- Manchester City edged into the lead after Gabriel Jesus nodded home Kevin de Bruyne’s pin-point delivery
- The hosts hit back after a flurry of chances when Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted Seamus Coleman’s chip
- Raheem Sterling squandered a golden opportunity to restore City’s lead in the second half but fired wide
- But City would restore their lead on 72 minutes after Riyad Mahrez bent a free kick beyond Jordan Pickford
- And Sterling would secure the visitors’ win after crashing in an effort off the underside of the crossbar
Riyad Mahrez’s stunning free-kick helped settle an enthralling encounter at Goodison Park as Manchester City stayed doggedly within five points of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola’s men, shorn of Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Leroy Sane with significant injuries and Bernardo Silva awaiting to see if he has to face an FA charge over a social media post, had to show their gutsy side after Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin had cancelled out Gabriel Jesus’s opener before half-time.
In a match as colourful as City’s fizzy yellow and Georgia peach kit, Mahrez then curled a wonderful free-kick around the Everton wall after 71 minutes with Raheem Sterling adding a late third.
Raheem Sterling’s late strike secured Manchester City a hard-fought victory against Everton at Goodison Park
Everton were a distinct improvement on the side booed off against Sheffield United last weekend but there was concern over Theo Walcott who was carried off in a daze after being struck on the head by a Sterling cross and taken to hospital for a precautionary assessment.
On an evening when Everton fans unfurled an anti-racism banner in support of striker Moise Kean who suffered abuse whilst playing for former club Juventus, Guardiola put both Bernardo and Benjamin Mendy on the City bench after Bernardo’s post comparing a black caricature with his team-mate was being looked at by the authorities.
Surprisingly, record goalscorer Sergio Aguero was also among the City substitutes with Jesus given the centre-forward berth.
Starting the evening eight points behind Liverpool who’d beaten Sheffield United earlier in the day, City wanted a fast start.
But the action was delayed after four minutes when Theo Walcott took a cross by Sterling on the side of the head and collapsed in a heap.
The England wideman latched on to Jordan Pickford’s parry to lash into the net off the underside of the crossbar
There were concerning scenes as medics rushed on to the pitch as the poleaxed Everton winger was inspected at length.
Walcott was carried off on a stretcher and then sent to hospital for further tests with Alex Iwobi sent on his place.
Once City got into their rhythm, Ilkay Gundogan managed to conjure up the miss of the season after 12 minutes.
Mahrez’s low centre from the right bypassed Jordan Pickford leaving the German midfielder unmarked in front of goal when he somehow managed to crack the ball against the crossbar from four yards.
Building up a head of steam, Raheem Sterling then dribbled into the Everton penalty area unflustered and his finish was heading into the bottom corner until Yerry Mina hacked clear.
Gabriel Jesus nodded Pep Guardiola’s men in front on 24 minutes after meeting an inch-perfect cross from Kevin de Bruyne
The Brazilian striker had timed his burst forward to perfection and acrobatically guided his header beyond Pickford
Though Guardiola’s men were wearing a garish third kit advertised as fizzy yellow and Georgia peach, rather than their traditional sky blue, they still knocked the ball around like champions.
At least Everton, booed off last weekend following a home defeat against Sheffield United, stuck at it and reached the first quarter with the game still goalless.
Their best moments came from a Lucas Digne free-kick that curled over and a blocked shot from Gylfi Sigurdsson after a rare foray into the City penalty area.
The away side’s domination drew rewards after 24 minutes with the perfect Guardiola goal. Mahrez got on his skates down the right flank and when he pulled the ball back to Kevin de Bruyne, his first-time cross arced onto the head of Jesus who beat Pickford from close range.
It was the 22-year-old Brazilian’s third goal in a row and underlined his reputation as an away-day specialist – his last seven goals have all been outside The Etihad including two in last season’s FA Cup Final.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin stooped to head in Seamus Coleman’s delightful chip towards goal and secure the hosts’ leveller
The Everton captain received the ball inside the penalty area and lifted an audacious attempt over Ederson from a tight angle
Riyad Mahrez had restored Manchester City’s lead as the reigning champions aimed to move within five points of Liverpool
The big surprise was that the opening goal inspired Everton and stifled City rather than the other way round.
Under-pressure Marco Silva would have been thrilled by his side’s reaction. Ederson was forced to make good saves from Sigurdsson and Richarlison and after 33 minutes, the home side forced an equaliser.
With the home side committing bodies forward to test City’s makeshift central defensive partnership of Nicolas Otamendi and Fernandinho, Guardiola’s side crumbled.
Fernandinho, so good when he plays in the centre of midfield, was culpable twice. His pass to Rodri inside his own penalty area was risky and intercepted by Iwobi. And when the Nigerian powered back towards goal, Fernandinho’s half-hearted tackle was unable to stop the ball reaching Seamus Coleman.
The Algerian wideman bent a free-kick through Everton’s wall from distance to net City’s second goal on Merseyside
Theo Walcott was clattered by Raheem Sterling’s attempted cross in the first half as he hurried to close down a loose ball
The right-back chipped the oncoming Ederson like a proven marksman and the ball was heading I anyway before Dominic Calvert-Lewin applied a finishing header on the line to claim his fourth goal in four games.
City came out for the second half as if they’d had a talking-to from Guardiola. They moved the ball quicker, put Everton under pressure and one crossfield pass from De Bruyne to Sterling to set up a chance for Mahrez was exquisite.
But this was the Everton their fans wanted to see and with the floodlights turned on responded with a brilliant downward header from Mina that Ederson showed amazing reflexes to tip over.
A pulsating encounter even included a little bit of needle with Morgan Schneiderlin, formerly of Manchester United, squaring up to City’s De Bruyne.
The home side’s winger was taken off on a stretcher as a precaution and replaced by summer signing from Arsenal Alex Iwobi
Lucas Digne attempted to guide a free-kick on target in the first half but was unable to challenge City goalkeeper Ederson
The opposing managers watched on as their sides battled it out across the course of an end-to-end first half at Goodison Park
Fernandinho caught Richarlison with a high kick and was probably relieved it wasn’t spotted by referee Michael Oliver or checked by VAR.
Showing a sense of urgency, Guardiola introduced Aguero after 65 minutes with Jesus making way.
The change did inspire City to regain the lead six minutes later but it was man-of-the-match Mahrez rather than the Argentine superstar who made the difference.
Man City midfielder Rodri was booked minutes before the half-time break after diving in rashly on Calvert-Lewin
The hosts continued to create problems for the reigning champions from set pieces but were ultimately unable to capitalise
After Mina had fouled De Bruyne a few yards outside the Everton penalty area, Mahrez took responsibility with a brilliant low strike that curled around the wall and nestled in Pickford’s bottom right-hand corner.
Again, Everton nearly caught City cold again after falling behind. Sigurdsson threaded a lovely pass into Calvert-Lewin but the forward was foiled by Ederson’s legs when through on goal.
City wrapped up the points after 85 minutes when Aguero’s cross deflected off Pickford’s boot into the path of Sterling who crashed in his finish via the underside of the crossbar.
