Thank you very much for joining me.
Here is Andy Hunter’s report from Goodison Park.
It is absolutely hammering it down at Goodison. It’s good stuff. Looks biblical.
Phil Foden: “I thought we played really well in the first half, it seemed to be the same story of the previous games. The manager told us to keep believing, we haven’t this golden badge on the shirt for nothing. I think we blew them away. I must praise Everton are a top side.
“I think we needed the first goal to give us momentum.
“I’ve had a good run of games. I like playing in the middle and long may that continue.
“We have got massive players to come back in. When they come back it will make the team stronger. We need them because we are short on numbers.”
Guardiola is now pointing to Foden in front of the away fans. He was the main man in the second half. He is finally showing he can be a top class No 10.
Guardiola is offering some very animated feedback to Gvardiol. He was very good after replacing Stones, to be faor.
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I had a little chat with the editor tonight. We shared our pre-match predictions. I said 3-1. What a night for me.
There were some boos at the full-time whistle. I am not sure who for. The officials potentially … because of the handball for the penalty.
Grealish is fuming and is having a word with the referee about something or other. Maybe something was said by someone on the stands?
Full time: Everton 1-3 Manchester City
It was a fantastic performance from City to remind everyone in England what they are capable of going into the second half of the season. Foden and Silva were superb against a very well-organised Everton who just did not have enough to cope with the champions.
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90+4 mins: City are just knocking it about now.
Foden shoots from about 30 yards but Pickford does well to stop the swerving ball.
90+2 mins: Ruddy hell! Foden, after being awarded player of the match, rifles a shot across Pickford from 18 yards and it rattles the crossbar. What an effort.
90 mins: Six minutes added on.
Gary Naylor emails: “Neutrals, and those whom Jordan Pickford irritates by being unabashedly northern working class, can whinge all they like about his demeanour, but he suits us. Goodison is an emotional place, at its best when on the end of its nerves, when cool heads are valued less than those filled with anger, frustration and desire. Mistakes will come from him (but not very many in the last few years) but the ledger is very positive even after a game like this.”
89 mins: Re Pickford: “The prosecution rests its case, Your Honour,” says Stephen Carr.
88 mins: This has been an excellent 90 minutes for City, bar the Stones injury and the mistakes that led Everton opening the scoring. They have been the best team against a very good Everton team. This is not an easy fixture.
86 mins: Pickford pings a clearance to Branthwaite, not that he is the intended target, and he cannot control the ball, Silva nips in and takes advantage. Not the best end for Everton.
GOAL! Everton 1-3 Manchester City (Bernardo Silva, 86)
An impressive cock up from Everton allows Silva to curl the ball into an empty net from the edge of the box.
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86 mins: Alvarez makes room for the a shot from the edge of the box but it is always heading over the bar.
Kovacic has been really good since coming on. He is good at taking the ball up the pitch and has worked really hard throughout.
84 mins: I do enjoy Grealish getting booed wherever he goes. What has he done to the Everton faithful?
Walker essentially runs the ball into the corner but gives away a throw.
82 mins: Grealish is booked for a taking down McNeil. I think the winger is pretty frustrated generally after a tricky evening against Patterson.
Pickford pumps the free-kick forward from his own half but City clear.
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80 mins: Tarkowski cynically takes out Grealish. It should be a booking but the referee only awards a free-kick.
Harrison, I would argue Everton’s best player, is replaced by Danjuma.
“Jordan Pickford’s demeanour always looks to be erupting somewhere between outrage and tears of self-pity,” says Justin Kavanagh. “He reminds me a lot of Hilda Ogden who used to be on Coronation Street. All he needs are the curlers.”
One for the kids.
78 mins: Alvarez is up after treatment.
Branthwaite goes into the book for a poor challenge on Silva. On the touchline, Ian Woan gives Walker a bit of a push. It’s all good fun.
77 mins: Joe Pearson gets in touch: “Season’s greetings, and all that!
“Grealish is so annoying. Any time he is fouled, he acts like it’s a yellow or even a red card offence. Get over yourself, Jack!”
76 mins: Tarkowski clatters into Alvarez, leaving him writhing in pain on the deck. It is a clean tackle, taking man and ball in the process.
75 mins: Harrison gets the other side of the City defence and square the ball for Calvert-Lewin in the box but the striker sidefoots wide from six yards while under pressure from Akanji. It is a big chance for Everton.
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74 mins: Grealish is protesting to the referee after claiming to be the victim of a foul. The referee is not interested and City play on.
City are playing some lovely stuff not and a third goal would finish this off.
Michael Hayen emails: “You have to love the decision making process with VAR. Odegaard has his arm miles away from his body against Liverpool and no penalty is given. Onana has a ball smacked into him from a metre away and a penalty is given.”
72 mins: Everton are pushing forward. They send in a couple of crosses without any noticeable results but it is a sign of intent.
70 mins: “Evening Will,” evening Stephen Carr. “The carrying on from Jordan Pickford is absolutely exhausting. He was at fault for the both goals and just looks utterly unfocused.”
I should say Pickford was booked while trying to delay the penalty being taken.
68 mins: I also said Alvarez needed to provide more movement. I am not sure how I can claim that helped him score the penalty but I will do my best.
Everton get a corner on the left. Garner whips it into the six-yard box but Tarkowski heads wide.
66 mins: City need to keep things calm for a few minutes to avoid Everton get back into this.
65 mins: It was a very generous penalty decision considering the distance between Ake and Onana. Shearer has a go at the laws of the game.
Kovacic replaces Nunes, while Calvert-Lewin and Keane are on for Everton.
GOAL! Everton 1-2 Manchester City (Alvarez, pen, 64)
Alvarez sends it down the middle and under Pickford’s feet.
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62 mins: PENALTY TO CITY! A corner is swung to the back post, a Foden shot is blocked and lands with Ake, who shoots into Onana’s arm from two yards away. Handball given.
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61 mins: Akanji is belatedly booked for his foul on Onana.
Gomes is booked soon after for clipping Grealish around 20 yards from goal. Will Alvarez have a dig? He has a hug with Foden beforehand. The Argentinian aims for the top corner but Pickford gets across quickly to palm clear.
58 mins: Onana produces a lovely bit of skill to outwit Akanji who gains his revenge by clattering into the Belgian. I feel like that is something in the region of being a dead leg.
56 mins: City have stepped it up and Everton will need to match them soon.
Chris Thomson has an idea: “Instead of their daft subs count, why not just have pundits that give points for the shameless diving that everyone does. Player goes down, rolls around a bit then has a wee look up and gets on with the game. Followed by a review and a mark out of 10.”
54 mins: I told Guardiola to get Foden on the ball more. I am right. Well done me.
It is almost a second for City as Alvarez pings a cross along the goalline which no one can get a touch on, despite Foden best efforts at the front post.
GOAL! Everton 1-1 Manchester City (Foden, 53)
Foden pings one into the bottom corner from 25 yards, much to Pickford’s surprise.
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52 mins: Beto is enjoying the battle as the lone front man. He battles with Akanji and Walker before winning a free-kick.
Pickford whacks it into the box but City get rid and counter through Bernardo Silva but Everton get back in numbers. City keep coming and Nunes sends in a low cross from the right which Tarkowski squirms wide of his own goal.
50 mins: Branthwaite is on his haunches. I am not sure why. He gets up and looks alright.
Dave Mc asks: “Like when Scotland were unofficial World champions for so long, would Everton now become World Club Champions, by beating the holders?”
I would like to think so.
49 mins: Rodri whacks a bouncing ball around 20 yards over the bar from the edge of the box.
Amazon are pushing their weird subs thing. No one cares, lads.
47 mins: City having all the ball while being hounded by Everton. This is exactly the same as the start to the first half.
Second half
Here we go again!
What can City do to improve? Get Foden on the ball a bit more? More movement from Alvarez? I don’t know how I am not a Premier League manager.
I suspect this lad is good.
Half time: Everton 1-0 Manchester City
Everton under Dyche know their gameplan; they defend as a unit and they have the quality to create chances in the blink of an eye. City have had all the ball but without being anywhere near their best.
45+2 mins: City offer more nice touches on the edge of the box but without providing the penetration required. Everton are defending very well.
45 mins: Three minutes added on.
44 mins: Rodri penalised for a late challenge on Garner. I suspect the Spaniard is a little frustrated with himself for his part in the goal.
43 mins: Stones kicks the ball out and his game is done. Gvardiol is on to play at left back. Guardiola is very unhappy with the officials for not flagging earlier to prevent Stones being injured.
41 mins: Stones is still limping and Gvardiol is coming on. This cannot wait until half time.
It should be said, in attacking terms, there is not much Premier League experience on City’s bench. Oscar Bobb has had the most minutes.
40 mins: City’s free-kick goes to the back post where it comes off Tarkowski and goes out for a corner, which comes to nothing. Everton are good at attacking and defending set-pieces, it turns out.
39 mins: Patterson goes into the book for a cynical foul on Grealish to stop him getting past the full-back.
“That Everton goal was like one of these Crap 90s Football clips,” says Kári Tulinius. “I half expected to see Garry Flitcroft on the field, looking aghast at as defensive shambles unfold around the City penalty box.”
Steve Lomas would have lumped it clear, to be fair.
38 mins: Stones gets up after a decent amount of treatment. He limps off to the touchline as he attempts to prove his fitness.
37 mins: Edan Tal asks: “Is the most surprising thing about this game so far that Andre Gomes is still at Everton?”
This is his first start since May 2022 …
36 mins: Everton have, understandably, grown in confidence and are pushing City back. Harrison looks well up for this, eager to show City what they let go.
Beto goes through on goal but Stones catches up on him and tackles the striker at the last second but he is left in a heap in the floor. Then the flag goes up …
34 mins: It is an Everton corner on the left. Gomes swings the ball into the six-yard box, helped by the wind; it is headed out to Harrison, who takes aim for the top corner from 16 yards but Ederson produces a stunning save to tip the ball wide.
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32 mins: Grealish does well inside the box and lifts his head up to find Rodri on the edge but he splices his shot well wide.
30 mins: City might need pick things up in. They have been pretty blunt in the final third.
29 mins: I have no idea what Rodri is doing as he passes the ball to backwards to McNeil in the box, allowing him to cross for Harrison to nudge in from close range.
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GOAL! Everton 1-0 Manchester City (Harrison, 29)
Some truly woeful defending allows Harrison to tap home.
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28 mins: Foden chips a pass to Bernardo Silva in space inside the box, he takes a fantastic touch but then pings a woeful shot high into the stands. Not the Portuguese’s best work, that’s for sure.
City have made five times as many passes thus far …
26 mins: Everton win a corner on the right. McNeil strolls over to take it … and swings the ball into the six-yard box but Ake heads away. The ball comes back with a pass over the top which is looks like Tarkowski will latch onto but the bounce goes in the goalkeeper’s favour.
24 mins: Grealish bursts into the box and gets away a toe poke (with considerable power) and Pickford palms it away. The rebound lands with Nunes but he cannot get a shot away and the attack dies out.
22 mins: Everton are still harassing whichever City player is in possession of the ball. It could be an energy-sapping night for those in blue.
20 mins: Everton win a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left after a foul on Beto by Akanji. Gomes whips the ball in but Ederson comes to punch.
Everton are offering a little more going forward but are yet to truly trouble City.
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18 mins: Rodri drives towards the box but he takes too many touches before trying to shoot from distance allowing a blue shirt to get in the way.
16 mins: Ederson looks to put Akanji under pressure when facing his own goal but he clips the ball out to Walker in nonchalant fashion. It is a different game nowadays.
14 mins: How are City not in the lead?! Nunes receives the ball in space inside the box but his shot is too close to Pickford. The rebound goes straight to Alvarez but his shot is deflected wide by the goalkeeper.
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12 mins: City are doing their best to run in behind, which is not often their natural game. They must see this as an Everton weakness.
Foden picks up a loose ball around 25 yards from goal before driving into the box. He takes aim but slices wide of goal.
10 mins: I was at City v Forest earlier this season and I think this is on the same level of early dominance. Everton are yet to turn this into a contest but they will be content with the scoreline. They win a free-kick just inside the City half. Gomez pings it into the box but City clear.
8 mins: Everton have a very good record winning while having less possession than their opponents, which is good news for them. They have barely had a kick.
City win a corner on the right. It is worked out to Walker on the edge of the box from where he pings a low drive which is deflected wide.
6 mins: It is all City here. Everton have tried a couple of outballs to Beto but he cannot control it. He looks set for a long night as a lone attacking figure.
4 mins: City fans are singing about Old Trafford falling down while their players completely dominate on the pitch. Grealish downs the left and pulls the ball back to Alvarez who jabs at goal but Pickford is in the way.
2 mins: It is a windy night at Goodison. Everton are hounding City in the early stages as they look to unsettle their opponents.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
Z Cars is being played and Clive Tyldesley is giving us a potted history of the TV show.
Everton fan Tommy Fleetwood is out on the pitch parading the Ryder Cup and getting a decent reception from his peers.
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Guardiola on Haaland’s foot injury and absence: “Still he’s not with the team. He feels better with his bone but he hasn’t made one training session with us. Unfortunately December is so congested with so many teams. January is so congested. Hopefully in January he can come back with us.”
Ruben Dias is, reportedly, sick. Too much turkey etc and so forth.
Gary Naylor emails: “All around me last week at Goodison, fans accepted that Dominic Calvert-Lewin needed a break. He hasn’t scored many in recent weeks, but his work rate has been exemplary, making intelligent runs and mixing it with defenders from the first minute to the last. That some fans made him something of a fall guy during the Lampard chaos was a poor show, but none would begrudge him starting on the bench tonight.”
Jack Grealish: “I really enjoyed it. We’ve probably not had the best results in the league recently so to go there and cement ourselves as the best team in the world is a good feeling.
“We know how tough it is going to be tonight. They are one of the most in-form teams in the league. We got the win here last year but it was very difficult.”
Amazon pundits are criticising previous Everton managers who wasted money. Surely they are not talking about Roberto Martinez who brought in Oumar Niasse for £13.5m.
Dyche on Beto: “We all know that it takes time to settle into the Premier League. There is more to come from him, he is willing learn but he is quite raw. He wants to make a difference, he is physical and fast. Sometimes you do know what you’re going to get and we can use that to our advantage.”
Sean Dyche confirms Calvert-Lewin is being rested after a hectic schedule.
Get your teeth into this.
Neither No 9 starts as Haaland is still sidelined through injury, while Calvert-Lewin is on the bench for Everton. I would argue that is a bigger blow to Everton that City.
Starting lineups
Everton (4-5-1): Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Gomes, Onana, Garner, McNeil; Beto.
Subs: Virginia, Keane, Calvert-Lewin, Danjuma, Godfrey, Coleman, Chermiti, Hunt, Dobbin
Man City (4-3-3): Ederson; Walker, Stones, Akanji, Ake; Rodri, Silva, Nunes; Foden, Alvarez, Grealish.
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Phillips, Kovacic, Gomez, Gvardiol, Bobb, Susoho, Lewis, Hamilton
Erling Haaland is really good at football, as Niall McVeigh explains.
Preamble
Everton host the champions of the world at Goodison Park. What a treat for all those inside. This is not the first time the planet’s finest have wowed the Gwladys Street End. Brazil played all three group games at the ground in 1966, losing two as they went out before the fun started.
We do not have Pele, Garrincha or Tostao. Instead Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Rodri are in town (fitness depending). Like Brazil in 1966, City are not actually in great form despite their triumph in Saudi Arabia. They have won once in six Premier League matches to leave them needing to play catch up if they are to mount a title challenge.
Everton are, comparatively, the form team. They lost last time out at Spurs, although few know how. Prior to that they had four wins in as many games without conceding a goal. Sean Dyche revels in making life difficult for their more monied opponents, which will make tonight an intriguing contest.
Here’s to a cracker!
Kick-off: 8.15pm GMT
