City rise but fail to shine
BACK on top but not brilliant. That is the best way to describe this display from Manchester City.
Aymeric Laporte’s first-half header and Gabriel Jesus’ late second put Pep Guardiola’s side on the summit ahead of Liverpool on goal difference.
It was hardly one of the swashbuckling shows that saw City cruise to the title last season.
But job done, three points is all that matters.
Liverpool fans will be frustrated their neighbours did them no favours. But this was not the walkover many expected.
It may, at least, give the Reds hope that sides in better shape will take more points from Guardiola’s side if they put in more displays like this.
The out-of-form Toffees toughed it out, but City edged it. Three shots on target from them, one to Everton.
Goals in stoppage time of each half the difference.
City came into the game with the chance to go back on top of the Premier League table for the first time since mid-December. There were some Toffees fans who were unsure if they wanted their side to win seeing as it would have given Liverpool a helping hand in their bid to end 29 years without a league title.
But Everton boss Marco Silva was not having any of that as he needed a performance to ease the growing pressure on him.
Everton had been in shocking form with just three wins in their last 12 league games as well as an FA Cup exit at the hands of Championship Millwall.
This was not a win to improve the mood but at least it was an improvement on Saturday’s woeful show against Wolves.
Silva made five changes from that game, including dropping their two top scorers in Gylfi Sigurdsson and Richarlison. Guardiola rested Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling ahead of City’s clash with Chelsea on Sunday.
But Leroy Sane came in and went close early on with a shot from the edge of the area in what was a flat atmosphere at Goodison Park.
Ilkay Gundogan hit the bar when he got on the end of a David Silva cross.
But Everton then went close at the other end when Bernard’s header from Theo Walcott’s cross was deflected wide.
City had scored in the first half of their last 15 games and they made it 16 here – just.
David Silva whipped in a free-kick in the second minute of first-half stoppage time and Laporte rose unmarked to send a looping header past Jordan Pickford.
Everton conceded yet again from a set-piece. Zonal marking is just not working for them.
They were not much better from open play after the restart as Pickford flapped at a Gundogan cross and Sergio Aguero’s overhead kick flew just wide. Idrissa Gueye then gave
Ederson an easy save from distance for Everton’s only shot on target.
But at 1-0 things were still tense and Guardiola cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines, calling for Sterling from the bench.
The England winger had a deflected effort creep just over after his introduction.
But City’s two other substitutes combined for the second goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
De Bruyne’s clever play put in Jesus and he was blocked by Pickford before the ball looped in the area and he headed home.
Cue chants of “champions” from the away end. It remains to be seen if they retain that title.
EVERTON (4-3-3): Pickford 6; Kenny 7, Keane 6, Zouma 6, Digne 6; Gomes 6 (Sigurdsson 64, 6), Gueye 5, Davies 7; Walcott 6 (Tosun 80), Calvert-Lewin 6, Bernard 7 (Richarlison 73). NEXT UP: Chelsea (h), Sun PL. MAN CITY (4-3-3): Ederson 6; Walker 6, Stones 7, Otamendi 7, Laporte 7; Gundogan 7, Fernandinho 6, D Silva 6 (De Bruyne 89); B Silva 7, Aguero 6 (Jesus 80), Sane 7 (Sterling 59, 6). Booked: Fernandinho.
Goals: Laporte 45, Jesus 90. NEXT UP: Watford (a), Sat PL. Referee: Craig Pawson (S Yorkshire).