Manchester City 1 - 0 Everton [L]

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Everton take on Manchester City in the Premier League at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, just 2 points behind Pep Guardiola's side and minded to leapfrog over them with a precious win at The Etihad.

There's no Jack Grealish, of course, due to Premier League loan rules, but Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall returns to the starting line-up after serving a one-match ban for accumulating five yellow cards in six games.

Dibling is dropped back to the bench where Merlin Rohl (but not Jarrad Branthwaite) is deemed fit enough, with Charly Alcaraz getting the job of feeding the ball through to Beto. Nathan Patterson is out injured.

First Half

Everton kicked off in their all-black kit with the usual scenario: Pickford hoff, possession lost. Dewsbury-Hall had an early clash with Nunes, who fouled him with impunity to steal the ball; he needed treatment and off for the requisite 30 seconds. 

Everton tried to move it around with some intensity but Gana was called for a high kick. But Everton regained possession and mounted a decent attack with a long throw from Mykolenko and some good play from Ndiaye but no chance created.

City came forward and won a corner, headed clear by Keane but Alcaraz unable to counter. But City were back in attack and a ball over the top to Savinho but he played his cross behind Doku. 

City were increasingly finding space, with the Everton defence looking stretched. But Ndiaye stole the ball off Ake and played a glorious cross for Beto that he failed to connect properly with... an open goal missed.

Ndiaye stole the ball off O'Reilly but got tangled up and City got it back, Savinho again in behind but he failed to shoot and just rolled the ball to Pickford. Nunes then struck his shot wide. 

It was competitive and Everton holding their own against the increasingly inventive City attack, the Blues defence working hard, Mykolenko giving up a corner. Foden's great ball seemed to find Haaland but it came off O'Brien and hit the face of the bar with a thump. 

After a brief respite, where Alcaraz fired goalward, his shot blocked, City reestablished the pressure on Everton.  Another dangerous City attack almost broke through Keane in place to divert the shot behind from Reijnders. Gana was fouled as the corner came over. 

At the other end, Dewsbury-Hall fed a brilliant ball through to Beto who drove it across goal and wide. He was flagged offside but another horrendous miss for the big man. Savinho tried to dribble through everyone, winning a corner that Pickford came out to punch away from the crowd. 

Doku beat O'Brien easily but his cross was blocked away. Doku tried again but Tarkowski covered the through-ball. City tried again but were driven back to Donnarumma. It opened up a bit in midfield but Everton were too slow and they too went backward. 

Garner was shown a yellow card for a foul on Foden 5 minutes earlier. Ndiaye stole the ball and drove forward. He got a second bite and this time stung Donnarumma's fingertips with a brilliant net-bound shot. 

The resulting corner was eventually cleared and Garner tried to play a forward ball that was blocked. Suddenly it was wide open for City to score on overload, Haaland laying it off to Reijnders then Doku, but somehow he mishit his shot and Pickford blocked it before Mykolenko belted it away. 

Another City corner, Ake heads it wide. Beto battled forward and tried to lay it off to Alcaraz but the City defenders were around them like tigers. Savinho beat Mykolenko brilliantly but his shot was pushed back by Pickford and out for another City corner that was cleared.

And that was it for a very busy first half, Everton playing fairly well considering the opposition but Beto could be the hero... and wasn't.

Second Half

A great steal by Ndiaye on Doku should have set Everton going forward but Ake was too strong again. But Garner stole the ball next, Everton giving City too much time to reset and then wasting a crossfield ball. 

City were forced to play it around and aroun, Everton inpenetrable. Beto was pushed over by O'Reilly wide right,  Dewsbury-Hall to the far post but Donnarumma snatched it out of the stratosphere. 

Garner was fouled in midfield but gave away the ball off the free-kick. However, Mykolenko won it back and Everton attacked, Doku fouling Dewsbury-Hall centrally. But nothing came of the free-kick. 

But suddenly, O'Reilly broke left and the ball over the top was corssed perfectly for Haaland and Bang. What an incredible leap! Bi stopping that. 

Manchester City: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Ake, O'Reilly, Nico, Reijnders, Savinho, Foden, Doku, Haaland 

Subs:  Trafford, Stones, Marmoush, Kovacic, Cherki, Bernardo, Gvardiol, Bobb, Lewis

Everton: Pickford, Mykolenko, Keane, Tarkowski, O'Brien, Garner [Y:39'], Gueye, Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Alcaraz, Beto.

Subs:  Travers, King, Coleman, Aznou, Iroegbunam, Röhl, McNeil, Dibling, Barry.

 

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