It didn’t take a matchday programme boasting of a sprawling state of the art training complex, which is about to be built within a stone’s throw of the Etihad Stadium, to highlight the financial abyss which exists between these two clubs. The action on the pitch told the whole story.
Roberto Mancini called on over £40 million’s worth of substitute to break Everton’s steadfast defence and, at the same time, a three year voodoo which has seen Mansour’s millionaires come unstuck against the Toffees in their last four meetings in Manchester.
David Moyes had admitted he saw City as a different proposition this year, and that proved to be the case as the hosts dominated possession from the very outset with their quartet of Dzeko, Silva, Nasri and Aguero pressing the Blues backline at every turn.
But just as Macini’s men worked tirelessly to find an opening they were met with a show of organised defending from the visitors, who managed to limit assaults on their goal to long range efforts which were handled by Tim Howard without difficulty.
Moyes had charged his most energetic midfielder, Jack Rodwell, with the unenviable task of man-marking City’s playmaker-in-chief David Silva, but that job was made all the more difficult when the youngster was carded in the first half by Howard Webb for a late sliding challenge on his man.
The Blues’ boss acted immediately to switch Silva shadowing responsibilities to Phil Neville, but he too found himself in the book just minutes into the job after clashing off the ball with the Spaniard. TV replays showed the contact to be minimal.
With Webb showing a willingness to brandish his cards freel the opening period quickly descended into a tempestuous affair. Leon Osman and Yaya Toure both saw yellow to take the card tally to four in just ten minutes.
Everton’s ability to take a hard line with City’s artisans was inhibited by those cautions and it was the home side who continued to dominate. Sergio Aguero stretched Tim Howard to his limit with a curling right footed effort and Edin Dzeko again went close before the break, but this time it was misdirection more than the Everton keeper which ensured the deadlock remained.
City continued to pile on the pressure in the second half, but Everton too began to show their teeth on the break. Seamus Coleman was a useful outlet for the Blues and his cross was almost steered home by the trusty forehead of Tim Cahillk just ten minutes after the break.
Finding little joy at the business end of the game, Roberto Mancini shuffled his pack introducing the ever erratic Mario Balotelli on the hour and the unpredictable Italian took just seven minutes to make his impact with a goal which, typically of him, had an air of the unusual about it.
Everton were incorrectly given a throw in against them by Webbb before Aguero picked up possession and danced along the front of the Blues’ box. He teased a back heel into the path of Balotelli who’s right footed shot took a wicked deflection off Phil Jaglielka, directing it toward the bottom corner and in for the opener.
That sort of bad luck Everton didn’t deserve but they got a measure back when David Silva struck the post just minutes later.
Despite looking leggy Moyes’ organised ranks staved off any opening of the floodgates and it was only in the dying throws of attack that they conceded again.
Royston Drenthe, brought on to add pace to the Blues’ attack, only hastened their demise when he misdirected a cross-field ball into the path of David Silva who pirouetted and passed to give James Milner a one on one opening he was never going to miss.
Everton left the pitch dejected after another energy sapping performance which, this time, had yielded no result. But, that the Blues can still trade blows with the most talented teams in the league will hearten Moyes as he prepares to head into a run of games which will test their resilience to its limit. Their next, the visit of Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool.
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Manchester City (4-4-2): Hart, Lescott, Kompany, Richards, Clichy, Barry, Toure, Silva, Aguero (Milner), Nasri (Savic 83), Dzeko (Balotelli 60)
Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Savic, Kolarov, Milner, Balotelli, Tevez
Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard, Hibbert, Baines, Distin, Jagielka, Neville (Drenthe 73), Rodwell, Coleman (Vellios), Osman, Fellaini, Cahill (Saha 65)
Subs: Mucha, Heintinga, Bilyaletdinov, Saha, Drenthe, Stracqualursi, Vellios
Goals: Balotelli 68, Milner 89
Ref: H Webb
Att: 47,293
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By Aaron Sharp @ The Etihad Stadium
Dave , Chester around 8 months ago