Sterling’s 100th EPL goal hands Man City 1-0 win over Wolves

manchester, Dec 11: Manchester City needed a disputed penalty to secure a 1-0 win over 10-man Wolverhampton on Saturday and ensure it stayed atop the Premier League.
City was awarded a spot kick for handball when Joao Moutinho blocked a cross from Bernardo Silva with his arm outstretched, although Wolves argued that the ball hit his armpit.
Raheem Sterling calmly converted the penalty straight down the middle in the 66th minute for his 100th Premier League goal, which proved enough on a day when City’s high-powered attack struggled to make the most of its chances.
Wolves had gone a man down just before the halftime break when Raul Jimenez was first booked for a tackle near the halfway line then inexplicably stretched his leg out to block the resulting free kick to earn a second yellow card straight away.
Jack Grealish missed a stellar chance to double the lead in the 70th when he poked the ball over the bar from close range after a cross from Sterling across the box.
The win made sure Pep Guardiola’s team will stay in front of closest rivals Liverpool and Chelsea, who both played later Saturday.
Meanwhile, Bryan Mbeumo’s stoppage-time penalty earned Brentford a dramatic 2-1 win over Watford.
Brentford moved back into the top half of the standings, while Watford remained three points above the relegation zone.
Emmanuel Dennis seemed to have breathed life into Watford’s survival bid with his first-half header that held up until six minutes remained.
The Bees hauled themselves level through Pontus Jansson. Then Mbeumo, deputizing from the spot for the coronavirus-infected Ivan Toney, held his nerve to secure a memorable victory.
Watford boss Claudio Ranieri said beforehand this match was where their season would really begin following a brutal run of fixtures, but it is four defeats in a row for the Italian. Brentford dominated the opening stages.
When Watford finally stirred into life, Brentford gave the ball away cheaply on the halfway line and it found its way to Joshua King. He cut in from the left and crashed a low shot against the far post.
The loose ball was deflected for a corner and from Tom Cleverley’s delivery, Dennis got ahead of Bees captain Jansson to nod home.
Brentford leveled with six minutes remaining when Jansson got his head onto Vitaly Janelt’s cross.
And deep into five minutes of injury time, Bees substitute Saman Ghoddos gave William Ekong the slip and was brought down by the Hornets defender.
Toney may be “the world’s best penalty-taker,” according to Brentford boss Thomas Frank, but Mbeumo has clearly been paying attention, mimicking his absent strike partner’s run-up and burying the spot kick into the corner. (AP)

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