Manchester City edged past Wolves with a narrow 1-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium, thanks to a decisive goal from Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian midfielder, nearing the end of his illustrious spell with City, showed once again why he remains one of the most influential players in the Premier League, delivering a moment of quality to secure a fourth consecutive league win and lift his side to third place.
City were pushed to their limits by a resurgent Wolves side, who had won six matches in a row and showed no signs of intimidation. Under Vítor Pereira’s guidance, Wolves were compact, quick on the counter, and creative in the final third. They struck the post twice and were frequently the more dangerous side inside the box, but lacked the finishing touch that De Bruyne provided.
Despite City’s usual dominance in possession, they struggled to carve open clear chances in the first half. The absence of a traditional striker meant De Bruyne and Ilkay Gündogan alternated in the central attacking role, while Jérémy Doku and Omar Marmoush attempted to stretch the Wolves defense from the flanks. Wolves defended with discipline, forcing City to work hard for every inch of space.
Wolves should have taken the lead when Matheus Cunha slipped a clever ball through City’s flat-footed defense for Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. The winger raced forward and drew Ederson out, only to misplace a simple square pass to the onrushing Marshall Munetsi, allowing City to escape unpunished.
City’s vulnerability to the counterattack was clear. Rayan Aït-Nouri had a golden chance to score when he struck the post and then saw his rebound attempt blocked on the line by Josko Gvardiol. City eventually grew into the game and began to test Wolves keeper José Sá, with Nico O’Reilly unleashing a powerful shot that required a sharp save.
The breakthrough finally came when Gündogan fed Doku on the wing. The winger dazzled with quick feet before slipping the ball to De Bruyne, who kept his composure during a momentary slip to steer a low finish into the bottom corner. The crowd erupted into a chant of “There’s only one Kevin De Bruyne,” recognizing the brilliance of a player who has delivered time and again.
De Bruyne, playing in what was likely his penultimate home game, will leave the club at the end of the season with no contract extension forthcoming. His recent performances have proven that he still has the quality to compete at the highest level, but recurring injuries have limited his consistency. Nevertheless, he continues to show the energy and creativity that have defined his decade-long tenure at the club.
City tightened up in the second half, with Guardiola bringing on Manuel Akanji to bolster the back line after O’Reilly was withdrawn for a string of misplaced passes. Erling Haaland, back in the matchday squad, remained unused as City held on to their narrow lead.
Wolves almost lost their composure when Aït-Nouri’s risky turn resulted in a high challenge on Bernardo Silva. VAR reviewed the incident but opted against further punishment. Wolves’ manager praised his team’s performance despite the defeat, stating the result did not reflect their effort.
As De Bruyne left the pitch with seven minutes remaining, he received a standing ovation from the home crowd. With Bournemouth set to visit next, the club is preparing for a heartfelt farewell to one of its greatest ever players. This win may not have been vintage City, but it was fitting that De Bruyne’s moment of class proved the difference.
