DREAM DATE
Guardiola’s men devour Toffees and could clinch title in derby showdown
MANCHESTER CITY chalked up their fifth consecutive Premier League victory and will be crowned champions in dream fashion if they defeat Manchester United in next Saturday’s derby at the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola’s side won at Goodison by producing a mesmeric first-half display that produced goals from Leroy Sane, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling.
By the time Yannick Bolasie grabbed a consolation past the hour mark, City were already dropping the tempo in anticipation of the Champions League clash against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday. Kevin de Bruyne and Sterling were substituted early as a precaution.
City are on course to break Premier League records for points and goals in winning their third title in seven seasons and they proved far too strong for Everton, whose hopes of finishing seventh and qualifying for Europe are fading.
Manager Sam Allardyce will wonder if he erred by leaving the energetic Tom Davies on the bench until 57 minutes given Everton looked desperately short of midfield legs.
They trailed after four minutes to a City goal of breathtaking quality.
Aymeric Laporte overlapped on the left and when his pass reached David Silva, the Spaniard took one touch to find space and a second to dink the ball to Sane.
The German watched the ball’s flight all the way and connected sweetly with a left-foot volley that flew past Jordan Pickford. It was Sane’s 13th goal of the season.
City then added a second eight minutes later.
De Bruyne, a hot tip to be England’s Player of the Year, delivered a perfect cross for Jesus to convert from six yards with a header, his neck muscles generating enough power for the ball to flash into the net even though Pickford got a flailing hand to it.
City were enjoying themselves. Silva hit the side-netting, Sterling popped a shot just wide. Sane and Silva played a fine one-two to set up Kyle Walker with the England defender berating himself for a scuffed finish.
Seamus Coleman tried to get the home crowd going with a challenge on Sane best described as ‘full-blooded’ and left the German dumped on his backside.
Bolasie then shoved over De Bruyne as Everton tried to get closer to their opponents.
But City’s third goal arrived after 37 minutes. Fernandinho released Silva down the left. Everton appealed in vain for offside as the Spaniard crossed low for Sterling to steer home.
Everton were booed off at halftime and, surprisingly, Allardyce waited until the 57th minute to make his first change, withdrawing Wayne Rooney to ironic cheers from City fans.
Davies came on to add more drive to Everton’s midfield and the change produced a quick dividend when Bolasie’s low strike from the edge of the box after 63 minutes beat Ederson and bounced off the inside of the post into the net.
Afterwards, Guardiola said: ‘I can understand our fans are desperate to clinch the title when we play United next week. I’m a Barcelona fan and it was very special to win La Liga at home to Real Madrid.’