The midfielder's glittering career at the Etihad Stadium is almost over but he still had time to guide his side to three vital points
Kevin De Bruyne used his penultimate home game for Manchester City to remind them of his timeless brilliance as he scored the only goal in a crucial 1-0 win over in-form Wolves.
The midfielder put City in front in the 35th minute after a nervy first-half display from Pep Guardiola's side and the Cityzens held on, despite the visitors hitting the woodwork in each half, to record a fourth consecutive Premier League win and keep them on track for a top-five finish and Champions League qualification.
Wolves turned up in the midst of a club-record run of six consecutive Premier League wins and crafted the first clear-cut chance when Matheus Cunha slid to win the ball and played a through ball to Jean-Ricner Bellegarde between the lines. The Frenchman could have shot at goal but instead tried to set up Marshall Munetsi, badly over-hitting the pass and forcing his team-mate to slide in while failing to connect with the ball.
The visitors had a double chance a few minutes later when Rayan Ait-Nouri hit the post then saw his rebounded shot cleared off the line by Josko Gvardiol. Wolves were made to pay for their wastefulness when De Bruyne broke the deadlock, finishing first-time after a mazy run down the left from Jeremy Doku.
The excellent Cunha struck the woodwork in the second half and Wolves kept pushing for an equaliser right until the last kick of the game but City held firm to move up to third in the table with three games left for them to play. Erling Haaland made the bench for the first time since injuring his ankle in March against Bournemouth in the FA Cup but he only got to warm up and was not one of the five substitutes Guardiola introduced.
GOAL rates Man City's players from the Etihad Stadium…
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Ederson (6/10):
Had a quiet and comfortable return from injury after three weeks out. Faced six shots but didn't have to make a save. A searching long kick of his nearly released Doku.
Matheus Nunes (5/10):
Appeared to be targeted by his former club, with Ait-Nouri and Munetsi causing him plenty of grief down his right flank.
Ruben Dias (6/10):
Had a hopeful early strike which missed the target. Caught out on occasion by Cunha but mostly held the fort well.
Josko Gvardiol (7/10):
Made a super block on the line from Ait-Nouri and was alert to stop other potential breakaways.
Nico O'Reilly (6/10):
Strong going forward, combining well with Doku and forcing a save from Jose Sa. A little lax in the second half, leading to him being taken off for Akanji.
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Ilkay Gundogan (5/10):
Cumbersome at times, especially out of possession. On the plus side, it was his ball which released Doku for the goal.
Mateo Kovacic (6/10):
Not quite as dominant as during the FA Cup semi-final but still helped City monopolise the ball and spread the play around nicely.
Bernardo Silva (6/10):
Made his 400th appearance for City and risked a serious injury when Ait-Nouri trod on his ankle, leading to a VAR check for red card which was ultimately dismissed. Energetic when it came to winning second balls but his passing was a bit off.
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Jeremy Doku (8/10):
His pace and trickery always kept Wolves on their toes. His twisting run set up the only goal and he was also a nuisance down the left wing after the break.
Omar Marmoush (5/10):
Another game in which he didn't make the most of Haaland's absence, especially with the Norwegian returning to the bench and warming up. Missed the target with his two efforts.
Kevin De Bruyne (7/10):
This was his second-last game at the Etihad and he made it count, making the difference with his pin-point finish. Was involved in City's best plays and got a standing ovation when he left the pitch.
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Manuel Akanji (6/10):
Gave City more solidity in defence after replacing O'Reilly.
Phil Foden (N/A):
Got seven minutes off the bench after being dropped from the line-up for the second game running.
Rico Lewis (N/A):
Replaced Marmoush late on to give City more control in the last few minutes.
James McAtee (N/A):
Came on for Gundogan in the latter stages.
Nico Gonzalez (N/A):
Brought on in added time.
Pep Guardiola (6/10):
Did not look happy with his players for much of the game. His side rode their luck but took another crucial step towards finishing in the top-five.
