Pep Guardiola’s side have been fast starters this season, netting a league-high seven goals inside the opening 20 minutes of league matches, but despite their early positivity, they found themselves behind after seven minutes.
A Wolves breakaway produced their first successful pass in the final third, a searching ball from Nelson Semedo that found Jorgen Strand Larsen, who slotted first-time past the advancing Ederson.
Deputising for the injured Sam Johnstone, Jose Sa was alert to push Ilkay Gundogan’s strike around the post before his side almost extended their advantage at the other end, only to be denied by Ederson, who thwarted Semedo’s direct run through the middle.
However, half an hour of near-constant pressure finally paid dividends for City when Josko Gvardiol picked the ball up on the edge of the area, following up on his away-day strike against Newcastle United with a wonderful curling effort that brushed Sa’s fingertips on its way into the top-right corner.
With half-time approaching, Savinho’s snapshot came within inches of turning the game on its head, but once again, Sa got down low to deny City.
The first half saw City complete an incredible 218 final-third passes, while Wolves managed just five – a statistic that suggested the hosts’ game plan may not be sustainable.
Matheus Cunha bent a Wolves shot narrowly wide, yet that was a moment of rare respite for a home side who had been camped on the edge of their own box for the majority of the game.
Tensions were beginning to rise inside Molineux as Guardiola looked to his bench for a spark, yet a period of limited clear-cut openings followed as the clock ticked close to full-time.
Perhaps surprisingly given their utter domination of the ball, Guardiola’s side failed to manufacture many chances in the final minutes until John Stones broke Wolves hearts with a towering header from a corner.
Wolves fans will certainly be pleased with their side’s performance against the reigning champions, but failure to win means that this is the first time since the 1980s that the West Midlands side have opened a season without a victory in eight league games.
That late goal means that Gary O'Neil’s side drop to the foot of the league table while City climb two points above Liverpool, at least for the time being.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jose Sa (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
