All that’s left to do is direct you towards our match report. Jamie Jackson was at the Etihad to see the champions reclaim top spot in the Premier League. Thanks for reading!
Dominic Calvert-Lewin talks. “It’s a frustrating result. We know they’re a top team, but we came here to try and win the game. It’s disappointing. We had chances to level it, but didn’t take them, and they’re clinical. Tactically they’re very clever, they played quite a high press, man to man, and you’ve got to be quite precise with your passes. I’m going to claim the goal, but obviously it’s the result that matters. The game’s bound to get physical at times, but me and Fabian shook hands at the end, as you do.”
Bernardo Silva speaks! “It was good to give a response after the Chelsea defeat. We are happy especially as we knew we were playing a very tough team. To get the three points is very good.”
A smiling Gabriel Jesus adds: “My English is not good like Bernardo, but I try! I’m so happy with the game and with the win. This season is more difficult for me because other clubs are stronger. This game was difficult so I am happy. The game was amazing.”
His English sounds pretty good to me.
After that rare defeat last weekend, Manchester City spring back to the top of the Premier League. They’re two points clear of Liverpool, 44 points to 42, though of course Jurgen Klopp’s side can reclaim top spot with victory over Manchester United at Anfield tomorrow. Everton meanwhile remain in seventh, on 24 points, though Bournemouth, Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers all have chances to leapfrog them this afternoon.
FULL TIME: Manchester City 3-1 Everton
City go back to the top of the table, Gabriel Jesus their two-goal hero. Everton will rue a few missed chances, so defeat will hurt, though any pain will be offset by the fact Liverpool have been deposed as league leaders.
90 min +3: On the touchline, Foden waits to be sent on. But there’s no break in play, so he puts his coat back on again.
90 min +2: Everton fling a couple of crosses into the City box, but they’re easily dealt with.
90 min +1: There will be four sodden minutes. Walker concedes a corner in the first of them, but Digne wastes it. City are soon off on the counter, Sterling teeing up Jesus from the right wing, but Pickford rushes out to blooter clear.
90 min: De Bruyne whips a cross into the Everton box from the right. Jesus nearly gets to it first, but there’s no hat-trick because Pickford has read the danger well.
88 min: The corner’s looped long. Mina goes down under a non-challenge by Walker. The referee’s not falling for the grift. Ederson helps Mina back to his feet and there’s a bit of a shoving match, City collectively pointing out the error of the Everton man’s ways. The referee arrives on the scene and tells them all to stop being so bloody daft, what with them being grown men and all.
87 min: Lookman steals the ball off Gundogan and sends Richarlison running goalwards. Richarlison opens his body and looks to curl one into the top right. His effort is deflected out for a corner.
86 min: Walcott has been busy since he came on. Again he makes ground down the right and hooks a cross towards Calvert-Lewin, but Otamendi and Laporte crowd the striker out.
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85 min: City seem happy to let Everton stroke it around the middle of the park. The visitors go nowhere.
83 min: Walcott zips down the right, getting the better of Delph. He crosses low. Calvert-Lewin, on the right edge of the six-yard box, executes a dainty backflick towards the bottom left. It’s on target, and would be a delightful finish, but there’s no pace on the ball and Ederson claims without drama. Again, though: Everton have had their chances.
81 min: Everton make their final change, Davies coming on for Sigurdsson.
80 min: Jesus is after his hat-trick, though. And he races after Gundogan’s chip down the middle. The wet, greasy turf isn’t his friend, though, and the ball flies through to Pickford. Everton go up the other end, Lookman dribbling neatly from the left and spooning over from distance.
79 min: City knock it around in the game-management fashion.
77 min: Delph flies in on Calvert-Lewin. He’s not quite out of control, but he’s followed through hard and the Everton player isn’t impressed. A tangle, then a frank exchange of views that Claude Juncker and Theresa May would have been proud of. The referee eventually calms it all down, and shows Delph and Calvert-Lewin the yellow card. Calvert-Lewin can be considered a touch unlucky, as he didn’t do a great deal.
75 min: To the strains of Seven Nation Army, Kevin De Bruyne returns from injury. Mahrez makes way.
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74 min: Suddenly, Lookman bursts down the left, reaches the byline, and rolls one onto a plate for Walcott, who somehow stabs over the bar from six yards! It’s not as though Everton haven’t had chances.
73 min: Everton stroke the ball around for a bit, but go nowhere in particular.
71 min: And yet ... and yet ... Everton should have hit back immediately. Lookman skittered down the inside-left channel, then rolled a pass across the face of the box for Richarlison. He should at least work Ederson, but opens his body and sidefoots wildly over the bar. That’s his second glorious chance of the match, and he’s ballooned both miles off target.
GOAL! Manchester City 3-1 Everton (Sterling 69)
Jesus flicks a little pass down the inside-left channel. Fernandinho reaches the byline and dinks one into the middle, where Sterling plants a header into the net from close range! That should be the game now, surely.
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67 min: Replays of the goal show Calvert-Lewin’s header flicking off Delph’s head. It should still be the striker’s goal, as his effort was on target.
66 min: City were going to make this change before the goal: Sterling comes on for Sane.
GOAL! Manchester City 2-1 Everton (Calvert-Lewin 65)
Walker makes good down the right, and his dangerous low cross is hacked clear by Mina. Sigurdsson races up the other end. The ball breaks to Digne out on the left. Digne loops in a cross and Calvert-Lewin plants a glorious header into the top right! Ederson had no hope! And from nowhere, this is suddenly game on!
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64 min: Everton are struggling to get out of their own half. City ping it around in a most casual manner.
62 min: Zouma passes back to Pickford. Jesus very nearly closes the keeper down, but the ball’s hacked clear just in time. City come straight back at Everton, Gundogan one-twoing with Jesus down the inside-right channel and sliding a shot inches wide of the right-hand post.
61 min: Sane jinks in from the left and nearly opens up Everton with a pass down the channel intended for Mahrez. Not quite. But City smell blood, as they serenely work towards yet another home win.
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59 min: It is hosing down in the trademark Mancunian style. Peering between the stair-rods, nothing much is happening right now.
57 min: A double change by Everton, as Marco Silva looks to salvage this situation. Bernard and Coleman are replaced by Walcott and Lookman.
55 min: Walker wins a corner down the right off Digne, but nothing comes of it.
54 min: The physios are on. And Laporte’s up and back into the action. He was still holding his jaw, a look of concern and discomfort on his face. But hopefully that’s nothing too serious.
52 min: Laporte goes down in the centre circle. In winning a header, he’s just accidentally clattered into the back of Sigurdsson’s head. And he’s holding his jaw. On the touchline, Pep looks concerned.
GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Everton (Jesus 50)
Walker dinks one in from the right. Everton half clear. Delph slips a pass down the inside-left for Sane, who clips in a cross. Jesus rises and blasts a header past a helpless Pickford. So simple! So very clinical. City are heading back to the top of the table.
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48 min: Keane’s in the action again as he blocks Fernandinho’s long-range blooter. This game has had a nice, open feel from the get-go, and the second half looks like continuing in the same vein.
47 min: Keane shoves Jesus off the pitch and into the hoardings. The crowd aren’t happy about it, but Jesus forgives, and makes no complaint. The referee waves play on.
46 min: Everton have clearly been told to step it up, and are immediately on the front foot. Some space for Digne down the left, but he can’t find a team-mate with City holding their shape well.
Everton get the second half underway. No changes. And it’s still raining. Just before the action heats up again, here’s Paul Griffin’s take on the sky-blue Santa Claus spotted earlier at the Etihad: “I’ve always considered Santa’s enterprise to be slick and impressive, but with a whiff of implausibility and opacity, and ultimately underpinned by a vast array of workers in a distant land bereft of employment or democratic rights. I can’t think why City would chose to associate their brand with an enterprise like this.” He’s here all week, ladies and gentleman, try the mince pies.
Half-time reading:
HALF TIME: Manchester City 1-0 Everton
And that’s that for the first half. It’s been a slightly strange one: City have been in charge, and could have scored a couple more. But Everton are hanging on, and should take heart from having carved out a couple of decent chances themselves. Some big half-time team-talks coming up!
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45 min: Gomes dribbles down the middle and has his pocket picked by Mahrez. As the City winger races goalwards, Gomes stands around waving his arms in theatrical frustration. He gets away with not tracking back as Bernardo is eventually caught offside. But that could have been another costly mistake. Gomes moans at the ref awhile, and nearly talks himself into the book.
44 min: Mina scuffs a simple pass straight to Mahrez. The Everton defender is very fortunate that Mahrez does very little with the gift. Everton don’t look comfortable playing out from the back at all.
42 min: Mahrez dances in from the right. No challenges. He eventually draws four royal-blue shirts and dinks one down the channel to release Jesus, who lashes into the net. But the flag goes up, correctly, for offside. Everton breathe again.
40 min: Another great save by Pickford, as he parries a point-black whack by Mahrez. The City winger should have scored, teed up on the penalty spot by Gundogan from the left, but hit it too close to the keeper, who did what he had to do.
39 min: City press Everton back some more. Mahrez very nearly gets the better of Digne down the right, but the full-back just about deals with the danger.
37 min: Sane bursts down the left. Corner. Then another corner, out on the right. Richarlison is bowled over by Fernandinho, and the pressure is lifted.
35 min: Everton, having shot themselves in the foot by playing it out from the back, are now launching it longer out of defence. Calvert-Lewin is working hard to win as many balls as he can. Here he nearly manages to set Coleman away on the right, having brought down a long clearance. Not quite.
33 min: Digne’s free kick leads to a throw out on the right. From the throw, Richarlison and Coleman combine delightfully, sending the full back scampering clear. He fires into the centre for Calvert-Lewin, but Ederson reads the danger and punches clear in the spectacular style. Much better from the visitors.
32 min: Brief respite for Everton, as Bernard skedaddles down the left and purchases a cheap free kick. Everton line up on the edge of City’s box, Digne preparing to launch it long.
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30 min: Everton keep giving the ball away in their own half. It’s not a great look. Delph scoops a pass into the box from the left; Sane’s presence forces a corner. From the set piece, Gundogan hoicks one in from the left flank, Laporte rising highest and sending a header over the bar. That was a good chance and he looked accordingly pained.
28 min: City continue to toy with Everton. Pass, pass, pass. Gundogan slides one down the left in the hope of suddenly springing Sane clear, but the ball slides off the wet grass and out of play for a goal kick.
26 min: City stroke it about the middle awhile. Everton are chasing shadows all of a sudden.
24 min: Everton will be livid at how they conceded there. One misplaced pass, and City were coming at them in the rabid fashion. It was a lethal execution. On the touchline, Marco Silva delivers a massive bollocking to his players, who had otherwise started the game pretty well.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Everton (Jesus 22)
Everton crack under the pressure. Pickford knocks the goal kick to Mina, whose poor clearance is intercepted by Gundogan. He lays off to Sane, who slides a pass down the inside-left for Jesus. The striker takes a stride into the box, and lashes the ball past Pickford, who had no chance!
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21 min: Suddenly Everton are rocking. Gundogan chips a clever cross from the left, and Keane, facing the wrong way and confused, nearly turns it into the bottom-right corner of his own net. Pickford does extremely well to turn the shot round the post. A great save. The resulting corner comes to nothing.
20 min: Jesus whacks the free kick goalwards from a tight angle, but his effort is blocked. It breaks to Delph, who pearls a screamer inches over the bar from distance.
19 min: And now it’s City’s turn to suddenly spring into life, Fernandinho dinking a pass down the right for Mahrez to chase. Mahrez zips past a dozing Digne, who responds by cynically clattering him to the floor just before he enters the box. That’s a free kick in a very dangerous area, just to the right of the area.
18 min: Now it’s City’s turn to take the sting out of the game with a bit of sterile domination. They needed that.
16 min: And now Bernard makes good down the left, but his attempt to find Calvert-Lewin at the far post is overhit. Everton will be encouraged by the way this has gone so far. They look capable of making chances.
15 min: But then suddenly they spring into life, Digne dribbling down the left in paisley patterns, then looping a cross towards Richarlison, who is in acres in the City box, bombing in from the right! He meets the dropping ball by lashing a wild volley over the bar. He might have headed that. He probably should have scored. He certainly should have tested Ederson at the very least. What a chance!
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14 min: Breaking news: City have had the lion’s share of the possession so far. But now Everton enjoy a couple of minutes in the City half. They don’t really go anywhere in particular, but that’s not really the point. It’s a nice breather.
12 min: Fernandinho, deep on the left, rakes a diagonal pass towards Bernardo, who nearly takes it down while running into the Everton box at pace. He can’t quite manage the spectacular, and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
10 min: Delph rolls a wonderful pass down the inside-left channel, allowing Jesus to spin Keane with ease on the edge of the Everton box. For a second, it looks as though he’s in on goal, but Zouma comes across to block and clear. That was such a sharp turn by Jesus, who looks very lively today already.
9 min: Everton are committing to their attacks. Digne whips in a cross from the left; Coleman has a go from the right. City wheech up the other end, but with the visitors a little light, Fernandinho passes the ball out of play. The crowd moan and groan, but then it is raining quite hard now, so that’s to be expected.
7 min: Calvert-Lewin nearly works some space with a cute dribble tight on the right touchline, but not quite. Sane romps off up the other end, cuts into the Everton box from the left, and is well marshalled back out of it by Mina. It’s good end-to-end stuff, this.
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6 min: Mahrez glides down the right, moves inside, and looks to find Jesus in the area with a floated cross. Pickford is out quickly to gather.
5 min: Jesus is sent scampering free down the right by Bernardo, but he’s gone too early. The flag goes up again, the correct decision this time. It’s been a promising start by both teams.
3 min: City had started well, but it’s Everton who force the first save. Sigurdsson powers past Fernandinho and slips a ball down the inside-left channel for Calvert-Lewin, who spins and threads a shot towards the bottom right. It’s going in, but Ederson fingertips round the post brilliantly. The flag goes up for offside, incorrectly, so Everton are robbed of the corner.
2 min: Gomes plays a risky pass across the front of his own box. Jesus nearly latches onto it, but Keane rescues the situation. A close shave.
And we’re off! City get the party started, with a little help from Hey Jude, na-na-naing from the PA right up until kick-off. They launch it long in the 1980s style, but are soon passing it around the back for kicks. Bernard nearly intercepts but gives the ball straight back. Walker tries to dink Jesus free down the middle, but his pass is cut out. A pattern may have been set here.
The players are out and about! City wear Santa’s sky blue, while Everton are in their royal blue. It’s a cold, drizzly day. We’ll be off in a minute!
Fickle Santa was once a red. But he’s a Citizen now. Hey, if the likes of Coca-Cola and White Rock ginger ale can appropriate him for the purposes of soft-beverage brand recognition, then the English football champions should be allowed to defile him as well. To be fair, the big man looks good in sky blue.
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Silva speaks! “We have a plan, our shape in some moments could be different. When we have the ball we have to show ambition to play our game. We know where City are a strong team and we must try to be solid. If you want to do something here, you have to try to score. Dominic Calvert-Lewin gives us speed, he is very strong, he can create on the sides and in the box, and is very strong with his head. We deserved more in our games against the strong sides, but it’s part of the game, it’s important we learn.”
Pep talks! “Kevin De Bruyne has made two or three training sessions with the team. It’s better for him to take it step by step, a process. Raheem Sterling has played a lot of games, and everybody deserves to play, wants to play. Raheem is so important but everybody has to play. I try to move the squad and keep everyone involved, if we achieve something this season it will be because of everybody. Everton will be tough, they may play five at the back. I have no doubts that we will respond to last week’s defeat.”
Manchester City make four changes to the team that saw off Hoffenheim on Wednesday night in the Champions League. Riyad Mahrez, Fernandinho, Fabian Delph and Kyle Walker replace Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden, Alexander Zinchenko and John Stones, who all drop to the bench. Sitting in the dugout alongside them: Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne, back from injury and box fresh.
Everton make two changes from the draw with Watford last weekend. Kurt Zouma and Dominic Calvert-Lewin replace Idrissa Gueye and Theo Walcott.
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The teams
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Delph, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus, Sane.
Subs: Stones, Sterling, Aguero, De Bruyne, Zinchenko, Foden, Muric.
Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Mina, Keane, Zouma, Digne, Calvert-Lewin, Andre Gomes, Sigurdsson, Bernard, Richarlison.
Subs: Baines, Walcott, Tosun, Schneiderlin, Stekelenburg, Davies, Lookman.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire).
Preamble
Manchester takes on Merseyside this weekend. Tomorrow’s clash between United and Liverpool may be the self-styled Big One, but never mind that right now, because this encounter between City and Everton promises to be just as fascinating.
The champions are coming off the back of a rare Premier League defeat, having been swept aside by David Luiz last weekend. That 2-0 reverse at Chelsea allowed Liverpool to knock them off the top of the table; City are unlikely to take this turn of events lying down. They’ve won all eight of their Premier League home matches so far this season, scoring 30 times and letting in just five. Everton have quite the task against a magical team doubly determined on the rebound.
And yet Everton will quietly fancy their chances. Admittedly their away form hasn’t been all that: just one win in seven. But it’s a fine line between success and failure sometimes, and it’s not crazy to argue that the Toffees could, on another day, have won at Chelsea. And at Liverpool. Marco Silva’s got them playing again. It’s also worth remembering that Everton haven’t been beaten at City in the League since December 2014, a run of three draws. City may be favourites this lunchtime, but they’ve got something to think about too.
This one’s nicely in the balance, then. Will City rediscover the winning habit and go back to the top of the table? Or will Everton do their city rivals a solid by becoming the first team this campaign to take points off Pep Guardiola’s side at the Etihad? It’s going to be a blast finding out. It’s on!
Kick off: 12.30pm GMT.
