Everton 1 Manchester City 3 : Easing Past The Sticky Toffees

In many ways this has been a difficult week for Manchester City, but anyone reading just the results may not realise that.

There are times when the tight pitch at Goodison Park seems  to squeeze the players into making mistakes and today, coupled with the rain, it seemed to pile all the pressure on Manchester City. The weight of expectation seemed to hang heavy around some of our player’s legs, dragging them back and turning pacey runs into gentle jogs.

This was a game where City not only had to work for their chances, but had to battle for every ball. It did not start that way, because until City took the lead, Everton seemed to sit back, content to just make up the numbers and watch the game unfold.

On another day this match could have been all about the chances we missed. As it turned out, it did not matter too much, but we simply have to take the chances we create because otherwise we put pressure upon ourselves.

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Gundogan hit the bar when it was actually easier to score, Kevin De Bruyne passed for Raheem Sterling who missed and Everton tried to slowly exert some control of their own in midfield. And then Kevin De Bruyne whipped in a beautiful pass from the right in the 22nd minute and Gabriel Jesus stooped to head and all of a sudden, City were in front.

The goal actually served to wake Everton up and all of a sudden they began to stir into life. City still had their moments though, Riyad Mahrez went close twice before Everton bundled home an equaliser, thanks to a mistake in our defence.

City then went through the quietest patch of the game as the intensity threatened to seep away. Although Gundogan went close again, Sterling, Mahrez and De Bruyne linked superbly but City were lacking their deadly edge.

This was best characterised in the 59th minute as Sterling missed after being slotted through on goal by a slide rule Mahrez pass. Luckily Ederson was looking lively as he kept us in this game several times, saving at point blank distance from Mina and turning attempts from Calvert-Lewin past the post.

There was a sense of relief when Mahrez slammed home a free kick from the edge of the area in the 71st minute past the helpless Jordan Pickford after De Bruyne had been had been hacked down. Everton still threatened to get back on level terms and again Ederson was called upon, this time though he seemed to injure his hand. Yet, there was no way he was going to leave the pitch.

This had been a strange game for Sterling, as his shooting was wayward and there were patches where he was simply not involved. Nevertheless what Sterling does is carry on and he was rewarded late in the game.

A snapshot rising into the top of the goal following a cross shot from Aguero and the ball careered off the cross bar and down. Pickford whipped the ball out but the goal line decision system indicated to the referee that the ball had crossed the line and the goal was given.

The relief amongst the fans was palpable and the last minutes of the match were played out. Make no mistakes this was a hard won victory and City did exceptionally well to secure another win on the road, even with their makeshift defence.

Clawing victories from adversity is a sign of a team capable of still winning things. If anything this result, rather than last week’s 8-0 victory should be treated as a warning sign by the other teams in the Premier League.