Foden earns his goal
Pep Guardiola has been asked a few times about Phil Foden's performances recently.
The Manchester City star has been carrying out the No.9 role effectively in the absence of a recognised striker, but the role hasn't seemed to bring the best out of a player who is so good with the ball at his feet running toward the goal rather than with his back to it being crowded out by defenders.
If he has looked below his best in the last few games, the 21-year-old was the sharpest City attacker at Goodison. He looked more than anyone like breaking the deadlock so it was no surprise when he nipped in to take advantage of Everton uncertainty in the box to poke in what could be a huge goal in the title race.
Guardiola has stuck with the player - to the point of leaving top scorer Riyad Mahrez on the bench in consecutive weeks - despite a few question marks, and was rewarded with a big, big goal.
Stones justifies his selection
Kyle Walker could probably feel a little hard done to as the only member of the back four that malfunctioned against Tottenham to be dropped, yet it was clear from the first whistle how important Stones was going to be at right-back.
The former Everton player may not have the pace that his England teammate possesses, yet he is as comfortable on the ball building up play from the back. As importantly, he was useful in both defending and attacking set-pieces in a game where they were crucial.
Stones may rather play at centre-back but Guardiola has turned to him a number of times this season as a full-back, and he has improved markedly in that position from when he used to turn out there at Goodison.
It is certainly another option for the manager moving forwards.
Goodison plays their part
Goodison can be the last place Everton players might want to be when things aren't going their way, but the supporters rallied around the team brilliantly to prove just how difficult the Premier League can be.
Frank Lampard and his team may be fighting the unlikely threat of relegation but the effort they started with against the champions convinced the home fans to get fully behind them and make life as difficult as possible for City.
Every light-blue shirt dispossessed or clattered into brought a roar to encourage an encore, and nobody allowed City to settle on the pitch.
City defend better
For all the unease that Everton were able to cause, that didn't reflect in the danger on Ederson's goal.
Richarlison arguably should have done better when the ball presented itself to him in the box but that was the only shot on target the home side managed over the 90 minutes. They only had four shots in total, two corners, and 31 per cent possession.
City's title defence has been built on a solid defence and even as the attack toiled this was a welcome return to the control of games that makes them so solid at the back.
