That was great fun – unless you’re an Everton fan. They led on the night thanks to Ross Barkley, making it 3-1 on aggregate, but City fought back and will play Liverpool in the final on 28 February. Roberto Martínez will be furious with City’s second as Raheem Sterling’s cross to Kevin De Bruyne was out of play, but it was given and Sergio Agüero’s header for the third was stunning. Sterling, who will take on his former club at Wembley, tells Sky of the cross: “Listen, I was just worried about the goal. We got the luck this time. Most important thing is we scored and won the game.” City’s excitement will be dampened by that late knee injury to De Bruyne, though. It looked quite serious. Keep your eyes peeled for our match report, reaction and analysis. Thanks for reading. Until next time, bye!
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Full-time! Manchester City 3-1 Everton (4-3 agg)
90 min +7: Barkley runs into trouble and City try to break through Zabaleta. But he finds no way through … and that’s it. Man City are off to Wembley.
90 min +6: City hold their line brilliantly and four Everton players are offside as McCarthy, one of them, shoots. We don’t praise City’s defence much but that was good.
90 min +4: Baines crosses from the left towards Funes Mori but he is offside and also hits the deck looking for a penalty. Unconvincing to say the least, Caballero will waste more time before the free-kick.
90 min +3: Play has restarted. And Everton are sending Funes Mori into attack. But Caballero is allowed to kill some time when Koné heads out for a goal-kick.
90 min +2: De Bruyne has heavy strapping around his right knee and is being carried off to a standing ovation. He is still grimacing in agony and this could have implications that stretch well beyond tonight.
90 min +1: De Bruyne is gone down and it looks very serious. He is challenged – fairly – by Funes Mori but lands awkwardly and his knee twists. The stretcher is coming on. He looks to be in agony. There will be five minutes added on, but that will not start until play restarts.
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90 min: City still look the more likely, which is quite damning of Everton.
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89 min: Barkley, plugs up both nostrils, is coming back on. Meanwhile, Baines is booked for going in late on Navas.
87 min: De Bruyne’s delivery is terrific and Agüero connects well but his radar is off and Everton are let off as the ball zips narrowly wide.
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86 min: Baines delivery is headed away by Fernandinho. But only to Baines who delivers once more. This time Caballero collects. From there City break. De Bruyne picks out Agüero and he wins a corner off Agüero. Now they are the ones killing time, but no Everton player is asking for a yellow card for time wasting …
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84 min: Cleverley is booked for his umpteenth foul. Barkley is still off the pitch getting treatment but when play restarts Everton charge forward and Otamendi brings down Koné, earning a booking of his own, and crucially giving Everton a big chance to level on aggregate.
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82 min: Is there a better player at scoring late goals playing in England at the moment than Agüero?
81 min: Koné pumps in a cross from the left but it’s too deep and rolls out for a throw-in.
80 min: Silva is off, Fernando is on to tighten up City’s defence for the final 10 minutes. Zabaleta now has the armband. Ross Barkley is momentarily off the pitch for treatment to a bloodied nose.
78 min: Stones is off, Coleman is on for Everton’s final change. This is the first time City have led on aggregate over the two legs! And you can’t see them relinquishing it from this position. Roberto Martínez will take their second goal well though!
Goal! Manchester City 3-1 Everton (Agüero) (4-3 agg)
77 min: He is there on the big moment again! The corner is cleared away by Stones but it’s crossed in from De Bruyne. Agüero makes a great run in front of Stones and heads brilliantly into the bottom left corner, leaving Robles with no chance.
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76 min: It comes off the wall. Fernandinho hits the rebound and it’s deflected again … but out for a corner.
75 min: Cleverley obstructs Fernandinho and De Bruyne is eyeing up a free-kick in a very tasty position indeed.
73 min: Dearie me! The assistant is on the opposite side but how does he not spot the ball is out? Yes, it happened quickly. And yes, the post might have obstructed him. But it’s clearly out!
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Goal! Manchester City 2-1 Everton (De Bruyne) (3-3 on agg)
70 min: And it’s a controversial one! Sterling jigs down the left and cuts the ball back to De Bruyne who slots the ball home first time, but the ball is obviously out of play before the England player crosses. It shouldn’t stand but it does and as it stands we are heading for extra-time.
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68 min: Koné holds the ball up excellently and is taken down by Clichy. And that gives Everton the chance to kill off another few seconds.
66 min: Touré is coming off for the Belgian! Silva has taken the captain’s armband and has moved a little deeper into the space vacated by Touré.
65 min: De Bruyne is getting ready. Barry has dragged Agüero back, it’s a foul but City again ask for a card. That’s not sporting, City! Meanwhile …
Wish people would get off John Stones back can't they see he's going to be the Best Defender England have had since Bobby Moore he's Class 😎
— Glenn Hoddle (@GlennHoddle) January 27, 2016
63 min: Respite for Everton who keep the ball well across the back. They needed this spell to kill off City’s momentum. They also need to find a way to serve Lukaku because he will cause damage to that City defence.
60 min: A double change for Everton: Koné and McCarthy are on for Deulofeu and Osman. This is McCarthy’s first appearance of the calendar year.
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58 min: Sterling’s cross from the right almost reaches Agüero but he is blocked. Then Robles punches nervously clear and Cleverley turns the ball out for a corner. Navas’ delivery is headed over by Otamendi.
57 min: You sense a City goal is coming. They are absolutely dominant. Everton are defending as if it is the 87th minute.
54 min: What a chance for City but the woodwork comes to Everton’s rescue again. Zabaleta crosses from the right, Silva – the little man! – rises to head goalwards but a post denies him and it is eventually cleared after a scramble on the line.
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52 min: Sterling powers down the left side of the box but runs too far and sends a harmless cross out of play. Robles will take his time over the goal-kick, and Manuel Pellegrini is asking the referee to book the Everton goalkeeper.
50 min: Good chance for Agüero but he mis-hits it completely. Navas picks him out with a low cross from the right but City’s star striker misses it with his swinging right boot and the ball comes off his standing leg instead.
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49 min: There’s a fan near the TV commentators who is getting increasingly annoyed – his latest: “Fucking work, City” – leading to the commentator to apologise for the colourful language. Twice.
48 min: Silva (!) gives the ball away cheaply. Barkley powers forward and sends a through ball to Deulofeu but he hesitates and shoots tamely. It’s saved and the danger is cleared. That could have been the killer blow – will it cost Everton?
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47 min: Navas is involved right away, winning a corner on the right when his cross is turned away by Osman.
Peep!
46 min: The home team get us going again.
Sub at half-time: Jesus Navas is on for Fabian Delph.
Half-time! Manchester City 1-1 Everton (2-3 on aggregate)
45 min +1: Otamendi concedes a corner under pressure from Lukaku. Everton have one more chance before the break. Baines delivers, Lukaku heads downwards but the ball bounces over. He is penalised for a push anyway. And that is half-time. It’s 1-1 on the night. Everton lead 3-2 on aggregate.
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45 min: There will be at least one minute of added time.
43 min: Everton are passing the ball around midfield fairly comfortably but Deulofeu is eventually nicked by Delph. The visitors are finishing the half strongly.
41 min: Everton have a free-kick from about 30 yards. Caballero demands a four-man wall and Deulofeu, Baines and Barkley are all lining up a shot. Deulofeu takes it, driving the ball well over. Poor from a player that has looked very sharp up until now.
40 min: It’s taken low to Sterling but his cross is then cleared and Everton break through Lukaku and Deulofeu. They run out of space though and the break is checked, eventually cleared by Zabaleta.
39 min: It’s Silva. It’s deflected off Barry’s head in the wall. And Silva will jog across to take another corner.
38 min: Delph is taken down on the ‘D’ by Cleverley. It’s a free-kick but Delph also does his best swan impression. Silva and Touré eye up the free-kick. Who will it be?
36 min: Silva dances forward and Agüero takes the ball from his toes. The Argentinian skips forward before unleashing a rocket that flies off a post. Gareth Barry takes a horrid touch from six yards out and is lucky that Delph’s free hit is saved by Robles. The corner comes to nothing.
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34 min: For all their defensive troubles, Everton have done a very good job of keeping Agüero quiet thus far.
33 min: Deulofeu feeds Barkley on the break. He tries to slip a ball between City’s dreadfully slow centre-halves but it’s a little off target and cannot find Lukaku.
30 min: The first lull of the game. Sterling is flagged offside after a long ball from Caballero.
27 min: This is destined for extra-time, isn’t it? John Stones heads into what would be nose-bleed territory for most centre-halves but not him. He tries an audacious stepover before being crunched by Otamendi, who also takes the ball.
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Goal! Manchester City 1-1 Everton (Fernandinho)
24 min: There is a bit of fortune, it takes a big deflection but City are level! Silva feeds Agüero, who cuts in and has his shot blocked by Jagielka. The rebound falls kindly for the midfielder who shoots first time and it takes a huge deflection off Baines, looping over Robles head and in.
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23 min: Silva lays-off to Touré on the edge of the area but the Ivorian strikes way over.
22 min: Everton have enjoyed there first decent spell of possession but it amounts to nothing.
20 min: City are straight back on the attack but Sterling’s long-range shot is easily saved by Robles.
Goal! Manchester City 0-1 Everton (Barkley)
18 min: Completely against the run of play, Everton take the lead with a powerful counterattack. Agüero is wrestled off the ball by Funes Mori at the edge of the Everton box and Osman takes the ball on. He feeds Barkley, who charges forward menacingly. Otamendi and Demichelis cannot get tight and Barkley sends a clinical right-footed finish into Caballero’s bottom right corner. It’s 3-1 on aggregate and that’s also an important away goal if the game heads to extra-time.
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16 min: Otamendi drives forward like a headless chicken and shoots from about 40 yards. It’s blocked and Everton are allowed to break. Deulofeu, fed by Barkley, crosses from the right but there’s a little too much pace on it and Lukaku cannot connect properly.
15 min: Another City corner. Delph attempts to cross from the left and Stones blocks the delivery out. Otamendi and Demichelis are up but it’s taken short by Sterling to Silva. He gives it back and the England attacker’s cross is eventually headed away by Funes Mori … where City will recycle possession and go again.
13 min: Silva, Touré and Sterling all combine with some beautiful passing triangles but the move breaks down when Silva’s pull back is deflected into the hands of Robles. City have had 65% of the ball so far. Can they convert their dominance of the ball and territory into clearcut chances, though?
11 min: Everton could do with getting the ball out of their half. The pressure comes again on the right but Sterling is whistled for a foul on Funes Mori after the defender is nudged to the ground when shielding the ball near the corner flag.
10 min: Silva tries to find Zabaleta down the right channel and the full-back wins a second corner. Silva delivers but again it’s too deep and again Agüero picks up possession on the opposite flank, heading backwards to retain the ball.
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6 min: City enjoy a good spell of possession now. but fail to penetrate their visitors’ defence. Everton will very much rely on counterattacking here, using their pace against City’s slow motion heroes at the back.
4 min: Everton’s first attack is a blistering one. Deulofeu races more than half the pitch on the right wing. He cuts in and skips past Demichelis so easily but takes too much time when dragging across goal to Lukaku. He has to do with a corner after Demichelis does well to recover and block the delayed pass. Clichy tries to head the corner away but it deflects towards goal, where Caballero punches clear. It’s been a lively opening!
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3 min: And Sterling is offside when the free-kick is struck towards him.
2 min: City have the first corner after Zabaleta eases down the right. Sterling takes it but it’s too deep. Agüero retrieves possession on the left and is fouled by Baines.
Peep!
1 min: The pre-match fireworks display is over and after a delay while the devices are rolled off the pitch, Everton get us going. Playing from right to left.
Here come the teams. There is smoke, there are inflatable bananas in the home end. Both teams are in their own shades of blue and I’m excited. Hopefully you are too!
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Raymond Reardon emails: “Dear Alan, may I suggest that QPR, who have put out a missing person bulletin for Harry the Hoopa’s head, should look north of the city, where a certain rhinoceros, after receiving a recent red card, is trying to disguise himself as a hippopotamus.”
Unfortunately, it was Queen’s Park of Scotland rather than the Championship team!
The big pre-match talking point: Landon Donovan knows he can’t breast feed, right?
The greatest joy and most love I've ever experienced. Welcome to the world Talon Bartell Donovan ❤️💛💚 pic.twitter.com/jbzYwsuG0z
— Landon Donovan (@landondonovan) January 27, 2016
Also, it looks like Yaya Touré could be playing in the No10 role for City. Here’s some very good pre-match reading from Nick Ames on the exasperating Ivorian.
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So both second-choice goalkeepers in the league are given a start and Phil Jagielka returns for Everton – can he shore up their leaky defence? Kevin De Bruyne is only on the Man City bench but that aside it looks their strongest available team.
The cast
Manchester City: Caballero; Clichy, Demichelis, Otamendi, Zabaleta; Delph, Fernandinho; Silva, Touré, Sterling; Agüero. Subs: Hart, Sagna, Angelino, Navas, Fernando, De Bruyne, Iheanacho.
Everton: Robles; Baines, Stones, Jagielka, Funes Mori; Cleverley, Barry; Deulofeu, Barkley, Osman; Lukaku. Subs: Howard, Coleman, Oviedo, McCarthy, Lennon, Pienaar, Koné.
The man we do not want to mention too much: Martin Atkinson.
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Preamble
It’s approaching seven years since Everton’s last visit to a cup final – the 2009 FA Cup defeat to Chelsea – and a Wembley return is long overdue. What a chance they have tonight to remedy that and (if an additional carrot was needed) tee up a final with Liverpool. Manchester City, wonderfully erratic, will have something to say about that, of course, and a 1-0 win will be sufficient to ensure they have a date with Jürgen Klopp’s team in north-west London on 28 February.
Trying to predict this evening’s outcome is very tricky indeed but it would be quite the surprise if it ends scoreless. Both have glaring defensive issues and are rather good in attack. Romelu Lukaku should cause Nicolás Otamendi and Martín Demichelis some bother, while Everton’s defensive record has been abysmal of late. Ominously Sergio Agüero is increasingly in the mood.
Everton only need to avoid defeat – it sounds straightforward but is a Roberto Martínez team capable of protecting and defending for 90 minutes? Absolutely not. Their mental fragility has been, correctly, called into question. Gerard Deulofeu, who is enjoying a fine season in attack and would be right to feel frustated that results have suffered due to a lack of concentration from those behind him, is confident they can get it right. “I think we can win every game because we have an amazing team but in some parts of the game we need to take responsibility and concentrate more,” the Spanish winger said. “It’s more in the head. We need to show more passion. The games against City and Chelsea we played so well and I don’t know why we couldn’t do it in others. Everton have possession and it’s ‘touch, touch’ but we all need to defend together and not concede so many goals. All of the players need to take more responsibility in defence.”
City have the ability to dazzle one week and look disinterested the next, and for all their attacking might look so shaky in defence without Vincent Kompany. Manuel Pellegrini hopes to have the Belgian back from his latest calf injury next month. But tonight is his most pressing concern. He is unquestionably confident they can turn the deficit around. “Maybe Everton haven’t been in a final for many years and they will be motivated but our team will do all they can to get there too,” Pellegrini said. “The most important thing is to try to play another final at Wembley. That is our target. After we lost to Everton 2-1 I said that if we don’t qualify for the final, it’s not because of that game but because we can’t win at home at least 1-0.”
Kick-off is at 7.45pm GMT. Team news is imminent. Settle on in, it should be a terrific game.
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