Man City 0 - Wolves 0 (4-1 pens.): Wasteful City require penalties in Carabao Cup

Bravo saved from Alfried N’Diaye and Connor Coady as City went through 4-1 on penalties.

Their winning penalty came from Sergio Aguero but it will not count as he continues to look for the goal that will give him the club’s all-time scoring record.

It was a cruel end for Wolves who had beocme the first club this season to stop City from scoring.

In the shoot-out Leo Bonatini scored first for Wolves but Bravo’s saves and successful spot kicks by Kevin De Bruyne, Yaya Toure and Aguero ensured a hugely relieved City went through.

Aguero endured a night of frustration as Manchester City, for once, found goals hard to come by in 90 minutes.

Everything seemed to be set up for Aguero to finally claim the club’s all-time scoring record to himself in the Carabao Cup foruth roudn tie at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola put Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling alongside him while Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo made nine changes to his Championship leaders.

City looked bankers to continue a run that had seen them smash 42 goals in their first 13 games of the season.

But it seemed the harder Aguero tried to get the goal to move clear of Eric Brook the worse it got.

The Argentinian had seven attempts on goal but a combination of good goalkeeping from Will Norris and uncharacteristically poor finishing ensured Aguero was left an exasperated figure as Wolves mounted a determined rearguard action that took City into extra-time.

It underlined the quality and depth of City’s squad that Guardiola made nine changes from the team that beat Burnley on Saturday and his starting XI still cost a combined £294million. That included a three-man strikeforce of Aguero, Jesus and Sterling that cost £110m.

But Wolves also made nine changes which took some of the gloss away from a tie that pitched the Premier League leaders against the Championship pacesetters.

Aguero, made captain for the night, certainly looked a man in a hurry to finally claim the club scoring record to himself with five attempts on goal in the first half – three of them in the first 11 minutes.

His first effort forced Will Norris to go full stretch to keep out his shot, the second was a relatively easy chance from Sterling’s pass which he sidefooted wide, while his third, a first-time shot, flew high over the bar.

Later in a half that City dominated, Aguero’s aimed a shot straight at Norris before hooking Sterling’s cross from close range.

The best chance of the first period fell to Wolves however when Bright Enobakhare outmuscled Eliaquim Mangala to Ryan Bennett’s long ball to give himself a clear run on goal but Claudio Bravo saved his shot with an outstretched leg.

Bravo had earlier saved from Bennett’s header but for all the action at both ends an entertaining first half ended scoreless.

The second half continued in the same vein with City dominating possession and Wolves looking dangerous on the counter attack. One break ended with Helder Costa lifting a shot high over the bar.

City were lacking the incisive final pass that Kevin De Bruyne had supplied in recent games. And after an hour Guardiola sent the Belgian along the touchline to warm-up.

Wolves grew in confidence the longer they kept City at bay and they had another chance ot take the lead after 65 minutes when Marshall unlocked City’s defence to put Costa clean through but Bravo came to City’s rescue again by saving his shot.

Aguero’s frustration continued when Norris kicked a clearance straight to him but as the City striker tried to drible round, the goalkeeper recovered to push the ball away with his hand.

Aguero looked exasperated and City’s frustration continued when Bernardo Silve mazy run took him tino a shooting position inside the penalty area only for the over-worked Norris to save again.