Manchester City 2-0 Everton: Jack Grealish watches from the stands as the Premier League’s superstriker puts Everton to the sword
Soaring, that’s just the best way to describe Erling Haaland at the moment; and he’s holding Manchester City up with him.
The Norwegian’s first goal against Everton was a visual representation of that fact. With David Moyes’ side matching the hosts in effort, spirit and attempts, if not possession, inspiration was needed.
And inspiration came, Haaland soaring in the box just before the hour to head in Nico O’Reilly’s cross from the left.
Only a few minutes later City’s superstriker was on hand again to turn in a pull back from Savinho, Everton’s Jordan Pickford trying desperately and failing to parry.
In a game that, by half time, Everton supporters could be forgiven for thinking their side might scrape out a result, it was the Norwegian’s efforts that jolted them out of their reverie.
Moyes could not have demanded a better start from his boys at the Etihad Stadium, where Jack Grealish, their best player so far this season, sat in the stands watching, unable to participate against his parent club.
Without the Englishman the Toffees still brought the fight. Iliman Ndiaye was a livewire, active in attack and defence, creating a slew of chances which the away side will rage at the clouds for not putting away.
City also had an energetic start and came close with Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes, who started at right back
Beto had a chance to put Everton in front 15 mins in but he could barely connect with the ball despite his enormous stretch, and only managed to have it shave the outside of the post, after good work from Ndiaye on the right to win the ball and put a low cross in.
It was end-to-end stuff. Jake O’Brien’s header smacked off his own bar under pressure from Haaland. Immediately after, Ndiaye wove effortlessly through a maze of City players and initiated a counter attack, but it was ultimately snuffed out just outside the box.
There was one exciting moment when Ndiaye put a stop to Doku’s daring on Everton’s right and started a counter attack. The Senegal international put in a dangerous cross himself and it almost found Beto, but was only narrowly blocked by a City defender.
Only for Ndiaye to win it again and blast a shot that Gianluigi Donnarumma palmed over the bar.
Just seconds afterwards, City countered with three-on-three but Doku’s one-on-one effort was saved by Pickford before James Tarkowski cleared.
With City on top in the second half after Haaland’s brace, Everton had nothing near the number of chances they enjoyed in the first period. Merlin Rohl came close with a header but it whisked into the side netting.
City had some good news with Rayan Cherki and Mateo Kovacic making their return from injury with a few minutes to go.
In stoppage time Haaland established a reign of terror over Everton’s defensive third but his hat-trick was not to be. Like all supreme overlords, the Viking prince was let down by his own weaknesses.
In the first instance, Haaland had the time and space to score, but a mistouch allowed Pickford and several Everton defenders to crowd around him and manage to keep his eventual effort out. Three more chances came along but they went begging.
