Manchester City has started the Premier League season with a victory. The team of trainer Josep Guardiola won on Monday evening mainly thanks to a strong first half at Wolverhampton Wanderers: 1-3. Nathan Aké made his debut as a base player for City and eventually survived his baptism of fire, despite a very hectic final phase. Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus scored the goals for the visitors.

Aké could immediately count on a basic place in the center of the back at City, because Aymeric Laporte and Eric García were both not fit. The Orange-international formed the heart of the defense together with John Stones and initially had a problem-free evening at Molineux. City had little to fear from Wolverhampton in the first half and took the lead in the twentieth minute. Kevin De Bruyne was knocked out in the sixteen by Romain Saïss, after which the Belgian midfielder convincingly used the penalty that followed: 0-1.

City had already claimed a penalty just before that, but referee Andre Marriner did not fall for a glaring dive from Raheem Sterling. Wolverhampton also looked toothless and had to take the 0-2 after more than half an hour of playing football. Foden played De Bruyne, after which Sterling put to work. The latter then had an eye for Foden again in the penalty area, who could eventually easily shoot the ball in.

City thus rested with a comfortable lead, but Wolverhampton could have done something back via Daniel Podence shortly after the interruption. The striker was brought in by Adama Traoré, but his effort eventually skimmed past Ederson Moraes’ goal. Moments later, Rubén Neves also got a good shot, but this time Kyle Waker came to the rescue of Ederson just before the goal line.

Wolverhampton got better and better in the game and got a third big chance after exactly one hour. Once again Traoré brought the ball into the box, after which Raul Jiménez shot wide wide. Then the storm of the home team died down for a while, but twelve minutes before the end, the connection goal suddenly followed. Podence put the ball from the right flank beautifully on the head of Jiménez, who made a beautiful hit between two defenders of City: 1-2. Eighteen-year-old Fábio Silva, recently taken over from FC Porto for around forty million euros, had meanwhile made his appearance at Wolverhampton. City faltered in the final phase, but eventually remained upright and struck again in injury time via Gabriel Jesus. Aké, who completed the ninety minutes, can therefore look back on his debut with a good feeling.