Mancheter City-Everton: 25th February 2008

With both teams so close to each other in the league table this match was going to be an old fashioned six-pointer. Victory for Everton would leap frog them over Liverpool and back into fourth, While a win for Manchester City would put them level on points with Everton, Liverpool and Aston Villa.

It’s been an amazing first season in charge for new City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson. He has probably done more for City than any other manager in the last 20 years. They are flying high at the right end of the table, and only recently were beaten at home in the league for the first time this season. That defeat to Arsenal was offset by what most City supporters will see as the result of the season, beating their local rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.

But there are signs City are starting to flounder. Their victory over Man Utd was their first league win since the start of January.

Everton on the other hand have now gone six league games without losing. With five teams still having a realistic chance of finishing in that all-important fourth spot, that is the type of form that will be invaluable come the end of the season.

It was not surprising in the slightest that the Everton manager, David Moyes, chose to go with a 4-5-1 formation. With the kind of home record City have had this season Everton would be looking to absorb the pressure then try to attack on the counter. Maybe not the most exciting football, but away from home all you want to do is get a result.

A problem for Everton would be an injury to their star player Mikle Arteta. It has emerged that the Spaniard has been playing through the pain barrier as he looks to overcome a groin injury. But playing two games in a matter of days was seen as too much for him so he was left out of the squad.

Tony Hibbert got a chance to stake a claim at right back, with Phil Neville moving into the midfield. Neville, a former Man Utd player, was assured of a ‘warm’ welcome at Eastlands. Neville, Steven Pienaar and Lee Carsley were all looking to keep their noses clean. A yellow card for any of them would see them suspended for the next game.

Eriksson rewarded the players that had done so well at Old Trafford, by keeping faith with the same team. So on a typically rain swept night in Manchester, and live on TV, the game got under way.

It was Everton who dominated the opening few minutes. Tim Cahill managed to get himself into the box to meet Hibbert’s cross, only to see his shot blocked by what suspiciously looked like Micah Richards’s hand. The ball fell back to Cahill who shot again, this time to see it blocked by City captain Richard Dunn. Then Hibbert showed why he plays right back with a shot that was as ugly as it was wide.

City came more into the game and it was Darius Vassell who looked the most threatening. But when through on goal he would fire wide or be so slow in shooting that he would be closed down by Everton defenders. In fact the Everton defense looked solid and it would take something special by City to break them down.

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