by Manchester City still has plenty of voracity. Despite Pep insisting that the job “is done” and conquering the world in Jeddah with a 4-0 victory over Fluminense, the Mancunians went to Goodison Park to recover the lost ground to the top of the Premier League. The bad streak had them with only one win in the last five games. They were looking for another. And they achieved it with a 1-3 against Everton which leaves them five points behind the leader, Liverpool, and with one game less than the ‘reds’.
Guardiola’s team continued to be depleted by the casualties that plague the team. De Bruyne, Doku and Haaland, of the three best players that Santpedor has in their squad, did not overcome their discomfort and they were left out of a call that was going to need them. Because world conquests don’t matter when Goodison Park awaits. Sean Dyche knows this well and prepared a hostile terrain with a very low block and accurate counterattacks.
Possession, expected goals and shots on goal were for the visitor. But Everton needs a little to do a lot. It was enough with a mistake by Rodri in his own area to take advantage. The Madrid pivot recovered well and delivered very poorly, leaving the ball served to McNeil for the Toffee winger to center into the area, finding the shot from Jack Harrison and 1-0 for Liverpool. In the last six games, it is the fourth time that Pep’s men were behind with the first goal.
Everton resisted, rockily, until half-time, all against a City that saw another soldier fall: Stones left the field with a foot problem. Gvardiol replaced him, and the 1-0 remained. But City does not need to smell blood to die. In the second half everything changed with a savior Phil Foden who made it 1-1 with a left-handed stroke impossible for a Pickford who did not stop receiving displeasure: John Brooks pointed out a penalty at the hands of Onana that Julián Álvarez took. And the English goalkeeper had no choice but to accept his fate, seeing the 1-2 fall..
The ‘toffee’ captain was let go, displeased with the unrewarded effort. And he made a huge mistake, giving away the ball to a Bernardo Silva who did not forgive. The Portuguese shot to make it 1-3 which leaves them in fourth place, re-engaged in the ‘Champions zone’ and in the fight for the title. The world champion is back in the Premier.
