Manchester City returned to winning ways with a comfortable 2-0 victory over relegation-threatened Wolves at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Haaland Benched Amid Slump
Erling Haaland was relegated to the substitutes' bench as manager Pep Guardiola opted to rest his star striker. The Norwegian had scored just one goal in eight games and showed signs of tiredness.
With a crucial Champions League clash against Galatasaray looming on Wednesday, Guardiola prioritized keeping Haaland fresh for the European encounter.
Phil Foden also joined Haaland on the bench, while Marc Guéhi made his debut following his move from Crystal Palace.
City Cruise to Victory
Omar Marmoush opened the scoring after just six minutes, curling in a cross from former Wolves favourite Matheus Nunes.
Antoine Semenyo doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time, controlling a Bernardo Silva pass and firing into the bottom corner. It was the winger's third goal in four appearances since his £62.5million move from Bournemouth.
City had been anxious to win to reignite their title challenge after a run of four games without success. Their judgement was vindicated as the victory restored confidence ahead of their European fixture.
Wolves Struggle Continues
Despite arriving with a four-game unbeaten run—their best sequence of the season—Wolves failed to trouble City.
Referee Farai Hallam, overseeing his first top-flight game, made a notable decision not to award a penalty after handball claims against Yerson Mosquera. Hallam reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor but ruled the arm was in a natural position.
Wolves remain well adrift at the foot of the table, with the defeat potentially heavier had Mosquera not headed against the bar from a corner late on.