Premier League: Man City keep pressure on leaders Liverpool

Manchester City 3 Wolves 0

Manchester City barely broke into a sweat last night when they scored a 3-0 win over Wolves to keep Liverpool within sight at the top of the Premier League.

The Reds still have a four-point advantage over City, who in turn are now five points clear of third-placed Tottenham. Once more the title race looks set to be solely a north-west affair.

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“All we can do is win our games,” said City boss Pep Guardiola in response to a question about winning the Premier League. “We cannot control what they do, we can control what we do.”

Seeing red

What they did against Wolves was helped by the dismissal of Willy Boly after 19 minutes for a wild challenge on Bernardo Silva. It was one of those tackles that merited no other sanction and even Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo had no complaints. “It’s very close to me and I think it’s a red card,” he said.

Applying pressure

Before Boly received his red card Wolves had already conceded a 10th-minute goal to Gabriel Jesus. City’s Brazilian striker then got another five minutes before the break when he scored a penalty after Raheem Sterling had been fouled.

Having scored 16 goals in their previous two games – seven in the FA Cup against Rotherham and nine in the league cup against Burton Albion – City looked set for another scoring spree in the second half.

In fact they got only the one and that was when Conor Coady diverted Kevin De Bruyne’s cross into his own net.

“It’s pretty sure if we don’t win, they will be champions and that is why we have to put pressure by winning our games,” said Guardiola on the title battle with Liverpool. “One team has done better so far. All we can do is be there and be there to the end.”

Apology accepted

Boly apologised to Silva after the final whistle and the Portuguese international bore the Wolves man no malice.

“It was quite a hard tackle but I am fine,” said Silva. “These things happen. You don’t do it on purpose, I think, and he said that. Everything’s fine. It’s football.”

Next fixtures

League leaders Liverpool are at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday (3pm) and second-placed City travel to Huddersfield Town on Sunday (1.30pm).

Premier League results

Matchweek 22 results

• West Ham United 1 Arsenal 0
• Brighton & Hove Albion 0 Liverpool 1
• Burnley 2 Fulham 1
• Cardiff City 0 Huddersfield Town 0
• Crystal Palace 1 Watford 2
• Leicester City 1 Southampton 2
• Chelsea 2 Newcastle United 1
• Everton 2 AFC Bournemouth 0
• Tottenham Hotspur 0 Manchester United 1
• Manchester City 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

Next weekend’s fixtures

Saturday 19 January (3pm unless stated)

• Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Leicester City (12.30, live on Sky Sports)
• AFC Bournemouth vs. West Ham United
• Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace
• Manchester United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
• Newcastle United vs. Cardiff City
• Southampton vs. Everton
• Watford vs. Burnley
• Arsenal vs. Chelsea (5.30pm, live on BT Sport)

Sunday 20 January

• Huddersfield Town vs. Manchester City (1.30pm, live on Sky Sports)
• Fulham vs. Tottenham Hotspur (4pm, live on Sky Sports)