Captain Kevin De Bruyne found the net in his penultimate appearance at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City secured a 1–0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday, moving up to third in the Premier League and strengthening their hopes of UEFA Champions League qualification.
Wolves had the better of the early chances in a cagey first half, but City took the lead in the 35th minute. Jeremy Doku made a surging run down the left flank before cutting the ball back into the path of De Bruyne, who calmly side-footed his effort past goalkeeper José Sá.
The goal sparked emotional scenes as the Etihad crowd rose in unison, chanting “Oh, Kevin De Bruyne!” in tribute to the 33-year-old midfielder. De Bruyne had previously announced his intention to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season, making this his second-to-last home appearance in City colours.
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De Bruyne’s strike proved to be the match-winner, with City holding on to claim all three points.
The result extended Pep Guardiola’s side’s unbeaten run in the league to seven matches. With the win, City moved provisionally into third place on 64 points after 35 matches — two ahead of fourth-placed Newcastle and four clear of Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, who each have a game in hand.
“We are better than a few weeks ago, winning games consecutively,” Guardiola said post-match. “It’s encouraging to win while playing the way we did today, but we must remain focused — we still have Southampton, Bournemouth, and Fulham to play.”
The defeat ended Wolves’ impressive streak of six consecutive victories, leaving them in 13th position.
