Erling Haaland’s brace saw Manchester City beat Everton 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium to move top of the Premier League.
Haaland broke Everton’s resilient defence with a 71st minute strike via Ruben Dias’ knockdown header from a corner-kick.
The 23 year-old Norwegian wrapped up the win with a 85th minute counter-attack strike from Kevin De Bruyne’s pass.
Man City consequently sat top of the table by one point from Liverpool, although the Reds beat Burnly 3-1 in a mid-afternoon kick-off to return to the summit, whilst Everton remain third bottom inside the relegation zone.
“It’s a good feeling, just to play again as well and to start at home, of course it is a good feeling and it is an amazing feeling to win the game,” commented Haaland who is back on the scoresheet for the first time since a 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool in November 2023.
Following their comeback win at Brentford, Man City manager – Pep Guardiola made four changes with one eye on their Champions League trip to Copenhagen in midweek, which proved a positive gamble as the hosts began on the front foot.
Everton however managed to resiliently frustrate City from a defensive perspective in the opening eight minutes, whilst they almost took an eighth minute lead after Dwight McNeil played Ben Godfrey through but the defender collided with Ederson as he took aim on goal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin then fired wide from Jack Harrison’s 15th minute pass as Everton enjoyed a short spell pressing Man City under pressure, whilst their manager – Sean Dyche watched from the stands in his 300th match as a Premier League manager.
Last season’s treble winners however soon regained control and upped the intensity despite struggling to break down the Toffees’ defence, although Haaland nodded over the bar from Jeremy Doku’s 27th minute cross as Everton held out until half-time.
City’s difficulties continued in the second half as Julian Alvarez fired wide just four minutes into the half-time, which prompted Guardiola into a double change as Manuel Akanji and Matheus Nunes were replaced by Kyle Walker and De Bruyne.
Everton however continued to resist City’s pressure as Calvert-Lewin headed clear Doku’s 62nd minute cross, whilst Rodri smashed over the bar six minutes later from Walker’s pass.
City’s constant pressing was rewarded in the 70th minute as a corner was knocked down by Dias and fell for Haaland, who calmly smashed the ball in beyond Jordan Pickford with a scruffy strike to put City top of the table.
Everton refused to roll over once City broke their floodgates and almost equalised in the 81st minute as substitutes, Amadou Onan and Beto combined through a pass, but Beto was offside as he dragged his shot wide of the bottom-right corner.
That wasted chance proved costly as four minutes later, City broke forward on a deep counter-attack which saw De Bruyne play Haaland through, and the Norwegin shrugged off Jarrad Branthwaite to bend in his second goal to wrap up victory.
City almost further extended their winning margin in the fifth minute of injury time but Phil Foden fired his close-range shot straight into Pickford’s arms, whilst De Bruyne chipped over the bar five minutes later.
What’s Next?
Man City now head to Copenhagen for the first leg of their Round of 16 tie in this season’s Champions League, which takes place at Parken Stadium on Tusday 13 February at 9pm CET (8pm UK Time).
Everton meanwhile will host Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on Monday 19 February at 8pm GMT in a huge clash as both teams battle for their top-flight survival.
Teams
Manchester City: Ederson, John Stones, Manuel Akanji (Walker 57′), Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Rodri, Matheus Nunes (De Bruyne 57′), Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez (Silva 77′), Jeremy Doku (Grealish 87′), Erling Haaland
Substitutes: Stefan Ortega, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Josko Gvardiol, Oscar Bobb, Jacob Wright, Rico Lewis
Everton: Jordan Pickford, Ben Godfrey (Coleman 56′), James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, Vitaliy Mykolenko, Ashley Young (Onana 78′), James Garner, Idrissa Gueye (Chermiti 89′), Dwight McNeil (Dobbin 88′), Jack Harrison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Beto 77′)
Substitutes: Joao Virginia, Nathan Patterson, Michael Keane, Amadou Onana, Beto, Seamus Coleman, Youssef Chermiti, Mackenzie Hunt, Lewis Dobbin
Referee – John Brooks
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