery by Phil Foden - the like of which should be used as a blueprint for all corner-takers. It’s not the third week of October yet it felt like a big moment, particularly given Arsenal’s defeat at Bournemouth.
“We’re not used to winning games at the end,” said Guardiola, who then seized the opportunity to hammer home a thinly veiled dig, “like Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool when it happened many times.
“Wolves had 11 players in the 18-yard box so it is difficult - but there was composure from everyone. We lost here last season - they were less active but I saw them against Liverpool and Chelsea - and they had their moments.
“And we’ve been in that position when you lose at the end. But this is the game. Both sides try to do their best. They had a game plan, and still we played the way we wanted to.”
He could have added that his team came from falling a goal behind, as Molineux wanted to write off a five-goal battering at Brentford as a blip. The first plank of Wolves’ operation was to ensure that when they broke they did so with purpose.
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Centre-back Santiago Bueno stepped inside one challenge on the halfway line and sent Portuguese wing-back Nelson Semedo scampering down the right. His low cross couldn’t have been fashioned any better. Strand Larsen, taking advantage of Rico Lewis’ absence in the right-back slot, sidefooted into the net.
That set the stage for a game of cat and mouse. Wolves filed back into shape and Manchester City tried to break it down, putting together a staggering 278 passes in the opening 45 minutes, the most of any team in a single half since 2021.
The net result of this overwhelming pressure of possession was that Wolves retreated so much ground towards their own goal that keeper Jose Sa could almost touch centre-back Craig Dawson, even during open play.
Eventually, just after the half-hour, Gvardiol could resist it no longer. He was only one yard or so outside the box but Wolves, for once, failed to sense the danger. The defender curled it into the net, despite Sa’s flailing hand.
The odds were against Wolves holding on. They managed, thanks to the recalled Sa who saved from Savinho, Gvardiol and sub Jack Grealish. Almost managed, should that be.
“There is no team in the world that doesn’t like to score in the last 50 seconds and go top of the league,” added Guardiola, prior to the outcome at Anfield.
And, unlike the controversy over Stones' winner, there is no disputing that.
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