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Man City 3-1 Everton
Hello, and welcome to our liveblog of the weekend’s first Premier League game.
The team news is in and for Everton, James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman both start, while Darron Gibson makes the bench for the first time in the league this season.
MAN CITY: Hart, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Kompany, Lescott, Milner, Fernandinho, Toure, Silva, Aguero, Negredo Subs: Richards, Nasri, Dzeko, Jesus Navas, Clichy, Pantilimon, Nastasic.
EVERTON: Howard, Baines, Distin, Jagielka, Coleman, McCarthy, Osman, Naismith, Barkley, Mirallas, Lukaku Subs: Robles, Gibson, Heitinga, Jelavic, Kone, Deulofeu, Stones.
While we wait for today’s game to begin, a quick poll for you…
Will Everton be in the top 4 come the end of the season?
Poll Results:
We’re underway…
Having won six of the last eight encounters between the sides, Everton are very much Man City’s bogey team.
Will this trend continue today?
After sustained pressure from City around the Everton area, Yaya Toure’s shot from the edge of the box has to be palmed away by Howard.
Shortly thereafter, Everton break threateningly and with great speed, but Mirallas’s cross is well cut out by the City defender.
Half the stadium cheer thinking a goal has been scored, but Kolarov’s curling free kick only finds the side netting.
It’s been a lively opening.
Kolarov meets David Silva’s corner but heads over.
City don’t appear to be suffering much of a Champions League hangover — they’ve looked the more likely side to break the deadlock so far.
As I type, Everton struggle to cope with City’s slick passing around their box, but just about manage to scramble the ball clear.
It’s been a very entertaining start to this game.
GOAL FOR EVERTON!
GOAL FOR MAN CITY!
Phew! First off, Romelu Lukaku gives Everton the lead, finishing well after Joleon Lescott tried and failed to play him offside after a long ball is hit hopefully towards the box (16 mins).
Just moments later, Yaya Toure plays a clever through ball that finds Alvaro Negredo, who makes no mistake with his finish (17 mins).
So the old cliché about teams being at their most vulnerable when they’ve just scored applies in this case.
The frantic pace has not let up since the goals. James Milner’s deflected cross has just hit the post and gone out for a corner.
Beautifully worked training ground-style free-kick from City that almost pays dividends.
Silva comes short for it and plays a first-time ball through to Aguero.
The Argentine international hits the ball narrowly wide with only Howard to beat. He should have done better there.
Concern for City as Vincent Kompany is forced off with an injury.
Nastasic, who has been a regular for City this season, comes on in his stead.
Clear-cut chances have been less frequent in recent minutes, though the game is still being played at an incredibly intense pace.
Though as I type, Silva plays a good sliding through ball to send Aguero through on goal, but he gets his legs in a tangle, allowing Everton to clear.
It’s not the first good chance for the Argentine player, who has looked a little off the boil today.
GOAL FOR MAN CITY!
Commentator’s curse! Sergio Aguero produces a clinical finish, after outpacing Distin following Silva’s through ball (44 minutes).
It’s probably just about deserved on the balance of play.
Aguero finds himself through on goal yet again, but a perfect-timed recovery tackle from Jagielka prevents him from going any further.
You really can’t take your eyes off this game.
HALF-TIME: MAN CITY 2-1 EVERTON
So City lead at half-time.
They have been on top in terms of possession and territory and consequently, probably deserve their lead.
Everton, however, have been more adventurous than most sides who visit the City of Manchester stadium and continually look a threat on the break.
This game is far from over yet.
A frantic debate is ensuing in TheScore.ie office over whether Joe Hart was to blame for the City goal.
Watch it below and judge for yourself.
YouTube credit: FotbalMagical
The second half has begun…
Another shaky moment for Joe Hart.
The City goalkeeper unwisely tries to dribble the ball past Lukaku and just about manages to get away with it.
City then enjoy a good spell of pressure up the other end.
City are really playing some good stuff now and have Everton on the racks.
They’re certainly passing the ball with far greater confidence than they displayed against Bayern during the week.
James McCarthy plays a wonderful through ball to Mirallas, who frustratingly for Everton, fails to control the ball and loses it.
That serves as a stark reminder of what Everton are capable of up the other end.
Naismith has just pushed Kolarov into Nastasic, which has caused a nasty collision between the pair.
Very unsporting behaviour from the Everton man.
Ireland’s Darron Gibson looks set to come on for Everton.
They could do with a reinforcement at this stage, as it hasn’t been the most encouraging of second halfs from their perspective.
Darron Gibson has replaced Leon Osman.
Meanwhile, Kevin Mirallas comes off for Gerard Deulofeu.
PENALTY FOR MAN CITY!
Very harsh decision. Zabaleta goes down very easily after Coleman makes the slightest of tugs on his shirt.
GOAL FOR MAN CITY!
It’s an own goal from the hugely unlucky Tim Howard (70 mins).
He pushes Aguero’s penalty onto the post, but it rebounds off his body and goes in.
Certain Fantasy Football players are nervously asking whether the Argentine player gets an assist for that.
Official confirmation, in case there was ever any doubt.
Nasri comes on for Aguero.
Meanwhile, Everton make their final sub, with Kone taking the place of McCarthy.
Less than 10 minutes remain…
City are currently camped in the Everton half.
A dramatic comeback does not seem to be on the cards.
No surprise that both teams are playing in a conspicuously less urgent fashion now, given how fast the tempo has been for much of the match.
Everton, now, are almost certainly set to lose their unbeaten record.
Former referee Mark Halsey, commenting on BT Sport, says today’s official Jon Moss has “lost the plot”.
The referee has given out one or two needless bookings this afternoon, while the penalty decision was questionable at best.
Meanwhile, Alvaro Negredo has been named Man of the Match.
FULL-TIME: MAN CITY 3-1 EVERTON
So that’s that. A deserved victory for Man City, who grew more dominant as the game developed.
Everton have cause to feel aggrieved about the penalty for City’s third goal, but can hardly begrudge them the three points.
Right, that’s all from me.
Thanks for reading and commenting, and do join us for our liveblog of United v Sunderland later.
