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City beat Europe-bound Blues in Goodison thriller

Lyndon Lloyd , 3 May, 0comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton 2 - 3 Manchester City

Ross Barkley opened the scoring with a brilliant goal after 11 minutes
Clinical finishing combined with staunch defending by title-chasing Manchester City ensured that they edged Everton in a pulsating contest that was ignited by a sumptuous goal from Ross Barkley.

With defeats for Manchester United and Tottenham earlier in the day, Roberto Martinez's team knew that they were effectively guaranteed European football next season with a fifth-place finish but any fears that neighbours Liverpool might have had about a lack of drive from the Blues was dispelled by Barkley after 10 minutes.

The 20-year-old swept a stunning shot over Joe Hart from beyond the corner of the penalty area from Steven Naismith's lay-off to open the scoring and temporarily throw the Premier League title race open again.

The visitors responded with rapier-like precision, though, scoring three unanswered goals over the ensuing 37 minutes.

First, Sergio Aguero latched into Yaya Toure's pass and beat Tim Howard all too easily at the American's near post.

Then, a couple of minutes before half time, James Milner was allowed to clip a cross into the heart of the Everton area where Edin Dzeko rose unchallenged to head home and make it 2-1 at the break.

City threatened to break the game wide open three minutes after half time when they carved the Blues' three-man defence open at will again to make it 3-1. Samir Nasri collected a neat ball over the top and then engineered space for a low centre that Dzeko side-footed home from close range.

Things might have been very different had Joe Hart not pulled off a superb finger-tip save a couple of minutes earlier to deny Steven Naismith. The Scot had nipped past his marker to meet Barkley's through-ball but then saw his shot pushed inches past the far post by the England 'keeper.

Pellegrini seemed happy for his charges to retreat a little but then had his nerves and those of his players and fans alike set on edge when Leighton Baines whipped in a dangerous ball behind their defence and Romelu Lukaku threw himself at it, crashing a header in off the post to make it 3-2 with 25 minutes to go.

Everton couldn't find another way through, however, until Gerard Deulofeu's shot was deflected dramatically into the side-netting by Hart as the Blues pressed while Howard saved well from Pablo Zabaleta and Osman blocked a goal-bound shot by DiMichaelis.

City held out to grab the points to remain on course for the Premier League title while Everton saw their last hopes of a Champions League place ended.

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