Manchester City host Everton in the Premier League this afternoon, with Pep Guardiola’s side looking for what would be just their second win in the last 13 games.
The Cityzens lost 2-1 to Aston Villa last weekend, and they have fallen to seventh in the Premier League. Nevertheless, despite their struggles, they are only four points of fourth, with a win today potentially an important step as they look to secure Champions League football at the very least.
And Everton make the short journey east off the back of 0-0 draws against two of the league’s top sides in Arsenal and Chelsea, with Sean Dyche’s men having climbed up to 15th, four points above the relegation zone.
With City struggling for goals and Everton seemingly adept at preventing them, it could be an interesting encounter at the start of Boxing Day.
Follow all the action from the Etihad with our live blog below:
Manchester City vs Everton LIVE
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Manchester City host Everton in the Premier League | Live on Amazon Prime
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City have one win in their last 12 after last week’s loss to Aston Villa
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Everton have drawn 0-0 with Chelsea and Arsenal over their last two matches
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52’ – MISSED PENALTY! Pickford saves Haaland’s spot-kick to his right (MCI 1-1 EVE)
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37’ – GOAL! Ndiaye’s lovely half-volley brings Everton level after poor City defending (MCI 1-1 EVE)
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15’ – GOAL! Silva’s deflected finish gives City the lead (MCI 1-0 EVE)
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3’ – POST! Gvardiol crashes a header against the woodwork (MCI 0-0 EVE)
Manchester City FC 1 – 1 Everton FC
Man City 1-1 Everton, 68 mins
13:56 , Luke Baker
Latest from Richard Jolly at the Etihad
Manchester City’s powers keep on betraying them. This time it was Erling Haaland’s ability to score from the spot; if he was never actually the best penalty taker, it was a tame effort that Jordan Pickford repelled. That Haaland’s header which did go in came when he was offside summed up his recent run: since his August flurry of goals, they have been rarities. And that is a particular problem in a squad with few other scorers, and when Josko Gvardiol can look the next most likely player to find the net.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 67 mins
13:54 , Luke Baker
Good tackle from Branthwaite on Haaland in the box when he was gearing up to shoot. Savinho then tries to curl one into the far corner but it’s high, wide and not so handsome.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 64 mins
13:52 , Luke Baker
Nice ball from Coleman down the right to Calvert-Lewin who is gallpoing in on goal. He comes inside slightly as he’s bearing down on goal and Ake manages to get back to nick the ball away.
WATCH: Erling Haaland misses penalty
13:51 , Luke Baker
Here’s how Pickford saved the Haaland spot-kick
Man City 1-1 Everton, 61 mins
13:51 , Luke Baker
Lots of pointing from both managers on the touchline – they’ll be feeling very different about how this match is going…
In truth, it wasn’t a great penalty from Haaland (though a very good Pickford save) and he still has just four goals in the last 12 games. Him, and Man City, badly out of form.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 57 mins
13:46 , Luke Baker
Akanji not happy as he jumps with Calvert-Lewin and takes an arm to the face. Deemed to just be accidental contact.
Everton then win a corner but it comes to nothing.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 54 mins
13:43 , Luke Baker
Wow – what drama that was. Seamus Coleman also booked for protestations during the build-up to that penalty. Jordan Pickford with the biggest moment of the match so far.
When Haaland is missing penalties, you know City are in a bad way!
MISSED PENALTY! Man City 1-1 Everton (Erling Haaland, 52 mins)
13:41 , Luke Baker
Pickford loves a penalty save and will fancy this as Erling Haaland steps up. AND IT’S SAVED! Pickford dives to his right and pulls off a great save. Brilliant!
The ball is then dinked back in and Haaland heads it into the net but it’s offside! Drama at the Etihad!
PENALTY! Man City 1-1 Everton, 51 mins
13:40 , Luke Baker
And it’s a peanlty to Man City! Savinho runs at the defence again, Mykolenko lunges in and clips the winger just inside the box. Clear penalty and this is a great chance for City to go back ahead.
CLOSE! Man City 1-1 Everton, 50 mins
13:39 , Luke Baker
City a bit lucky to win a corner but then they pepper Pickford’s goal as Savinho lashes a shot that is saved by the legs of the Everton keeper before Kovacic fires a shot from outside the box narrowly wide.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 47 mins
13:36 , Luke Baker
Good start to the second half by City as Mykolenko is forced to pull off a full-length lunge to flick the ball out for a corner. Gvardiol gets up to meet the corner but can’t get his header on target
KICK-OFF! Man City 1-1 Everton
13:34 , Luke Baker
Back underway at the Etihad.
WATCH: First-half highlights
13:23 , Luke Baker
Two goals in that first half, one apiece.
HALF-TIME! Man City 1-1 Everton
13:19 , Luke Baker
And that’s half-time. City took the lead through Bernardo Silva but their recent fragility was exposed as Iliman Ndiaye lashed home the equaliser. Work to do for Guardiola’s troops after the breaks to secure a vital win.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 45 mins
13:17 , Luke Baker
Foden’s corner is straight down the throat of Pickford who throws the ball out to Mykolenko on the left to try and launch the counter.
Mangala feeds Harrison who crosses from the byline but Gvardiol’s face blocks it out for a corner. Calvert-Lewin heads over the top from the corner.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 44 mins
13:16 , Luke Baker
City corner after some defensive confusion in the Everton ranks. The ball is onyl half cleared to Savinho but his well-struck, long-range effort is blocked by Tarkowski.
Neat interplay between Haaland and Foden shortly after and Coleman makes a lunging block this time to concede the corner. City on top as we approach half-time.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 42 mins
13:14 , Luke Baker
City win a free-kick in a dangerous position. Haaland’s physicality causes havoc amid a long clearance, Doku is suddenly running at the Toffees backline and Mykolenko brings him down from behind. Yellow card for the Ukrainian as well.
Foden’s free-kick is blocked by the wall though.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 40 mins
13:13 , Luke Baker
Ndiaye is suddenly brimming with confidence! Neat flicks and touches from the Senegalese international and then good work from Calvert-Lewin to protect the ball and win a free-kick on halfway.
This pose from Pep Guardiola probably sums things up for City.
GOAL! Man City 1-1 Everton (Iliman Ndiaye, 37 mins)
13:09 , Luke Baker
Oh dear, Man City, They’ve looked fragile of late and get caught out by goal-shy Everton here.
It’s poor defending as a ball comes into the box, Akanji takes a swipe at it that misses, Lewis has lost track of the man behind him and Iliman Ndiaye strikes it beautifully on the half-volley, powering the ball into the far corner past Ortega. Lovely finish but not great from City
Man City 1-0 Everton, 35 mins
13:06 , Luke Baker
Latest from Richard Jolly at the Etihad.
A lead for Manchester City, but they have lost a couple at the Etihad Stadium of late: 1-0 against Manchester United, 3-0 against Feyenoord. As Everton currently have an xG of 0.04, they are scarcely threatening a comeback but City’s fragility of late means it cannot be discounted and they could do with a second goal. Erling Haaland has had a couple of openings but there have been relatively few chances so far.
MISS! Man City 1-0 Everton, 34 mins
13:06 , Luke Baker
Bernardo Silva probably shoudl make it 2-0 there! He’s got acres of space when he’s fed the ball on the edge of the box and he tries to curl one into the far corner with the outside of his left foot but it’s skewed wide. Ugly.
Maybe he should have just struck that one true, with power, and got it on target.
Man City 1-0 Everton, 32 mins
13:03 , Luke Baker
The ball played into Calvert-Lewin, who has made a good run, but his first touch is heavy and Akanji can shepherd it away before the former England striker fouls him out of frustration.
As Everton’s supposed targetman, Calvert-Lewin has got to do better there.
Man City 1-0 Everton, 30 mins
13:01 , Luke Baker
Savinho again showing drive and verve as he charges forward down the right, cuts in but his shot loops up off a sliding Gueye and floats into the grateful hands of Pickford.
Savinho has looked dangerous so far but no end product yet for him today.
Man City 1-0 Everton, 28 mins
12:59 , Luke Baker
Everton, who are something of corner specialists at both ends, win one here. Ndiaye crosses and it’s headed to the edge of the box where Gueye lashes it at goal but it’s straight at Ortega, who comfortably catches it.
Man City 1-0 Everton, 26 mins
12:58 , Luke Baker
Foden with a lovely ball over the top for Haaland but his first touch with his chest is juuust too heavy and the onrushing Pickford can silde on the ball to smother before the Norwegian striker can get a second touch.
It was a tough, bouncing ball to control and was so near to being brilliant from Haaland.
CLOSE! Man City 1-0 Everton, 23 mins
12:55 , Luke Baker
Great run by Haaland as he scythes through the heart of the Everton defence and then flicks the ball round Pickford who rushes out but it’s just too wide and his sliding kick back across the area from the byline is blocked out for a corner by Branthwaite.
Ake and Gvardiol jump for the corner but the ball is well over.
Man City 1-0 Everton, 21 mins
12:53 , Luke Baker
Better from Everton as they string a few passes together but Mangala’s effort is way over the bar in the end.
WATCH: Man City take early lead
12:51 , Luke Baker
Here’s how Man City took the lead
Man City 1-0 Everton, 17 mins
12:49 , Luke Baker
Here’s Richard Jolly’s thoughts from the Etihad after that goal.
Perhaps Everton’s run of stalemates couldn’t go on forever. City have scored and, if they think they had been unlucky of late, there may have been a slice of fortune. Was Bernardo Silva trying to shoot or centre? Either way the deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite took the ball beyond Jordan Pickford. And whereas the relevant statistic in Everton’s 0-0s was how few goals they have conceded, now it becomes how few they have scored.
GOAL! Man City 1-0 Everton (Bernardo Silva, 15 mins)
12:47 , Luke Baker
And Man City have a vital lead! The perfect start for them. A good reverse pass from Doku finds the nice run of Bernardo Silva who slides at full stretch on the six-yard box and flicks the ball goalwards.
It’s into the ground,…
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