Raheem Sterling was honoured to join the 100-goal club in the Premier League on Saturday, but Wolves head coach Bruno Lage hit out at the decision to award Manchester City the decisive penalty that took him to that mark.
City winger Sterling calmly converted past Jose Sa with 66 minutes of the game played at the Etihad Stadium as the reigning champions claimed a sixth league win in a row to remain top of the table.
However, Wolves were unhappy that the spot-kick was awarded by Jon Moss, who had earlier sent off striker Raul Jimenez for two bookable offences in the space of 31 seconds at the end of the first half.
Moss adjudged that Joao Moutinho blocked Bernardo Silva's cross with his arm and stood by his decision after a lengthy VAR check, despite the ball appearing to hit the Wolves midfielder closer to the armpit.
"It's not a penalty for me. That's why it's very strange, both the referee decision and the VAR decision," Lage told BT Sport. "I protect VAR every time – it is good for modern football. He put his arm out, but where did it touch? Come on!"
Wolves were down to 10 men by that point after Jimenez was yellow carded for a challenge on Rodri and cautioned again almost straight after for failing to retreat when the free-kick was taken.
"He knows he cannot do that. I went into the dressing room and saw his face," Lage said. "But the first yellow, he didn't touch the man and we have 10 men behind the ball. So it is a very hard decision and cost us a lot.
"We feel if we had 11-v-11 we could do more. We move on."
Sterling's successful penalty saw him reach triple figures for goals in the Premier League – the England international becoming the 32nd player to do so, and the eighth-youngest at the age of 27 years and three days.
He was City's most attacking threat against Wolves, registering a game-high three shots on target and scoring from one of those to make it five goals in his past eight appearances in all competitions.
"Reaching 100 goals is a lovely achievement," Sterling told BT Sport. "There are some fantastic players in that list. I'm really honoured to be in it now.
"Every time we play Wolves at home it's always a difficult one. They're always a difficult side to break down. We knew we had to keep patient. They kept it tight, but we knew if we kept playing we'd get an opportunity – and we did."
City have now won 32 of their 40 Premier League games in 2021, just one short of the all-time record for wins in a single calendar year in English top-flight history set by Liverpool in 1982.
While the Citizens were good value for their win, finishing with an expected goals (xG) return of 2.75 to Wolves' 0.14, the visitors could easily have snatched a late point if not for Ederson's crucial stop to deny Max Kilman.
That came from Wolves' only attempt on target all match and took Ederson to 100 clean sheets for City in his 212th appearance for the club.
It ended a run of four games without a shutout for Ederson and boss Pep Guardiola praised the Brazil international after reaching the milestone.
"Congratulations to him. We conceded late goals against West Ham and Watford but finally he can achieve it," Guardiola told BBC Sport.
"And that's why we have Edi with his contributions in the right moment, a big save in the second half. We don't concede many chances but what chances they have, he is there."
Steve Cotterill leaves role as Shrewsbury manager
Steve Cotterill has left his role as manager of Shrewsbury.
The 58-year-old had already said his position at the club was uncertain and the Shrews have now confirmed his departure.
A statement read: “The club would like to place on record their thanks to Steve for all his hard work and commitment during the last two and a half years, taking us from a relegation place in League One to 12th in the table and also for working from his hospital bed during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Cotterill guided the club to 12th in League One last season and spent 49 days at the Bristol Royal Infirmary after contracting Covid and developing pneumonia in 2021.
Cotterill, who joined the club in November 2020, released a statement though the League Managers’ Association.
“I’m proud of the work that has been done by everyone in the past two and a half years at the club,” he said. “From fighting relegation to a top-half finish. I am confident this team will continue its progression next season.
“Working through Covid was tough and I have to thank my incredible staff for their help throughout.
“I would also like to thank the players. It is a fantastic group that gave me absolutely everything, right up to the last game of the season. The relationship I had with them was very special.”
Man City’s Kyle Walker vows to make Champions League final after injury scare
Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker has played down fears he could miss the Champions League final with a back injury.
The England international did not feature in an open training session on Tuesday as City continued preparations for Saturday’s clash with Inter Milan in Istanbul.
The 33-year-old looked in discomfort as he was substituted in the final minute of City’s FA Cup final triumph over Manchester United at Wembley.
But Walker was one of a number of players made available for media interviews later on Tuesday and he insisted the problem was not serious.
“I’m fine, I’m just getting old,” he told Sky Sports News. “I’m completely fine, it’s just an extra day of recovery.
“I’ve played a lot of minutes over the last number of weeks so the manager said, ‘Just stay inside and come Saturday you will be raring to go’.
“I’m fine, the minutes that I’ve played when everyone else was injured, I was there digging my heels in and getting through it. I won’t be missing the Champions League final for anything.”
Manager Pep Guardiola also said Walker’s absence from training was only precautionary.
“He has had a disturbance in his back,” said Guardiola at a press conference. “Yesterday he was not good, today he was a little bit better but we didn’t want to take any risks. We will see what happens in the next days.”
City are bidding to win the Champions League for the first time and complete a glorious treble after their Premier League and FA Cup successes this season.
They are also looking to erase the memory of their painful loss to Chelsea in the 2021 final.
As three-time winners, Inter boast the greater European pedigree but City will go into the match as firm favourites against the side that finished third in Serie A this term.
Guardiola, however, insists what has happened in the past – and even current form – counts for little now.
He said: “It’s really good to travel in a few days to Istanbul. We go together and it is a dream to be here.
“Two years ago we were there but in different situations with Covid.
“We’re going to try to do our best and we know the final is how you behave in that specific 95 minutes, not history.
“For history, they are better than us but it is about what you have to do to be better than the opponent in 95 minutes.
“It doesn’t count what you have done in the group stages or the Premier League or the FA Cup. We have to be better than them.”
Guardiola is comfortable with the tag of favourites.
“We are used to it,” he said. “Why should it be more dangerous? Accept the role and go out there knowing the quality of the opponents. We accept what people say, no problem.”
City’s form in the latter part of the season, when they reeled in Arsenal to win the Premier League and powered past Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to reach this weekend’s showpiece, has been outstanding.
Guardiola acknowledges confidence is high in the City squad but insists there will be no complacency.
He said: “It is a final against a top team and we have to do it. We are confident, I’m so optimistic, but at the same time I cannot deny the quality of the opponent.
“I have never done that and especially not in the final of the Champions League.”
Scottish Gas agrees five-year deal to sponsor Scottish Cup
Scottish Gas has filled the void for Scottish Cup sponsorship in a deal understood to be worth about £5million a year.
A five-year contract has been agreed with the Scottish Football Association which will see the energy firm become the title sponsor of both the men’s and women’s competitions. The deal will also provide a major boost to grassroots football projects.
The deal was announced just before the SFA annual general meeting, which saw Alloa owner Mike Mulraney confirmed as president following the end of Rod Petrie’s four-year term. Hamilton’s Les Gray replaces Mulraney as vice-president.
Scottish Gas will become the first title sponsor of the Scottish Cup since William Hill’s nine-year partnership ended in 2020.
The men’s competition will be known as the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup from next season, its 150th anniversary, and the funding will also benefit the Scottish Gas Women’s Scottish Cup, the final of which was staged at Hampden this year for the first time.
The deal will help fund 120 new week-long holiday camps which will provide 6,000 opportunities for children to play football and receive free lunches.
The investment will also help Scottish Para-Football’s disability community initiatives by working with six clubs each year to set up the required infrastructure and playing conditions.
Scottish Gas will also work with the SFA to explore ways of making Hampden more sustainable and design a programme for clubs to help “reduce their carbon footprint and create more sustainable communities”.
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell said: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome Scottish Gas on board as a committed multi-level partner and supporter of the Power of Football.
“As part of our 150th anniversary celebrations, they will help us activate the oldest and youngest cup trophies in world football, bringing new and existing fans on that famous road to Hampden.
“Through this agreement, Scottish Gas will also help reinforce the impact our national game has at grassroots level, especially among those whose need is greatest. We look forward to bringing the partnership to life and highlighting the ways in which, together, we can inspire the nation and transform lives.”
Chris O’Shea, chief executive of Centrica, the owner of Scottish Gas said: “We’re delighted to be investing in our customers’ communities and I’m particularly excited about the work we will be doing to support holiday camps, Para-Football and the women’s game across Scotland.”
Mulraney welcomed the deal and promised “100 per cent commitment and focus” on his new role.
“The Scottish FA is committed to inspiring the nation and transforming lives,” the Alloa chairman added.
“We made an impassioned plea at Holyrood only last week urging government and politicians to see us as allies in improving the health and wellbeing of the country and that is something I am determined to facilitate in a practical sense.
“The national association is primarily responsible for the development of the game, the grassroots and it is imperative we work with governments both national and local, philanthropists, commercial and charitable partners, to improve the fundamental infrastructure of our game – facilities.
“We have already agreed a £20m fund with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and need more investment.
“We need to retain and upgrade the pitches we currently have, attain new funding for new facilities, especially to meet the growth of girls’ and women’s football, and ensure we contribute to sustainable clubs and communities, both from a financial and an environmental perspective.
“This will be a key priority for me as president and I look forward to working with partners to improve our infrastructure.”
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