Riyad Mahrez says training ground work made his free kick delivery perfect at Everton.
The Manchester City star curled in a brilliant free kick, inbetween having influential roles in goals for Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling.
He was outstanding in the game, but the 25-yard free kick was his crowning moment.
Nicolas Otamendi and Fernandinho helped to unsight goalkeeper Jordan Pickford by standing at the end of the wall an then peeling away as Mahrez hit a low, bouncing shot into the far corner.
“I tried to put it at the keeper's side - I saw a little gap and whipped it there,” he said.
“It took a little bump. It was difficult to get it over the wall, so I just tried to keep it at the keeper's side. I practise situations like that every day in training. you have to find a good area to put the ball.”
Mahrez reckoned only difference between City’s battling win at Everton and the demolition of Watford was failure to convert chances.
City found it tough at Goodison Park, being reeled in by Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s equaliser and being indebted to goalkeeper Ederson for preventing the Merseysiders from going ahead.
But Mahrez felt that City might have run away with the game in the early stages, just as they did the previous week, when they scored five in the first 18 minutes against the Hornets.
“In the first half we should have scored two or three goals but we didn't,” he said. “That's the difference between this game and the one against Watford, when we scored with our first five chances.
“Ederson is a fantastic goalkeeper and he's always there when we need him. He's top because he has to be focussed all the game and be ready.
“We showed a great team spirit, it was a tough game, in the first half we had chances to score. we have to go through this game but it was a very good time to win here.
“The message from the manager at half-time was to keep playing because we were playing very well. To keep passing to find the space.”
