Everton 0-2 Manchester City: City leave it late at Goodison to seal three points

Manchester City made it 16 games unbeaten against Everton as they secured a 2-0 win at Goodison Park.

In what was a mostly tepid affair, Pep Guardiola’s side scored two late goals to boost their chances of Champions League qualification. Nico O’Reilly broke the deadlock in the 84th minute, before Mateo Kovačić wrapped up the win in injury time.

As it happened

With the race for Champions League qualification hotting up, Manchester City travelled to Goodison Park looking to extend their advantage over sixth-placed Chelsea to four points. They faced an Everton side that had lost just twice in 13 games since David Moyes’ return, but who were still searching for their first home league win since a 4-0 thrashing of Leicester City at the start of February.

The first half left much to be desired from both sides – Everton generated an xG of just 0.18, which was only narrowly edged by City’s 0.23. The away side’s first effort at goal came in the 15th minute when Matheus Nunes cut inside onto his left foot and struck from distance. His shot was arrowing into the bottom corner but Jordan Pickford got down well to his left to tip it past the post.

Everton came closest to opening the scoring half an hour into the game. James Garner drifted in a corner towards the commanding James Tarkowski, who won the header but was denied by the post.

Having failed to score in their last two away Premier League fixtures, Pep Guardiola’s side were denied again minutes before half-time. Bernardo Silva played an exquisite ball in behind for Nunes, whose deflected cross fell to Kevin de Bruyne inside the penalty area. The Belgian curled a left-footed strike towards goal but was denied by a brilliant piece of defending from Jake O’Brien, who headed it behind with his head.

The Toffees started the stronger of the two sides after the break. Showing his threat from set-pieces again, Tarkowski won a header from a dangerous free-kick floated into the City box. It landed to Jarrad Branthwaite, whose header towards goal was denied by the arm of Stefan Ortega. City’s stand-in goalkeeper was called upon again in the 60th minute as he did well to save Abdoulaye Doucouré’s powerful strike that was bound for the top corner.

City’s attack had been restricted for the majority of the match, but Omar Marmoush began to look dangerous in the latter stages. In the 72nd minute, the Egyptian forward teed up Savinho on the edge of the box, but the Brazilian’s effort was near enough to Pickford for him to get down and collect. A Michael Keane mistake almost gifted City the lead after he failed to deal with Bernardo Silva’s long ball, but Pickford came rushing out to deny Marmoush from getting a clean strike at goal.

Eventually, Manchester City’s late pressure saw them take the lead in the 84th minute. Nunes made an overlapping run down the right win and flashed a wicked ball across the box. Nico O’Reilly was on hand to convert it into the back of the net for his second goal in consecutive appearances.

The away side sealed the three points in injury time. Jérémy Doku fired a pass into İlkay Gündoğan in the box and the German midfielder held it up before laying it off to Mateo Kovačić. The substitute almost slide tackled his effort but managed to fizz it into the bottom corner to double his side’s lead.

City are now five games unbeaten in the Premier League and up to fourth in the table. They host Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night in a crucial clash, before an FA Cup semi-final meeting with Nottingham Forest next week.

The lineups

EVE: Pickford; Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, O’Brien; Garner, Gueye; Ndiaye, Doucouré, Harrison; Broja

MCI: Ortega; O’Reilly, Gvardiol, Dias, Nunes; González, Gündoğan; Savinho, De Bruyne, Silva; Marmoush