Match ends, Manchester City 3, Everton 0.
Man CityManchester City3EvertonEverton0
Manchester City claimed a comfortable victory over Everton to move back up to second in the Premier League and within touching distance of leaders Chelsea.
Raheem Sterling's first-half effort set City on their way, marking his 300th top-flight appearance with a deft finish from Joao Cancelo's sublime outside-of-the-foot pass.
Rodri's thunderous drive extended their lead after the break and Bernardo Silva tapped in late on in a one-sided contest.
Everton, who had benefitted from a first-half video assistant referee decision to overturn the award of a penalty when Sterling fell under Michael Keane's challenge, toiled throughout.
With four key players already sidelined, Rafael Benitez's side rarely looked capable of posing the hosts any problems in attack and Demarai Gray added to their mounting injury concerns by limping off early on.
The only crumb of comfort for the visitors, who remain 11th in the table, was that the margin of defeat was not greater.
Ilkay Gundogan headed against the crossbar for City and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made excellent saves to prevent Silva and Sterling from adding to the scoreline.
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Assured City dominate depleted Everton
With Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes all out injured, a depleted Everton side initially did well to negotiate most of the first period on level terms.
While the hosts dominated possession, they were largely frustrated and there were audible groans of discontent from the home supporters when Sterling miscontrolled the ball inside the Everton penalty area as half-time approached.
However, seconds later that disappointment turned to elation as Sterling spun in behind the Everton defence to break the deadlock and wheel away in delight.
From there on in, City went in cruise control with Everton's response limited to a brief five-minute period after the interval in which they attempted to press the hosts back. They built some pressure but could not create any realistic chances to score.
That minor nudge only served to refocus City, who recycled the ball in an assured fashion and had the look of a team that were always confident in the final outcome.
Rodri emphatically extinguished any hopes Everton had of returning to Merseyside with a point and Silva added the gloss.
There was also a nod to the future as James McAtee made his Premier League debut late on to replace fellow 19-year-old Cole Palmer, as City warmed up for Wednesday's Group A Champions League contest against Paris St-Germain with their third consecutive win in all competitions.
Player of the match
RodriRodri
with an average of 7.76
Manchester City
Avg
Squad number16Player nameRodriAverage rating7.76
- Squad number27Player nameJoão CanceloAverage rating
7.76
Squad number20Player nameBernardo SilvaAverage rating7.71
Squad number47Player nameFodenAverage rating7.28
Squad number2Player nameWalkerAverage rating7.20
Squad number8Player nameGündoganAverage rating7.10
Squad number7Player nameSterlingAverage rating7.08
Squad number5Player nameStonesAverage rating7.04
- Squad number80Player namePalmerAverage rating
6.94
Squad number31Player nameEdersonAverage rating6.87
- Squad number87Player nameMcAteeAverage rating
6.69
Squad number14Player nameLaporteAverage rating6.68
Squad number26Player nameMahrezAverage rating6.60
- Squad number6Player nameAkéAverage rating
6.53
Everton
Avg
- Squad number1Player namePickfordAverage rating
5.13
- Squad number14Player nameTownsendAverage rating
4.91
- Squad number24Player nameGordonAverage rating
4.60
- Squad number11Player nameGrayAverage rating
4.48
- Squad number22Player nameGodfreyAverage rating
4.45
- Squad number62Player nameOnyangoAverage rating
4.43
- Squad number23Player nameColemanAverage rating
4.39
- Squad number6Player nameAllanAverage rating
4.31
- Squad number7Player nameRicharlisonAverage rating
4.27
Squad number8Player nameDelphAverage rating4.27
- Squad number12Player nameDigneAverage rating
4.26
- Squad number5Player nameKeaneAverage rating
4.19
- Squad number17Player nameIwobiAverage rating
3.85
- Squad number33Player nameRondónAverage rating
3.35
Line-ups
Man City
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Ederson
- 2Walker
- 5Stones
- 14LaporteBooked at 45minsSubstituted forAkéat 76'minutes
- 27Cancelo
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 16Rodri
- 8Gündogan
- 7Sterling
- 80PalmerSubstituted forMcAteeat 87'minutes
- 47FodenSubstituted forMahrezat 58'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Rúben Dias
- 6Aké
- 9Gabriel Jesus
- 11Zinchenko
- 13Steffen
- 25Fernandinho
- 26Mahrez
- 33Carson
- 87McAtee
Everton
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Pickford
- 23Coleman
- 22Godfrey
- 5Keane
- 12Digne
- 24Gordon
- 6AllanSubstituted forOnyangoat 90'minutes
- 8DelphSubstituted forRondónat 63'minutes
- 11GraySubstituted forIwobiat 17'minutes
- 14Townsend
- 7RicharlisonBooked at 31mins
Substitutes
- 2Kenny
- 15Begovic
- 17Iwobi
- 20Tosun
- 25Gbamin
- 32Branthwaite
- 33Rondón
- 50Simms
- 62Onyango
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
- Attendance:
- 52,571
Match Stats
Home TeamMan CityAway TeamEverton
- Possession
- Home77%
- Away23%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away4
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away1
- Corners
- Home7
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home5
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester City 3, Everton 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. James McAtee (Manchester City) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Raheem Sterling.
Post update
Corner, Everton. Conceded by Rodri.
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Tyler Onyango replaces Allan.
Post update
Foul by Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City).
Post update
Andros Townsend (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City. James McAtee replaces Cole Palmer.
Goal!
Goal! Manchester City 3, Everton 0. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Cole Palmer (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ilkay Gündogan.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Séamus Coleman (Everton) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City. Nathan Aké replaces Aymeric Laporte.
Post update
Attempt missed. Cole Palmer (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Bernardo Silva.
Post update
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Allan (Everton).
Post update
Attempt saved. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Cole Palmer (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Ben Godfrey (Everton).
Post update
John Stones (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Anthony Gordon (Everton).
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Comments
Join the conversation
The comeback might have been unlikely, but to completely give up through fear of conceding more is pathetic.
Maybe Everton should tell their travelling fans not to bother if they know they will only expend any effort if the match is going their way.
I love watching City.
That's all.
Great goal from Raheem, certainly starting to find his form, also a really hard working performance from Cole Palmer, he's coming on leaps and bounds. Nice too see that James McAtee got some minutes on the pitch. The future's bright, the future's Blue. C'mon City.
Annoyed with the player's on the pitch, not with Rafa, I've seen roadkill with more passion and fight.
Good luck City, Chelsea and Liverpool (begrudgingly), looking like a great race for the title.