MAN CITY....... 1 EVERTON....... 1

ALMOST IDENTICAL PENALTY MISSES FROM DE BRUYNE AND AGUERO LEAVE GUARDIOLA’S BOYS S-MAART-ING

BUDDIES Ronald Koeman and Pep Guardiola will certainly dine out on this one when they meet up for their regular dinner date.

It was a mouth-watering performance from Manchester City which on another day would have easily gobbled up three valuable points.

But two missed penalties from Guardiola’ susu al deadly marksmen, Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, saw City drop two points. That’s Aguero’s third successive spot-kick blunder plus one failure for Argentina this season.

And to top it off, opposing keeper Maarten Stekelenburg produced a magnificent performance which left his boss delighted.

Romelu Lukaku put Everton ahead in the 64th minute before substitute Nolito equalised eight minutes later.

And Toffees boss Ronald Koeman said: “The goalkeeper played his best game ever.

“We know he’s a very good goalkeeper but saving two penalties and two more shots off De Bruyne and we get a result.

“The fighting spirit of the team was unbelievable and that’s what you need against City.

“I’m pleased with the point. We didn’t deserve more – maybe we didn’t deserve the one. But Romelu is one of the best strikers and how he finished was world-class.”

His pal, Guardiola, now goes to play his old club Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday without being too downcast.

Guardiola said: “It’s a big compliment to Everton how they defend. But I’m sad for my players.

“We created enough chances to win the game. They had one chance in 90 minutes. Football is like this.

“All of my career, I have found this kind of thing. But never in my life am I going to change the way I play football.”

It was a first half of serious intent from a City side stunned by the 2-0 Tottenham defeat before the international break.

Guardiola demanded that they toughened up – and they did.

The home side completely dominated the opening 45 minutes and should have been out of sight before referee Michael Oliver blew for the half-time break.

There was a penalty appeal after just 12 minutes when Bryan Oviedo sent Leroy Sane tumbling and that signalled the start of an assault from City.

Everton were pinned back and were breached time and time again by slick passing and breathtaking build-ups.

And Koeman’s men did concede a penalty three minutes before the interval when Phil Jagielka brought down David Silva and Oliver pointed to the spot.

But De Bruyne, standing in for the benched Aguero, saw his penalty comfortably saved by Stekelenburg to his left and the away side breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The Toffees came out fighting after the break with Gerard Deulofeu taking aim and firing for the top corner only for Claudio Bravo to brilliantly save.

And in the 63rd minute, Koeman’s men were amazingly ahead when Lukaku found himself in the clear, streaked past Gael Clichy and rammed the ball in with his left foot.

Six minutes later, City were thrown another penalty lifeline when Aguero was brought down by Jagielka in his second nightmare slip. But the Argentine saw his penalty stopped in almost identical fashion to De Bruyne.

Aguero was again denied by the Everton keeper but Nolito brought City level just 60 seconds after coming on as a 71st- minute substitute. The Spaniard headed his compatriot Silva’s teasing cross home.

And it should have been a final flourish for the hosts when De Bruyne’s shot was tipped on to the upright by star man Stekelenburg.