EPL Table and Analysis Following Man City's Victory to Get Closer to Arsenal in the Race for Second Place
Manchester City bolstered their Champions League qualification hopes with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night at the Etihad Stadium.
Wolves arrived in Manchester riding a wave of momentum, unbeaten in their last six matches, and started the game brightly, controlling possession and threatening City’s backline. But despite their early dominance, key chances went begging. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde failed to convert a one-on-one opportunity, and Rayan Ait-Nouri came agonizingly close when his curling effort struck the post.
City punished the wastefulness just before the break, as Kevin De Bruyne calmly finished from inside the box to give the home side the lead. It was the Belgian midfielder’s 11th goal contribution in 10 Premier League appearances against Wolves, reaffirming his reputation as a consistent tormentor of the Midlands side.
After the interval, Pep Guardiola’s side turned up the pressure, dictating the tempo and creating several scoring chances. Still, Wolves remained dangerous on the counter and came inches from leveling when Matheus Cunha's rocket from outside the box smashed against the post.
Despite Wolves’ late push, City’s defense stood resilient, securing a crucial three points in the battle for a top-four finish.
The result sees Manchester City climb to third in the Premier League table, leapfrogging Newcastle United and opening up a four-point gap above Chelsea and Nottingham Forest. With just three matches remaining, City are now firmly in control of their Champions League destiny.
Wolves, meanwhile, stay 13th and face an uphill battle to break into the top half, sitting nine points adrift with limited time remaining.
Premier League Top 6 (as of May 3, 2025):
1. Arsenal – 82 pts
2. Liverpool – 81 pts
3. Manchester City – 76 pts
4. Newcastle United – 74 pts
5. Chelsea – 72 pts
6. Nottingham Forest – 72 pts
Source: globalexpi.com.ng
Comments
Post a Comment