As Jack Grealish struggled to hit the heights expected of him last season, he could at least comfort himself with the idea it can take Manchester City signings a year or so to adapt to Pep Guardiola's unique demands. Until Erling Haaland arrived, anyway.
Countless City players have fared considerably better in their second season than their first for Guardiola and plenty of them surrounded Grealish at Molineux. But Haaland's impact has been swift and seismic.
Maybe that's what has led to the increased scrutiny on Grealish recently and the questions that have surrounded a £100million signing that hasn't looked to be at that level often enough.
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Pep Guardiola leapt to the defence of an attacker who had just six goals and four assists in 43 appearances for the club on Friday - and was repaid instantly. City had this game won at half-time thanks to the marquee signings of last summer and this, a player who was always going to face pressure because of a price tag and one who was so comparatively cheap it feels like a crime has been committed.
Grealish had been impressive in the rout of Sevilla last week and while he wasn't as bright against Dortmund, he had earned his third successive start and for all the criticism, it does feel like he is starting to justify his value.
Molineux had fallen silent before kick-off for tributes to Queen Elizabeth II, followed by a rousing rendition of God Save the King. The decibels of the final notes of the new national anthem had barely finished drifting around the stadium when City struck.
When Grealish was at Aston Villa he was one of Prince William's favourite players, so maybe it was fitting he opened the scoring on such a royal occasion.
Wolves had touched the ball just once before Jose Sa picked it out the back of his net. When Phil Foden backheeled the ball to an overlapping Kevin De Bruyne on the right you could picture the cross about to arrive and the finish to be applied. The only surprise was the ball eluded the outstretched Haaland at the near post, but Grealish was in the right place to convert.
Haaland was never going to be out of the game for long, however, although his customary goal was a little more unexpected when it arrived. When Bernardo Silva played the ball to him he was closer to halfway than the goal, but as he drove at Max Kilman the centre-back retreated, maybe falling for the myth that the Norwegian is a man who only does tap-ins.
Instead, he used Kilman as a shield to fire in a low shot with his right foot from 20 yards. It wasn't sweetly struck but the placement was expert. He's now scored in seven successive games - 12 in total in that run and the first player to score in his first four Premier League away games. You feel that's the first of many records he's going to shred in this league.
Given Wolves had scored just three goals in their previous six league games, this game already felt like it was over. When Nathan Collins nearly chopped Grealish in half with a dreadful challenge 12 minutes before the break it was. Collins was dismissed and City had total control.
Grealish - not particularly popular in these parts due to his Villa links - was subjected to more boos for his role in the red card, despite lying on the ground in agony after having studs raked down his stomach and midriff. The only question from here for City felt like how many. De Bruyne drilled a shot just wide and Haaland had the ball stolen off his toes in the six-yard box by Rayan Ait-Nouri before half-time.
Wolves were refusing to give up on the game, to their credit, an approach best summed up by repurposing Ruben Neves as a centre-back after the red card. Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo had to stay alert to make vital interceptions after the break as the home fans' sense of injustice spurred their team on. Dias might have expected a quiet 45 minutes against 10 men but he had to be at his best to help the Blues to the clean sheet.
When the defence weren't there City were grateful to the hapless Goncalo Guedes, who missed his kick 10 yards out after Ait-Nouri's square pass picked him out.
The Wolves storm was always going to blow over at some point, however, and City had just started to turn the screw before Foden killed the game. Moments earlier Haaland had forced Sa into a low save and Foden's follow-up had been deflected over. He made no mistake with his next chance. He linked with Haaland and De Bruyne superbly and it was another low cross from the right from the Belgian, which Foden converted stylishly.
This front three had torn Sevilla apart in the Champions League and they were far too good for Wolves. Grealish, Haaland and Foden were all on the scoresheet and their combinations with De Bruyne are beginning to look smooth. That could spell trouble for the rest of the Premier League.
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