Manchester City Drop Vital Points as Question Marks over Stevan Jovetic Remain

Manchester City dropped two vital points in their quest to retain the Premier League title, as Everton held them to a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park. Fernandinho gave City a deserved lead with 15 minutes remaining, but Steven Naismith’s header canceled out the Brazilian's second goal of the season.

City dominated for large periods of the game, particularly in the first half, but their carelessness cost them when it mattered most.

Stevan Jovetic started as City’s lone striker again, and although he offered a more physical performance than he managed against Sheffield Wednesday in the recent FA Cup match, it’s becoming increasingly clear he isn’t the player City need to lead the line.

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He is a No. 10—a player who prefers to drop off the striker and create outside the box—but City are blessed with an array of options in that position. As a result, Jovetic is struggling to command a place, especially now that City’s injured strikers are returning.

And with Wilfried Bony expected to sign in this transfer window, per the Manchester Evening News, Jovetic may find himself even further away from the starting lineup.

That’s not to say he doesn’t possess quality. He’s shown numerous times that he is an intelligent footballer with a lovely touch and understanding of the game, but his suitability to this City side still isn’t clear. A summer transfer is looking more and more likely with each passing game.

One player whose role is clear, though, is David Silva, who once again demonstrated his credentials, particularly in the first half when he freely roamed Goodison Park and picked off passes. 

On another day, he could have had three first-half assists had his team-mates not been quite so wasteful—Jesus Navas and Jovetic were particularly culpable—but nevertheless, there is more demand for him to have a central role on a more permanent basis. 

On current form, there are very few players in the Premier League who can match his ability.

City will be disappointed with the goal they conceded. Leighton Baines whipped in an excellent free-kick, but Joe Hart’s inability to deal with it allowed Naismith a simple header.

In fact, this game was a microcosm of Hart’s displays in recent seasons: some wonderful, instinctive reaction saves undermined by an inability to command his area and deal with balls from wide positions.

Eliaquim Mangala has a lot of questions around him. Despite some excellent displays in recent weeks, he looked shaky once again. He struggled with his footwork and found himself in difficulty numerous times.

With Vincent Kompany back fit and on the bench on Saturday, it gives Manuel Pellegrini an opportunity to take him out of the spotlight if he so wishes, and the Frenchman may well benefit from such a decision.

Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge means City are now two points behind the West Londoners. Arsenal visit the Etihad next before an all-important match between the top two at the end of the month.

January looks set to be a defining period.

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Afterward, Pellegrini rued his side’s missed chances and said he hoped Mangala could follow in the footsteps of Martin Demichelis, who turned his form around last season in the face of fierce criticism.

“We really dominated the game, especially in the first half,” he said. “We had clear chances but if you don’t score, it’s difficult to win.

“You cannot think because you are winning 1-0 and there are 15 minutes left to play that you have already won the game. Everton is a difficult team with set pieces.

“I always analyse individual performances with the players. I hope that he can repeat what Demichelis did last year. He improved and was a very important player.”

Goodison Park has always been a notoriously difficult place for City to go to, so in the final shake-up, this could prove to be a point gained rather than two dropped. It won’t feel like that on Saturday night, though.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes were obtained first-hand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.