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Wolves can help Manchester City retain the title by playing Premier League spoilers, says Vincent Kompany.

After a side that dominated last season's top flight escaped the new boys' Molineux lair on Saturday with a point — and needed to come from a goal down to get even that — Kompany predicted other top sides won't fare as well.

He saw enough in the 1-1 draw to convince him Wolves are going to take some big-name scalps this season, potentially swinging the title race.

“I’m confident they will take points off our ­competitors," the City skipper said of Nuno Espirito Santo's men.

(Image: Getty) (Image: Reuters)

“They are the typical type of team geared up to get big scalps because they have enough quality to play themselves out of ­situations when they are under pressure.

“The other thing is their key players work hard and that’s ­always a good mix. I’m convinced they will surprise one or two sides. They don’t behave or play like a Championship team that has just been promoted.”

Last season’s runaway championship winners were certainly stunned when last season’s runaway Championship winners had the audacity to take the lead.

It came in controversial ­circumstances – Willy Boly ­bundling the ball home with his right hand – but that should not detract from the quality of this Wolves display.

City were understandably ­unhappy about it. But in fairness to ref Martin Atkinson, the ­offence was only ­apparent with the benefit of several slowed-down replays.

That didn’t stop the hurt, with City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan slamming the whistler's performance.

Gundogan said: “Fortunately we scored one so we take a point. But unfortunately the referee was probably the worst ­performer, and that’s why we lost­ two points.

“It was not just one mistake in this situation, there were two. First of all it was offside and then it was a clear ­handball, so with the linesman, I expect a ­Premier League referee to see that and make the correct decision.”

Boly’s 57th-minute goal never quite looked like being enough against a side of City’s quality and the visitors quickly got themselves back on level terms with a bullet header from Aymeric Laporte.

City rattled the woodwork three times and spurned a couple of decent opportunities but don’t let that disguise the punchiness of this Wolves performance.

They went for it, far from daunted by City’s ­reputation and weren’t afraid to have a go. When they did get breached, there was keeper Rui Patricio to show his class.

He pulled out a couple of ­stunning stops but none better than his acrobatic 23rd-minute diving save which left Raheem Sterling looking on in disbelief.

The England man could hardly believe his eyes as he watched the Portugal stopper go full-stretch towards his top corner to ­fingertip the ball onto the bar.

City are used to ­having it their own way and that just didn’t happen at Molineux.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

When it does not, then they really could do without the theatrics from Sergio Aguero and Sterling. They both go down way too early at times, and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.

That said, David Silva seemed to have justifiable claims for a penalty when he was sent tumbling by Matt Doherty.

With all the attacking prowess at their disposal, it was ironic they had to rely on French defender Laporte to get them out of a fix.

He rose to meet Gundogan’s free-kick and gave Patricio no chance with a powerful header which ripped into the net.