EVERTON 1, MAN CITY 3
Manchester City showed the resilience of champions to win at Everton and reinvigorate their bid for a fourth successive Premier League title.
After only one win in their previous six league matches, there were some who were doubting whether Pep Guardiola’s side had lost its hunger.
And after falling behind and trailing at half-time to a goal from former City player Jack Harrison, City had to dig deep in the second period which they did to grind out what in the end was a comfortable victory, their eighth straight win in league and cup at Goodison Park, as they climbed back into the top four.
Second-half goals from Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez and Bernardo Silva turned the game on its head as City have now taken 11 points from losing positions this season, the most under Guardiola in any one campaign which displays their battling qualities.
Guardiola said: “It was really important, massive after coming home from Saudi Arabia as world champions and how we reacted.
“On the plane coming home, the players were starting to talk about Everton and I still had a feeling they want to do it again. We have the desire which I like a lot and the mentality is still there.
“I remind them [of their abilities] every day. We have standards to keep. That makes us have more responsibility so the standards cannot go down.
“I thought the first half was really good. In the second half we had to attack quicker with wingers and runners, and we did really well. They showed again how special they are.
“We said we needed to move to structure to play more direct to the wingers. We created 5-10 minutes of chances. Phil Foden in the end just took the ball and put it in the net! We arrived more often in the final third in the second half.”
Embed from Getty Images“We know after six games with just one win, the people were asking, which is normal because it is all about results, but we are close and so do Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Aston Villa. We want to be there.”
Foden said: “I thought we played really well in the first half, and it seems to have been the same story as previous games. The manager just said to believe in ourselves at half-time because we’re a top team.
“In the second half, wow. I think we blew them away with the way they played. I want to praise Everton because I think they’ve been doing really well recently and are a top side. They make it difficult. I’m really happy with the result. It’s a difficult place to come.
“We have massive players to come back in with the likes of Erling [Haaland], Jeremy Doku and Kevin [De Bruyne] so three important players. When they come back, hopefully they make the team stronger. I’m looking forward to them coming back.”
Everton were aggrieved by the penalty they conceded for City’s second as this was the first time they had lost a game under Sean Dyche after they had taken the lead – the figure stood at 18 matches before kick-off.
Dyche said: “They are a very good side, we know that. We know they make chances, and you have to try to stop those which we didn’t do.
“We can debate the penalty all day. It has been by managers on Zoom calls to say it’s a farce but that’s the way it goes.
“That’s completely natural. He’s not putting his arm up to save it, he’s literally jumping in to try to block the ball. How that is given as a penalty is bizarre in my world, but I must be from a different planet. Tonight the linesman gives that and he’s 18 yards away so I don’t know who is giving what any more.
“Who knows? All the managers are debating it. Someone needs to stand up at some point and realise that can’t be a penalty because he’s just throwing himself in front of it to try to block the ball, that’s it.
“Manchester City came out in the second half and played much longer which we didn’t deal with. In the first half we were very good tactically. We had a great chance to get back in it. The penalty changes the feel of the game but when they get their noses in front, they are a hard team to get back to.”
City remained without star man Erling Haaland because of a foot injury with Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku out too.
There were two changes from the side that beat Fluminense in the Club World Cup with Manuel Akanji replacing Ruben Dias and Matheus Nunes in for Rico Lewis.
Rodri was fit to start after being an injury doubt.
Andre Gomes made his first start of the season, while Beto came in up front. Idrissa Gueye missed out while Dominic Calvert-Lewin was on the bench.
There were audible boos for the Premier League anthem before kick off as Everton fans vented their anger at the 10-point deduction.
Strange as it is the Champions League anthem that City supporters continue to drown out in protest to UEFA.
City began on the front foot and inside four minutes Julian Alvarez was denied by a super save from Jordan Pickford after Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish has set up the Argentine with Phil Foden’s follow-up effort blocked.
Guardiola’s side ought to have moved ahead in the 14th minute when Pickford made a huge double save to deny Alvarez who was clean through on goal and then to block Matheus Nunes’ follow-up effort.
Pickford was having a busy night as he dived low to his left to beat out an angled shot from Grealish.
How City were made to pay for those misses as Everton stole ahead just before the half hour.
Rodri lost possession as Dwight McNeill drove into the left before fired a low cross which Harrison slotted home from inside the six-yard box got only the second goal of his loan from Leeds United.
This was the eighth straight league game in which City have failed to keep a clean sheet, the first time this has happened in five years.
Harrison nearly doubled the lead four minutes later when his effort was brilliantly tipped to safety by Ederson.
City lost John Stones to injury just before half time as he was replaced by Josko Gvardiol.
The equaliser came in the 53rd minute when City worked an opening well before Foden found the net with a low drive from 25 yards inside Pickford’s near post for his ninth goal of the season.
And Foden was almost at the double one minute later when he flicked a cross from Alvarez just past the far post.
Pickford pulled off another fine save to beat out a free kick from Alvarez as City were in the ascendancy.
And they were awarded a penalty for handball against Amadou Onana who was adjudged to have handled as he blocked Nathan Ake’s goalbound shot.
It was a decision upheld by VAR but tough on Everton as Onana was only a couple of yards away from Ake.
Alvarez scored from the spot, despite the best efforts of Pickford to prevent his 11th goal of the season.
City made a second change mid-half when Nunes was replaced by Mateo Kovacic.
Everton had a great chance to equalise with 15 minutes left when Dominic Calvert-Lewin fired wide at the near post from Harrison’s low cross – he ought to have hit the target.
City sealed victory in the 86th minute after Pickford blundered taking too long to make a clearance outside his box.
Alvarez shut him down and the ball ricocheted to Silva who curled in a delightful effort into an empty net from out wide, his seventh of the season.
It might have got worse for the Toffees as Foden’s drive struck the upright in stoppage time and he was also denied by Pickford as they came close to a fourth goal.