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.

It was something special it the other end that almost brought the game to life. Pienaar, cutting in from the left, curled a shot around City keeper Joe Hart only to see it come back of the post. It was the best chance either team had had to score. But goals weren’t long in coming.

With confidence Everton started to go forward. The ball was played to Yakubu who turned to pass it left to Cahill, then ran into the box. Cahill beat a City defender then played it back to Yakubu. The remaining City defenders stepped up in an attempt to catch Everton offside. But the timing was wrong and all they did was leave Yakubu unmarked 6 yards from goal.

1-0   Everton.

City streamed forward in look for an equalizer but the only reward for all their attacking was a shot over the bar form Vassell. In the wet conditions it was hard for both teams to play attractive football.

Ten minutes after taking the lead Everton got the chance to extend their advantage. Everton won a corner on the right, only to see it cleared by City. Carsley was the quickest to react to the loose ball, chasing it to the left wing. His deep cross was perfect for Joleon Lescott. The big defender had come up for the corner and had stayed there while Carsley had retrieved possession. Lescott rose above his marker to loop the ball over Hart and into the opposite side of the goal.

2-0   Everton.

It was a hammer blow for City. They hadn’t played badly, but they hadn’t troubled Everton either. Everton had carved out two chances and scored both of them. City would have to do something quickly if they were going to get anything from this game.

The second half started with City getting lots of the ball but they were unable to break down a resolute Everton defense. A telling moment for Everton came 10 minutes into the half when Carsley got himself booked for a tackle on Fernandes Gelson. He will now miss Everton next game.

There wasn’t much happening in the game. Everton were happy to let City have most of the possession but the home team couldn’t find a way through to goal. With 20 minutes left City won a free kick after a foul by Cahill. Martin Petrov crossed the ball into the Everton box and City skipper Dunn was first to it. But from six yards out he could only head it over the bar. That had been City’s best chance all half.

With less than 15 minutes left City took off Darius Vassell and replaced him with Nery Castillo. The Mexican forward looked lively as soon as he got on to the pitch. Just after this substitution came a bizarre refereeing decision.

Everton had a throw in deep in the Man City half. The ball was thrown into the City area where, in a moment of madness, Richards jumped and palmed the ball away. Referee Rob Styles immediately blew for what everyone, Man City supporters included, thought was a penalty.

No, ignoring the claims of the Everton players, he gave a free kick on the edge of the box. Fair enough, because from his position on the field it may have looked like the handball had happened outside the area. But what got me was it was a deliberate handball in a goal scoring position which meant Richards should have been shown a red card. The referee never even spoke with him. The free kick came to nothing.

As the game entered the last 10 minutes Castillo showed why he should have been on from the start. Two shots in quick succession were blocked by Phil Jagielka. Both of them looked to be on target.

The game rose in the excitement factor. As City pushed forward looking for a goal they left gaps at the back. Andrew Johnson, who had come on for Manuel Fernandes, should have done better when he collected a pass from Lescott and then saw his shot saved well by Hart.

At the other end Castillo powered in a shot from the edge of the area only to see it saved by Tim Howard. It was the first time all game that Howard had to make a real save.

As the game entered injury time City’s frustration bubbled over. After being dispossessed Petrov kicked out petulantly at Leon Osman. He hardly made contact and Osman made nothing of it. But Styles had seen it and sent him off, even though Everton captain Neville pleaded with the referee not to. Petrov will now miss City’s next 3 games.

It was a sourer way to end the game. Everton had done well. They had come to Eastlands, took their chances and defended stoically. As for Man City, they had offered nothing. After they had gone behind they had lost all sense of position. Any game plan that they may have had simply disappeared. They couldn’t find a way past Everton and almost gave up trying.

Everton now face another test against Portsmouth at Goodison Park. Another 6 pointer, as the south coast team is on the edge of the European Qualification positions. After that it back to the UEFA Cup with Everton’s most difficult opponents so far, an away trip to the Italian giants Fiorentina.

This is where the season really starts to get interesting, stay tuned.