Manchester City FC’s perfect home Premier League record has ended as they needed two late goals to draw 3-3 with Sunderland while Wolves looked a certainty for the drop after losing at home to fellow strugglers Bolton.
City fell behind to a Sebastian Larsson strike on 31 minutes, but Mario Balotelli levelled from the spot but Nicklas Bentner headed Sunderland back in front before the break in a pulsating first-half in Manchester. Larsson then made it 3-1 on the counterattack early in the second half, and it looked like City’s title chances were going to take a serious hit, but two goals in the last five minutes from Balotelli and Aleksandar Kolarov meant that City escaped with a point. Man United Fwho play on Monday can go five points clear at the top with a win.
At the bottom of the table Wolves look sure to go down as they lost 3-2 to Bolton and now trail Wigan in 19th by six points.
Michael Kightly put Wolves ahead in the 53rd minute but Bolton fought back through a Martin Petrov penalty and goals from Marcos Alonso and Mark Davies before Matt Jarvis grabbed a late consolation for Terry Connor’s struggling side.
Bolton are up to 16th but out of the bottom three by just one point because of the good results enjoyed by the teams around them including QPR’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal.
The Gunners had won seven games in a row making them favourites but Adel Taarabt and Samba Diakite found the back of the net for the struggling west London side to give them a survival lifeline. Theo Walcott was on target for Arsenal.
QPR remain in the bottom three because of their goals scored being inferior to Blackburn’s. Arsenal are third but Spurs could move level on points with them if they beat Swansea on Sunday.
Second half goals from Antolin Alcaraz and Victor Moses gave Wigan a 2-0 win against Stoke and back to back wins for the first time this season.
The Latics stay in 19th place but only on goal difference, and are just one point from safety. Stoke drop to 13th.
Elsewhere Chelsea are within five points of Arsenal and two of Spurs, who play on Sunday, after a 4-2 victory at Aston Villa. Fernando Torres getting one of the Chelsea goals. And Clint Dempsey scored his 19th goal of the season as Fulham beat Norwich 2-1 and Everton beat West Brom by the same score.
