City reclaim top slot, but still can’t keep Everton out

Manchester City climbed back to the top of the Premier League after a 3-1 win over Everton.

Gabriel Jesus got his first goal in four months and Raheem Sterling came off the bench to net a third after Dominic Calvert-Lewin had given the Toffees life with his goal.

Pep Guardiola’s side came into the game off the back of a midweek victory against Hoffenheim in the Champions League but were seeking to get back to winning ways in the league after they tasted defeat for the first time this campaign when they lost 2-0 to Chelsea.

The City manager welcomed back two of his key players in Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero. Although they were only deemed fit enough for a place on the substitutes bench.

The visitors made two changes and with that came a switch in formation as Kurt Zouma came in for the suspended Idrissa Gueye and Dominic Calvert-Lewin replaced Theo Walcott.

Marco Silva’s side equipped themselves well in the early exchanges limiting the hosts to neat passages of play without testing the back five, although it was clear that the high pressing of City was bothering the visitors.

While Guardiola’s men looked in control his unit almost fell behind with a quarter of an hour gone. Lucas Digne gave City a taste of their own medicine when his high pressing caused Kyle Walker to lose possession inside his own penalty area.

From there the French full-back sent a high ball to the far post where Richarlison was closing in. The Brazilian forward met the ball on the volley and sent it skyward. He stood a better chance of scoring had he headed the ball to test Ederson.

The scare seemed to have awoken the Premier Leasgue champions and five minutes later they forced a wonderful save from Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal.

Ilkay Gundogan found space on the left and clipped a ball into the space between two of the Toffees’ centre-backs with Gabriel Jesus racing in the meet it. Michael Keane flicked out a leg directing the ball into the corner before Pickford flicked it away at full stretch.

A minute later and the home side took the lead and the visitors failed to learn their lesson.

Yerry Mina hoofed the ball into midfield with only light blue shirts in the area. Gundogan drove forward and quickly moved the ball along to Leroy Sane who slid in Jesus to finish with aplomb to give him his first goal in four months.

Silva’s side continued to ride their luck with Aymeric Laporte, Fabian Delph and Riyad Mahrez all taking aim at the Everton goal as the visitors insisted on playing out from the back, only to continuously surrender possession cheaply.

Jesus thought he had doubled City’s lead and his goal tally for the day when he fired past Pickford for a second time, but he was denied by the linesman’s offside flag.

Four minutes into the second half he did have his and City’s second, and it was another assist for Sane. Their German winger dinked in a delightful ball and Jesus rose highest to direct his bullet header into the net and put the champions firmly in control. The Brazilian afforded a little look across to the linesman, but there was no flag necessary this time.

The second goal seemed to knock the stuffing from Everton who lost all creative impetus, perhaps looking towards damage limitation. Silva looked to reignite the attacking spark as he sent on Ademola Lookman and Theo Walcott in place of Bernard and Seamus Coleman with 35 minutes to play.

Ten minutes later the Toffees were given renewed hope. A poor clearance from Nicolas Otamendi found its way to Digne. The Frenchman whipped in a sumptuous cross from Dominic Calvert-Lewin to attack and he rose highest beating out Delph and guiding his header into the far post.

The hope lasted all of five minutes when Raheem Sterling came on to make it 3-1. The England winger has been at the centre of some uncomfortable questions within the media this week, but the former Liverpool man showed no signs of it affecting his form adding the goal to the assist he logged in midweek.

Fernandinho was the architect as he clipped a smart ball back into the area where Sterling met the ball and nodded home his ninth league goal of the season.

Richarlison almost halved the deficit again moments later but his side-footed effort flew well over the bar. Walcott was presented with a chance to get the Merseysiders back into the contest, but his effort sailed wide.

City were able to give the returning De Bruyne a run out for the final 17 minutes. The Belgian playmaker made his return after missing over a month of action with a knee problem.

The hosts pressed for a fourth goal while Everton went searching for a late consolation.

Ultimately, City were in control and propelled themselves back to the top of the Premier League. All they had to do to stay there was rely on a favour from their old friends across Manchester on Sunday.