Stekelenburg the hero as Guardiola meets his match
PEP GUARDIOLA was given a stark reminder that no matter how good a coach you are, you don’t win football matches if you miss two penalties.
It doesn’t help, either, if you come across a rival manager who is just as clever as you and a goalkeeper who has the game of his life.
City dropped two more points – it’s now three games without a win in all competitions and Barcelona away to come on Wednesday.
But, in the opinion of the good friend who stopped Guardiola regaining his all-conquering momentum, he shouldn’t be worried.
“City are the best team I’ve ever played against in my managerial career,” said Everton boss Ronald Koeman. “They are, in my opinion, the best team in the Premier League.”
On chances City should have won. On possession they should have won. On attacking intent they should have won.
Yet Everton deserved their point because Koeman worked out a way of resisting City’s smothering pressure and hurting them on the break.
Even so, he couldn’t have pulled it off without the remarkable Maarten Stekelenburg, who saved penalties from Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero and pulled off another three exceptional saves.
“The goalkeeper played his best game ever – and he’s been a good goalkeeper,” said Koeman of his fellow Dutchman.
Everton settled for minimal possession yet took the lead just after the hour through the bulldozing Romelu Lukaku.
Substitute Nolito secured the single point for City with a header – his first touch – in the 71st minute, just 60 seconds after being sent on by Guardiola.
Guardiola and Koeman were both products of the Johan Cruyff era at Barcelona and have been heavily influenced by his philosophy.
They were room-mates when they played together and they are still regular Cheshire dining partners since they moved to the north-west.
But Koeman proved that he knows that picture perfect football isn’t the only way of getting results.
Not that Guardiola is overly concerned as he prepares to return to the Nou Camp. “I’m not frustrated because we made a good performance,” he said.
“We improved a lot from what happened at Celtic and Tottenham. There was a lot of good movement, but we missed the last pass.
“You can practise penalties in training, but there’s nobody there to watch and no pressure.
“Barcelona have dominated football for the last seven, eight, nine years and they have three amazing players up front. We will arrive in good spirits because we played well.”
Leroy Sane, on his first Premier League start, saw an early effort beaten away at the near post by Stekelenburg and it was to become a running theme.
Sane then had a penalty shout turned down by Michael Oliver. Bryan Oviedo made contact, but the exaggerated dive did the City man no favours.
In the 42nd minute the wriggling David Silva fell over Phil Jagielka’s outstretched leg in the box and it seemed that City’s onslaught had finally borne fruit. But with regular penalty taker Aguero on the bench, stand-in De Bruyne struck his spotkick too close to Stekelenburg and he pushed the ball away.
Stekelenburg then saved with his foot as Kelechi Iheanacho got on the end of Sane’s cross.
Guardiola bit the bullet and sent on Aguero after just 11 second half minutes, but the immediate outcome was Lukaku’s goal.
A long ball out of defence, a touch by Yannick Bolasie and the Belgian powered past Gael Clichy to fire into the far corner of the net.
Then, for the second time in the match, Jagielka conceded a penalty, this time for a foul on Aguero.
The Argentinean took it, put it exactly where De Bruyne had placed his and again Stekelenburg made a wonderful save.
Stekelenburg saved again from Aguero a minute later as Guardiola replaced Sane with Nolito.
The Spaniard had been on for just a minute when he got his head to Silva’s cross and brought City level.
Stekelenburg produced yet another heroic save in the 82nd minute when he flew through the air to tip De Bruyne’s shot on to a post.
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