Gabriel The angel of north for Pep
TWO-GOAL JESUS BACK TO TOP FORM
YOU wait ages for a Gabriel Jesus goal – then two come along at once.
The Manchester City striker scored his first Premier League goal since August, ending a run of 11 games, 487 minutes and 18 shots without finding the back of the net.
And then Jesus notched his second to send that ‘phone home’ celebration into overdrive as City soared back to the top of the table.
Substitute Raheem Sterling grabbed the third while the faithful were cheered by the return of Kevin de Bruyne after his knee injury nightmare with 15 minutes left.
But City did not have it all their own way with Dominic Calvert-Lewin making it 2-1 to make life uncomfortable until Sterling struck.
City boss Pep Guardiola was a relieved man – and full of praise for Jesus.
He said: “It’s so important for him. Strikers need to score goals.
“Gabriel had chances and was in a better position to score a goal.
“He did it in a fantastic way. It will be so good for him.
“His performance was so valued.
“In our minds we were going to suffer today – and we did.
“The game was not over until the end. “We have fantastic players, fantastic human beings and they make a fantastic effort to win the game. But today was a dangerous game.”
And will Guardiola be glued to the box to see if neighbours United can do him a favour by beating title rivals Liverpool today?
“Of course I will be watching,” he added. “It’s a nice game to watch.”
Everton manager Marco Silva was disappointed but not surprised.
He said: “We made a mistake with the first goal, they scored and after that they were more comfortable.
“We made chances with Sigurdsson and Walcott.
“But I can tell you they deserved the three points. They were more effective than us. The left chances they created they scored and because of that they deserved the points.”
It was hardly vintage City in the opening stages of combat.
The trademark slick passing game was non-existent, replaced by a cumbersome, lacklustre approach which played right into Everton’s hands.
And the Toffees took advantage in the 15th minute when Kyle Walker was caught napping in his defensive duty to allow Lucas Digne to gain possession.
His quick thinking resulted in a pin-point cross to the back stick where Richarlison, with the goal at his mercy, blazed high and wide.
That lapseinfuriated Guardiola who stamped his feet and waved his arms in a frantic plea to resume normal service.
The Spaniard’s message finally woke City from their slumbers and the pressure began to mount on Everton’s backline.
Keeper Jordan Pickford had to be alert to save as defender Michael Keane prodded on Ilkay Gundogan’s cross.
City got the breakthrough their boss had demanded in the 22nd minute.
Yerry Mina was guilty of a careless clearance and Gundogan fed Leroy Sane who in turn picked out Jesus.
Would the Brazilian keep his composure to end his goal drought? You bet. Jesus took his time and slotted underneath Pickford.
And it should have been two five minutes from the break when Riyad Mahrez half-volleyed for goal only for Pickford to save brilliantly with both hands.
The second came in the 50th minute and Sane was again the provider with an accurate cross which Jesus powered into the top of the net with a firm header.
But just as City threatened to hit the accelerator, Everton stunned their hosts by pulling a goal back.
Digne delivered a teasing ball across for Calvert-Lewin who headed home.
Game on.
But City had other ideas and in the 69th minute Sterling got on the end of a clever centre from Fernandinho to head in just three minutes after coming on as a substitute – his first touch of the game.
Everton could have folded but they rallied again and sub Ademola Lookman set up Richarlison who again scooped over.
Then fellow sub Theo Walcott was guilty of another glaring miss.
The drama did not end there with Calvert-Lewin almost netting with a cheeky back-heel flick which Ederson saved.