Everton 1-3 Man City: Premier League champions close gap on leaders Liverpool and move back into top four

Report and free highlights as Man City come from behind to win 3-1 at Everton; hosts had led at half-time thanks to Jack Harrison's strike; visitors replied with three second-half goals from Phil Foden, a Julian Alvarez pen and a late Bernardo Silva lob to go fourth; Everton stay in 17th

By Richard Morgan, Football journalist @Richiereds1976

12:02, UK, Thursday 28 December 2023

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Manchester City came from behind to win 3-1 at Everton and move to within five points of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.

The champions, who were playing their first match since winning the Club World Cup, their fifth trophy of 2023, fell behind just before the half-hour mark to Jack Harrison's well-taken strike against his old club.

However, despite losing John Stones to a first-half ankle injury, the visitors hit back after half-time, scoring twice in quick succession through Phil Foden's rasping drive and Julian Alvarez's penalty - a decision that infuriated Everton boss Sean Dyche - to put Pep Guardiola's side in control.

Ben Ransom reacts to Man City 3-1 win against Everton and says Pep Guardiola knows the significance of the win.

A late Bernardo Silva lob sealed the victory as City moved back into the top four of the Premier League after being held at home by Crystal Palace last time out, and with a game in hand on their rivals.

Everton, meanwhile, stay in 17th place, just a point above the relegation zone.

How City returned to winning ways

The pressure was well and truly on the newly crowned world champions at Goodison Park, knowing that another slip-up would hand further advantage in the title race to Liverpool and Arsenal - but despite once again being without striker Erling Haaland, Guardiola's side responded in style to any recent questions about their hunger.

However, City had to see off some stiff Everton resistance as the hosts led at the break after weathering an early storm from the visitors, with Jordan Pickford required to pull off several important early stops.

But when Rodri - passed fit to play - carelessly lost possession on the edge of his own area, Dwight McNeil then crossed for Harrison to side foot home the opener and send Goodison wild, especially with the strike coming totally against the run of play.

The home side then enjoyed their best spell of the match as Ederson denied Harrison another, only for half-time to come at the wrong time as far as the Toffees were concerned, with the second period one-way traffic.

Team news

Everton boss Sean Dyche made two changes from the side that lost narrowly at Tottenham on Saturday, with Andre Gomes and Beto coming into the XI - in fact, that was the former's first start of the season.

However, as expected midfielder Idrissa Gueye was out and striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was only a substitute, although skipper Seamus Coleman returned to the Toffees squad.

As for the newly crowned champions of the world, Pep Guardiola also made two alterations from the team that easily saw off Fluminese in Friday's final, with Manuel Akanji and Matheus Nunes being brought in in place of Ruben Dias and Rico Lewis.

There was some good news, however, for City with key holding midfielder Rodri fit to feature after a heavy tackle against the Brazilians, although Erling Haaland remains sidelined.

Foden levelled matters eight minutes after the interval with a stunning low drive from distance that flew past a helpless Pickford at his near post and 11 minutes later, City were ahead from the penalty spot after Amadou Onana was deemed to have handled Nathan Ake's close-range shot.

Alvarez kept his cool from the spot to just about get the better of Pickford, who dived to his right as the ball went down the middle and thereafter it was City in cruise control, with the hosts failing to even have a second-half shot on target.

So much so that it was no surprise when with four minutes to go, Silva punished Pickford's poor clearance by lobbing the England goalkeeper from the edge of the area as Everton suffered a sixth home defeat of the campaign.

What the managers said...

Everton boss Sean Dyche:

"We can debate the penalty all day. It has been by managers on Zoom calls to say it's a farce, but that's the way it goes.

"That's completely natural. He's not putting his arm up to save it, he's literally jumping in to try to block the ball. How that is given as a penalty is bizarre in my world, but I must be from a different planet.

"Tonight the linesman gives that and he's 18 yards away, so I don't know who is giving what any more. Who knows? All the managers are debating it. Someone needs to stand up at some point and realise that can't be a penalty because he's just throwing himself in front of it to try to block the ball."

Pep Guardiola was unhappy with the decision to allow play to continue and not award an offside, which led to a John Stones injury. Sean Dyche was frustrated by the decision to award a penalty for a controversial handball.

Man City boss Pep Guardiola:

"Really, really important. It was a massive game for us, coming from Saudi Arabia.

"We were really pleased with how we reacted and it proved again how special this group of players is and the mentality that we have in our bones.

"We want to be there. I know we are not top of the league, [but] a lot of things are going to happen.

"I never saw a Premier League where every game the teams down low and mid-table can beat everyone. There will be a lot of surprises and the thing is to be there.

"I remember on the plane coming back from Saudi Arabia I listened to the players when they didn't know I was listening and they started to talk about Everton

"I said 'wow, this is my team'. I have the feeling they still want to try.

"We play many games this season and people say we are not the same. We have lost one of the last 13 [not including the Club World Cup]. We don't talk enough about how good we are."

Dyche still can't get one over on Pep - Opta stats

Across spells with Burnley and Everton, Sean Dyche has failed to win any of his 14 Premier League games against Pep Guardiola (D1 L13); only Steve Bruce (P17 D4 L13 vs Alex Ferguson) has faced a specific opposing manager more often in the competition's history without ever tasting victory.
Everton lost a Premier League game in which they went 1-0 up for the first time since January (a 1-2 loss vs Southampton), ending their 17-game unbeaten run when scoring first.
Manchester City have gone 1-0 down in seven Premier League games this season (doing so in four of their last five games), as many times as they did in the entirety of 2022-23. However, the Citizens have lost just two of their last 12 league games when trailing at half-time (W7 D3).
Manchester City have won 26 of their last 28 Premier League games on a Wednesday (D1 L1), with four of those wins coming against Everton.
No Everton player has been involved in more Premier League goals since Sean Dyche's arrival than Dwight McNeil (13 - 7 goals, 6 assists), who has five goal involvements in his last six league games (2 goals, 3 assists).
Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden has only scored more Premier League goals against Brighton (6) than he has against Everton, with three of his four strikes against the Toffees coming at Goodison.
Six of Julián Álvarez's last seven Premier League goals have put Manchester City one goal in the lead, with the other drawing them level against Wolves in September.
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva scored and assisted in a single Premier League game for a sixth time, with all six of those instances coming away from home, doing so twice at Goodison Park.

What's next?

Everton's next game is at Wolves on Saturday; kick-off 3pm.

The Toffees then travel to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup third round on Thursday January 4; kick-off 8pm.

Manchester City are next in action on Saturday when they host Sheffield United; kick-off 3pm.

Pep Guardiola's side then host Huddersfield in the FA Cup third round on Sunday January 7; kick-off 2pm.