Manchester City 3 Wolves 1: City show their skills set is growing by overcoming Kompany’s red card

Having established a two-goal lead thanks to efforts from Edin Dzeko in the 52nd minute and Aleksandar Kolarov in the 67th, City appeared to be cruising until captain Vincent Kompany was shown a straight red card with 15 minutes remaining for bringing down Kevin Doyle.

Stephen Hunt converted the resulting penalty to set up a tense finale, but the Blues kept Wanderers at bay before substitute Adam Johnson netted a third for the hosts in stoppage time.

It means City are once again five points clear at the top after champions Manchester United had temporarily cut the gap with a 1-0 win at Everton, and delighted Mancini said: “With 15 minutes to go, it was very hard, but I am very proud because with 10 men, we were strong.

“We defended strongly because they didn’t have any more chances to score, and then we scored another goal.

“This is good. When you have 10 players and you can take the result and score another goal, this shows a very good mentality.”

The match was quite different to the midweek Carling Cup fourth-round meeting between the pair at Molineux, which City won 5-2.

The fact that City achieved something of a battling win on this occasion would seem an encouraging sign for their title credentials, although when it was suggested to Mancini that this one had not been quite so spectacular as other recent triumphs, he said: “When you win it is always spectacular, even if you win 1-0.”

While City are flying high, struggling Wolves are now winless in eight league fixtures.

Wanderers manager Mick McCarthy thought his side performed well in the first half and expressed his sympathy for goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who had pulled off a string of saves in the opening period but then undid his good work after the break.

Hennessey, a former City trainee, made a hash of dealing with a backpass and Sergio Aguero’s challenge on him saw the ball spin out to Dzeko, who lofted it into the net.

The Wales international then parried a strike from David Silva, allowing Kolarov an easy finish.

McCarthy refused to criticise Hennessey and said: “I thought we started the second half okay, but poor Wayne – it is a mistake that has let them take the lead and then it makes it a difficult afternoon.”