It was a tight, exciting game until Gündogan stole it away from Everton in the blink of an eye. City dominated possession as expected, but Dyche’s players kept the league leaders at bay with the same defensive tenacity and well-planned counterattack threat that had destroyed Brighton on Monday.
Everton’s initial effectiveness in neutralising Guardiola’s team meant that Haaland scarcely had a touch in the first half. The ball was in the Everton net when he did it, demonstrating the amazing forward’s potency.
Despite the slow start to the game, the visitors turned things around with two goals in two minutes near the conclusion of the first half.
Gundogan scored the first goal with a daring flick with his back to goal, then set up Haaland for a powerful header moments later. It was then sealed early in the second half when the German curled a superb free kick into the top corner. Tarkowski did hit the crossbar later on, but Everton were unable to respond.
Everton’s third home league defeat by three or more goals since the start of the season (1-4 against both Brighton and Newcastle earlier), tying them for the joint-most times in a calendar year in the Premier League (three in 2017).
Manchester City are unbeaten in their previous 12 Premier League games against Everton (W10 D2), and have now won six straight league visits to Goodison Park – the joint-most consecutive away league wins a side has had against Everton, together with Portsmouth between 1948 and 1956.
Manchester City have won each of their past 11 Premier League matches, with Pep Guardiola’s side having won the last three instances of a team winning as many consecutive games in the tournament (previously a 12-game run finishing in January 2022 and a 15-game run ending in March 2021).
