EVERTON 1, MANCHESTER CITY 3
In just seven days time, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side could smash all manner of records while lifting the Premier League title if they beat their last remaining obstacle – rivals Manchester United – after they smashed Everton to complete a rare feat of winning against every top flight side in the same season.
The Toffees had previously thwarted three attempts by Guardiola to beat them since his tenure at Manchester City started last season – including a 4-0 humbling at Goodison Park in January 2017 which became the Spaniard’s worst ever league defeat as a manager.
There was to be no fourth as goals by and Leroy Sane, Gabriel Jesus, and Raheem Sterling swept them aside within a breathtaking first half which underlined the ability of the team that has now taken the Premier League by storm this season.
Everton were allowed a second half consolation goal by Yannick Bolasie as City took their foot off the gas but couldn’t lay a hand on Pep’s side who could now clinch the title on April 7 in the Manchester derby.
Aymeric Laporte was surprisingly named as left back for Oleksandr Zinchenko in the only change from City’s 2-0 win at Stoke City and he returned a ball to David Silva allowing the playmaker to sling it across the Everton area for Leroy Sane to volley in left footed from ten yards out after just four minutes – his 13th of the season.
So much for parking the bus, then, and while Yannick Bolasie wasted a fine opportunity to head an equaliser after City’s defence fell asleep the Toffees instead found themselves 2-0 down when an unmarked Gabriel Jesus headed in a Kevin De Bruyne cross at the other end after Sane had triggered a counter attack after 12 minutes.
It was a 14th goal of the season for the Brazilian who seems to be coming into some form after his injury lay off.
David Silva was at the centre of much of City’s best work, hitting the side netting and driving a shot wide, while Everton could only chase shadows.
The little Spaniard turned provider, swinging a cross in from the left for Raheem Sterling to convert his 21st goal of the season in the 37th minute – the least that City deserved for their first half dominance.
With such a big lead on their hands and big games to come, it was understandable that City’s intensity dropped but they remained dangerous with Jordan Pickford doing well to save a deflected Fernandinho drive which might have made it four for City.
Everton did earn something of a consolation in the 63rd minute when Dominic Calvert-Lewin laid the ball off to Bolasie whose long range effort went through Kyle Walker and beat Ederson at the near post only to spin across goal and in off the far post.
City ended the game with a towering 82% of the possession – the highest for any away side in the Premier League – and City fans will be looking forward to a memorable week ahead.