MANCHESTER CITY’s January-transfer window inspired team made light work of Wolves to ramp up the pressure on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League once again.
Last year’s mid-season impact signing Omar Marmoush scored early to give Pep Guardiola’s side the lead and Marc Guehi, last week’s addition, anchored things from the back on debut.
Manchester City beat Wolves 2-0 to put the pressure back on Arsenal with Omar Marmoush opening the scoringCredit: Getty
Antoine Semenyo made it 2-0 before half-timeCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Pep Guardiola used his two new January signings to full effect with Marc Guehi handed a debutCredit: EPA
to cut the gap to Arsenal back to four points before Mikel Arteta’s men host Manchester United on Sunday.
Opting to leave both Erling Haaland and Phil Foden on the bench ahead of an important Champions League clash with Galatasaray on Wednesday, Guardiola’s rotation paid off.
Marmoush got in front of his man to convert a fabulous Matheus Nunes cross before Rayan Cherki blazed over after an excellent move.
Antoine Semenyo played centrally in place of Haaland and had a shot saved from Guehi’s raking pass, evidence of how much things have changed at City over 12 months.
He later scored to continue his rapid start to life at the Etihad, finishing nicely from the edge of the box on his left foot.
Completing the 12-month January window resurgence, Abdukodir Khusanov was in defence as well.
City were denied a penalty before the break .
Marmoush felt Yerson Mosquera had handled the ball when he attempted to cut inside. The attacker hit the post with his effort anyway but didn’t get a spot kick.
Semenyo made sure that didn’t matter as made it 2-0 heading into half-time.
City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was certainly busier in the second 45 but still rarely got called into serious action.
Guardiola turned to Foden and Haaland as subs to add life into a performance that drifted into complacency without ever putting the result in doubt.
The home side thought they had won a penalty at 1-0 up before referee Farai Hallam stuck to his original decision when sent to the screen by VARCredit: AFP
Erling Haaland was named on the benchCredit: Alamy
Phil Foden was also a sub but both players came on in the second halfCredit: Getty
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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