CLAUDIO BRAVO WAS Manchester City’s hero, saving two spot-kicks as his side beat a brave Wolves team 4-1 on penalties to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Alfred N’Diaye and Conor Coady were denied by the Chile goalkeeper, while the hosts scored all four of their attempts in the shoot-out.
Sergio Aguero was chasing City’s goalscoring record, having equalled it against Burnley on Saturday by moving on to 177 goals, but endured a frustrating evening until scoring the winning penalty with a cheeky Panenka.
The drama came after neither team could find a breakthrough as a tense, end-to-end battle over 120 minutes ended 0-0.
The Championship leaders made nine changes to their team but still produced an impressive defensive display and created three brilliant chances themselves, with Bravo, who was standing in for Ederson, the home hero on each occasion, before starring further on penalties.
Free-scoring City had netted 59 goals in 18 games since the last time they failed to score in a 0-0 draw with Manchester United in April, but were taken to the limit on a damp night.
The win means Pep Guardiola still has all four potential avenues for silverware available as City look to make up for his trophyless debut campaign in England.
After a pitch-invading squirrel captured the home fans’ attention ahead of kick-off, the record-chasing Aguero almost had them out of their seats when his early 20-yard strike was parried to safety by Wolves goalkeeper Will Norris.
Aguero – City’s captain in the absence of Vincent Kompany and David Silva – then had an even better chance to make history when Raheem Sterling squared into his path, but could only scuff an effort wide from inside 12 yards.
Despite fielding a weakened side, Wolves were competing well and threatened when Ryan Bennett’s header tested Bravo.
An Aguero long-range drive was dealt with by Norris, while the Argentina forward lashed another Sterling delivery narrowly wide.
It was Wolves, though, who had the best chance of the first half, Bright Enobakhare forcing a dallying Eliaquim Mangala to lose possession in a dangerous area and racing through on goal, only for Bravo to make a critical save.
After a quiet start to the second half, Bravo was called upon to make another vital stop, racing out to deny Helder Costa before the Portugal winger could dink a shot over him.
Norris then made a key touch at the other end to stop a frustrated Aguero from rounding him, atoning for a poor clearance from his goal, before the Wolves shot stopper kept out a drive from Bernardo Silva, who had charged into the box from the right channel.
Aguero had a late penalty claim turned down as he surged into the box and appeared to be tugged back by Coady, while Sterling somehow missed the target after Norris parried a cross from substitute Kevin De Bruyne.
But there was still time for Wolves to waste another golden chance as the match moved into extra time, Enobakhare racing clear after being played in on the counter-attack and embarking on a lung-busting run from inside his own half, but failing to beat Bravo as he made a third key save of the contest.
Sterling had a left-footed drive from the edge of the area saved by Norris in the first period of extra time, while Yaya Toure was also denied. Substitute Leroy Sane had an effort deflected inches wide and the Wolves keeper denied Aguero for a final time as the tie moved to penalties.
De Bruyne, Toure, and Sane all netted for City from 12 yards, while Leo Bonatini converted for Wolves, but that would prove in vain as Bravo showed impressive reflexes to deny N’Diaye and Coady, allowing Aguero to dink in the clinching penalty.
Lindelof looks way out of his depth and he cost £40 million quid? And the United fans laugh at Liverpool for spending the same on the Ox. What a deluded shower they have become.
@Micheal Thomas: he cost 31 million.
@FPL Thommo: Ah right it’s ok so. Not as big a flop as we thought! Just a £31 mill flop but the article above says £40 mill if you read it but that could be a step too far for ya!
@Micheal Thomas: Lindelöf played every week for Benfica, had the best stats for a defender in the Portuguese league and won 3 leagues titles. On paper very impressive.
Chamberlain was a bit part player for Arsenal and cost nearly 10mil more. Your point doesn’t really hold up.
@MarkSul: Haha in the mighty Portuguese league? He is been found out now. Hopefully he will start every league game from now on but don’t think Mourinho has lost it yet.
@Micheal Thomas: If he’s been found out after two games your comment about the Ox makes less sense. Whatever Lge he came from it looked and still could be a sound investment, has taken plenty of players a season to adjust to the PL. The Ox has played in d PL for years and has been just about average. Which makes the fee payed for him not a good investment. It was a panic buy to try to keep the Pool fans happy and most of them will admit they’re not.
@Micheal Thomas: Vidic, Evra and De Gea were a laughing stock at the start of their united careers too.
Lidelofs played two or three prem games. He may come good, he may not.
What’s for sure is the ox is absolute shite. Arsenal raped Liverpool.
@Micheal Thomas: I’m sure the article meant to say €40m, because his cost in pounds was 31m.
That’s a fact.
@MarkSul: Give me the Ox any day of the week over this spoofer. Mourinho knows he’s not up to it. Nearly November and it’s his 1st league start. There is no chance that he won’t line out next weekend to try and stop Harry Kane. When the likes of ‘Mike’ Smalling and Jones are still starting ahead of him at this stage of the season, you know he’s a guaranteed flop.
@FPL Thommo: Jaysus I didn’t think the exchange rate was gone as bad as that again overnight!
@MarkSul: @MarkSul: impressive on paper…doesn’t look so good when he plays on grass though!
@FPL Thommo: Stay classy there Thommo! Juve surely ‘raped’ United with Pogba! They’re still laughing a year later at what they got for him.
@FPL Thommo: then it would still be a mistake and 5m out. The £40m includes the add ons. Ox cost £35m, it was Chelsea who offered 40 but he wouldn’t sign. So get you facts right
@John Buckley: arguing over who was a worse signing….times are tough for liverpool and united fans. Although at least United have won a few things. It seems liverpool are literally only clinging onto uniteds mishaps to survive these days.
@Micheal Thomas: “There is no chance he won’t line out next week”. So you think he will start then or are you aware of what a double negative is? I’ve read your comments and it’s obvious who the real spoofer is here. A Liverpool fan with a profile picture of ex player Suarez in a Barcelona shirt. Get over it lad, the cannibal is gone for good so time to let it go :-)
@Brian: all I am doing is stating the correct facts. I am not arguing anything. You are as big an idiot as Thommo or are you the same person
@John Buckley: can you please point out where I said what ox’s price was?
Cheers
@FPL Thommo: can you please clarify how €40m = £35. Cheers
@John Buckley: again, where did I claim €40m is equal to £35?
Are you on drugs?
@John Buckley: also can you answer my first question please. You told me to get my facts right about the ox’s transfer fee. I never mentioned his fee.
Are you just going ignore your utter stupidity on that one?
@Micheal Thomas: So a player that’s fantastic in a crap league is no different to a crap player in a good league?
@FPL Thommo: the utter stupidity here is where you think £31m is the same as €40m. You should have taken the 35, you wouldn’t look quit the idiot you are
@John Buckley: so that would be a yes then. I don’t blame you really. You ridiculed me on something I didn’t even say and just ignored it then when you were called out on it to save face.
@FPL Thommo: I corrected you on the price of Linderof. I never said it was you that said the price of ox, I only stated a correct fact. Stop trying to hide from the fact that you made a huge error in your conversion of currency. It’s obvious I ridiculed you on the currency conversion.
@Micheal Thomas: shows what you know as he didn’t start yesterday ya tool he came on for an injured jones . Also he’s not even half a season in the PL , Chamberlain has had 7/8 seasons and scored 6 goals for a midfielder that’s robbing a living. Just admitted Ox signing was a joke.
Typical of United glory hunter fans calling for him to be sold already. Chap has only arrived. De Gea was awful when he first arrived too.
@Leon L.: who/where does it say they want him to be sold? Anyone with half a brain would realise he’ll be given time like any other player coming to a new club, go back to mammy dere like a good little suckler and dont be talking nonsense
@Leon L.: those statements are funny “typical fans calling for him to be sold”. Who? I don’t particularly like united but I’ve seen plenty of comments from fans and begrudgers about yesterday and not one comment said he should be sold. Liar.
Hargreaves is always bitter towards United, I never listen to anything he has to say
Don’t forget that everyone was saying that David De Gea was a dud and a waste of money when he first signed for United after his first season, and he turned out to be more than ok in the end, sometime a player just needs time to adjust, let just wait and see
@Tom Bolger: Correct Tom. Haven’t seen any genuine United fans on here calling for Lindelof to be sold. Like any new player he needs a run of games to get his form and confidence going. Remember Mkhitaryan in the first half of last season? Collectively United underperformed yesterday and I wouldn’t be quick to make a scapegoat of Lindelof like Hargreaves has done.
Does the same apply to Mata who needlessly gave the ball away for the first goal with no pressure on him.
@Malachy Rivers: I woulda though Mata’s mistake was the critical one for the first goal also.
I wouldnt write off the swede just yet. I’ll judge him after a season or two. Mata was at fault for the 1st Goal. So both goals were’nt entirley lindelofs fault. United are Lacked wingers that hug the touchline & put decent crosses into the box. Utd still need a comanding left back & an out & out left winger.
Mistakes will happen when the team as a unit are not doing exactly that , playing as a unit , unfortunately lindburg was the scape goat by not dealing with his side of the bargain ? Judge him when he settles in to the league ?