Manchester City 1-0 Wolves: Kevin De Bruyne’s first half strike secures crucial win for hosts in race to qualify for the Champions League

Neil Warnock was here the other week to interview Pep Guardiola. And then again on Thursday to observe training, at Guardiola’s invite. And then again on Friday night, seemingly for reasons unknown, sat next to Guardiola’s closest confidante.

The guy cannot stay away and was apparently something of a celebrity at training, Erling Haaland begging for a picture. 

Warnock and Guardiola get along famously in what would appear an unlikely kinship yet then, at 54, Manchester City’s manager is inching towards one of the old guard these days too and views the ideals of the game in much the same way as his elders.

He is looking towards the end, at pains to insist coaching won’t be for him at 76 – Warnock still linked to jobs – and whipped up a frenzy by talking about a definite sabbatical and maybe retirement in his post-City future to one broadcaster before having to clarify to another that those decisions won’t be taken anytime soon.

City’s dip and subsequent fight for the Champions League might have driven lesser men to the beach though and Guardiola wore the scars of this season as Wolves nudged forward in search of a late equaliser. The tense expression, anxious howling. 

These are all must win at the moment and City’s year, and extravagance of summer rebuild in the transfer market, is still on a knife-edge.

Kevin De Bruyne’s goal in 35th minute was enough as he continued his impressive form

De Bruyne finished past Jose Sa after he was set up following good work from Jeremy Doku

Having Warnock around for some crisis management is therefore no bad idea and it was the ultimate golden oldie – Kevin De Bruyne – who made sure City would have their feet up in relative comfort over the weekend.

There has been a heartening sustain to the protests, organised by three fan groups, inside and out of this stadium in recent weeks.

Supporters staged another demonstration, thousands staying on the concourse for the opening six minutes as a way of showing displeasure at the club’s ticket prices and policies.

Watching them wander down the steps to their seats was a spectacle. And it is heartening irrespective of whether they are right or wrong to claim the concessions City have already made on future tickets is not enough.

That supporters are expressing themselves en masse with organisation – both protests and negotiation in meetings – can only be a good thing for English football and there will be quite a few noticing what’s been going on here recently with great interest.

Similar can be said of Wolves and Vitor Pereira. 

An eye-catching six for them too, wins on the spin and safety that saw their manager declare: ‘I can do magic.’

Not many would argue with that and they ought to have been two clear by the time De Bruyne was bouncing in Jeremy Doku’s cut back 10 minutes before the break. 

Their victory was watched on by Neil Warnock, who was a hit among City’s players this week

Wolves missed some huge chances, including when Marshall Munetsi failed to tap home

Matheus Cunha also hit the post during the clash as Wolves put the hosts under pressure

Pep Guardiola’s side rose to third after a big victory in their push for the Champions League

Remarkably, De Bruyne became only the second player, behind Lionel Messi, to reach 250 goal involvements under Guardiola. 

Wolves will believe that he should not have been left alone inside the box and that they ought to have been clear. 

Marshall Munetsi had performed his finest Gazza impression, agonisingly failing to connect when sliding onto Nelson Semedo’s centre, while Rayan Ait-Nouri struck a post and saw Josko Gvardiol block his follow up on the line. 

Wolves menaced on the break and their travelling fans mercilessly jeered ex-midfielder (and now City right back, of course) Matheus Nunes with every touch.

City came back out sluggishly, Nunes needing to be alert in swooping to stop Munetsi breaking clear, while Matheus Cunha hammered the returning Ederson’s right-hand post. 

Munetsi wanted a penalty when grappling with Gvardiol.

The earlier goal owed much to Bernardo Silva, whose performances have continued to improve with City’s recent upturn. 

Erling Haaland had returned to the bench ahead of schedule but he was unused on the night

Jeremy Doku put in a lively display after starting a league game for the first time in a month

Silva tenaciously won possession on halfway and that has been then hallmark of his displays in central midfield, where the Portuguese now looks more at home. 

Silva’s unseen tracking of runners prevented Wolves from really taking control of this. 

Always one of Guardiola’s favourite sons – maybe even the chosen one – Silva had as much influence in and out of possession as anyone.

Even with that nous, this felt nervous for the hosts, desperate to capitalise on Nottingham Forest’s slip 24 hours earlier, and typically it was Silva who hooked from under his own posts in stoppage time to preserve the points.