Manchester City secured their first away league win since August to beat a jaded 10 man Everton at Goodison Park
Brazilian Robinho scored a 35th-minute opener after racing on to Elano's through ball and then turned provider for Stephen Ireland nine minutes after half-time.
Substitute Dan Gosling swept in a consolation late on, but a bad injury to Phil Jagielka did much to sum up Everton's day.
It means the Toffees miss the chance to jump up into fifth, with Aston Villa only managing a draw away to Bolton.
But for City manager Mark Hughes the win will come as a welcome relief, having recently faced questions about his future thanks to his side's inconsistant form this campaign.
While 11 victories at home is a record bettered only by local rivals United, one success on their travels before today has ensured Hughes's outfit has yo-yoed around mid-table all campaign.
However, right from the start the visitors looked capable of getting the better of an Everton side appearing to already cast one eye towards next month's FA Cup final at Wembley.
With Everton enjoying decent possession but lacking verve in attack, City played the counter-attacking game impressively, aiming to secure European League quaification.
The £32.5million striker Robinho was the key, terrorising right-back Tony Hibbert all match.
Right from the start the Brazilian looked lively, and he thought he had a good shout for an early penalty when he drifted past Hibbert in the box and went over Leon Osman's challenge, only for referee Alan Wiley to wave away the appeals.
Louis Saha and Osman had tame efforts easily saved for Everton, but City were far more threatening on the break.
Only a brilliant last-ditch block from Leighton Baines prevented Ireland giving City the lead from 18 yards just after the half-hour, and then on 35 minutes the visitors were ahead.
Elano was the creator, the midfielder finding his compatriot brilliantly with a 40-yard through-ball, allowing Robinho to dance into the box, past Jagielka, and fire in through Tim Howard's legs left-footed.
Everton responded well after the break, Segundo Castillo glancing a header narrowly wide moments before Shay Given produced a superb save to deny Marouane Fellaini, who had turned well in the box and fired a fierce volley goalwards from eight yards out.
But the hosts were caught out by another City counter on 54 minutes.
Robinho was again the spark as he picked out Ireland brilliantly from the left wing, the midfielder taking a touch and clipping past the advancing Howard with aplomb from 16 yards.
Jagielka should have got Everton back in it moments later when he headed Hibbert's cross over with Given unmoved.
And his afternoon went from bad to worse when he fell awkwardly and had to be stretchered off with a nasty-looking knee injury.
Having already made all three substitutions, the defender's departure left the hosts with just 10 men - and City almost took advantage when Robinho jinked his way into the box only for Howard to save his shot.
Typically, the Toffees refused to give in, and substitute Gosling burst into the box and swept in an impressive consolation goal in the third minute of injury time.
However, in the end, and despite a total of seven added minutes, it was not enough for the hosts as City deservedly claimed a first win at Goodison Park in nearly 17 years.
Everton boss David Moyes said his side should have had a penalty late on when Leighton Baines' cross hit Richard Dunne's arm and felt they were on the rough end of a few decisions from referee Alan Wiley.
"It was a penalty. It hits Richard Dunne in the arm - he doesn't mean it but if it stops a pass going to our player in the box with his arm it's a penalty kick,''
He said. "I also think the one in the box when [Vincent] Kompany had his arms around Fellaini's neck could have been looked at and questioned.''
Moyes believed his team's exertions in reaching the FA Cup final on penalties against Manchester United on Sunday and the midweek goalless draw at Chelsea had taken its toll on his team.
"I think the last week has caught up with us. We weren't quite there,''
He added. "We played well enough for 20 minutes and we got in good positions but didn't cross the ball well or didn't make the areas to score. We lost a poor counter-attack goal from our free-kick on the halfway line and it ended up them scoring from it.
"But I thought the boys did well to hang in there and I thought if we got one goal back at any time we were back in the game. Gosling's goal came just that little bit late.''
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