Manchester City 3-1 Wolves: Adam Johnson comes off the bench to clinch victory after Kompany is sent off in dramatic second half

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The hosts made three changes to the team that humiliated Manchester United in last week’s derby, with Kolarov, Samir Nasri and Dzeko, who scored two in midweek against Wolves, coming in for Gael Clichy, James Milner and the in-form Mario Balotelli. The latter pair, both of whom were superb at Old Trafford, most likely being rested for City’s vital trip to Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday. 

Mick McCarthy also made a trio of changes to the starting XI that drew late on with Swansea City seven days ago, with David Edwards, Stephen Hunt and Adlene Guedioura taking the places of Matt Jarvis, Adam Hammill and Sylvain Ebanks-Blake. 

Mancini’s men came into the game having seen Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United bounce back from last week’s derby mauling with a 1-0 win away to Everton and as such, City’s lead at the Premier League summit had been reduced from five points to two.

They started like a team desperate to regain their advantage, as Nasri's 20-yard volley after only 74 seconds was tipped over by Wayne Hennessey.

The explosive start soon faded however, with the home side maintaining possession but struggling to break a dogged Wolves defence down, and as the quarter of an hour mark passed, City were looking comfortable, if a little frustrated.

The mood continued to grow shortly after as Dzeko failed to convert a tight volley from a matter of yards, with Micah Richards' deflected cross after a marauding run having bounced in to the path of the Bosnian. His reaction was slow and Wolves hung on to maintain the deadlock.

Hit the Dzek | Edin Dzeko takes a tumble before giving City the lead

It was nearly broken shortly before the 25th minute as Aguero picked up the ball 30 yards out, moved dangerously towards the area and hit a rasping drive towards Hennessey's bottom right corner, only for the Welshman to keep it out with a superb stop that had him at full stretch. Undeterred, the Argentine then missed another chance from a matter of yards, lazily scooping an effort wide as City looked to dominate.

They weren't made to wait long after the break to make the breakthrough however, and it was Hennessey who went from hero to zero as Aguero put the dallying 'keeper under pressure on the edge of his area, getting a foot on the ball as the deflection landed in Dzeko's path, who made no mistake with a calm half volleyed finish to hit his ninth of the season.

Hennessey's afternoon then went from bad to worse as City doubled their lead, with the Welshman at fault once again after having parried Silva's curled effort into the path of Kolarov, who dispatched from close range to put the game comfortably in the home side's hands.

But capitulate Wolves did not, and within eight minutes the visitors had halved City's lead and reduced them to 10 men. Guedioura's rasping effort from outside the area proved too hot for Joe Hart to handle and with the ball bouncing towards the oncoming Doyle, Kompany brought down the Ireland international to give Attwell no choice but point to the spot. The Belgian was duly sent off and Hunt, who had been a peripheral figure, coolly slotted it past Hart.

However, with Wolves pushing for the equaliser, City ruthlessly caught them on the break as Johnson hit an excellent low drive to secure a tight, but potentially huge home win. It was no means easy for Mancini's men, but it was a performance with the determination required for a sustained title challenge.