Prince Rupert's Tower
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Jesus condemns Everton to defeat

By Matt Townsend

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: Phil Foden of Manchester City looks at the ball during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Everton FC at Etihad Stadium on January 01, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: Phil Foden of Manchester City looks at the ball during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Everton FC at Etihad Stadium on January 01, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /
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Carlo Ancelotti suffered his first defeat as Everton manager as a Gabriel Jesus brace, condemned the Blues to a 2-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.

This was always going to be a tough game for Everton, given City’s quality and the fact that the Toffees recent record hasn’t been good at the Etihad, or indeed any away ground.

The Blues were also struggling with the relentless number of recent games during this holiday period that an injury-ravaged squad has had to cope with. Bernard was the latest casualty who pulled out just before kick-off.

So Ancelotti had to reshuffle his side and sought to ensure Everton were well-organised, disciplined and hard to break down. And that’s exactly what they were as the Toffees resisted a dominant City well during the first half.

There were plenty of solid challenges going in and four Blues players picked up yellow cards as the team battled to keep City out. Although those cards might have been the result of fatigue as much as determined physicality.

Shortly after the break however, the home team were ahead. Gabriel Jesus produced a brilliant effort to beat a lunging Jordan Pickford and put City in front. Jesus then proved City’s saviour again as he fired in another excellent low shot seven minutes later to make it 2-0.

Everton though weren’t totally disheartened and Ancelotti made his now customary in-game tactical tweeks to change the situation and revive his team’s fortunes.

The Italian brought on Theo Walcott for Seamus Coleman and also swapped a listless Gylfi Sigurdsson for young striker Moise Kean.

These moves considerably improved the Blues attacking threat. Then shortly afterwards, as Everton pressed to get back into the match, a mistake by City keeper Claudio Bravo eventually presented Richarlison with the chance to score, and he took it.

Everton were on the front foot to close out the game but apart from one acrobatic effort from Kean, didn’t really do enough to equalise.

So a frustrating afternoon in the end. In truth this was a game that highlighted how far the Toffees still have to go to compete with the best sides in the Premier League.

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City were deserved winners and even a full strength Everton team would have struggled to beat them this afternoon. Still there were some positives to build on. Most of all the Blues were again well-organised and worked for each other.

This, although not enough to win you many games, is at least a big improvement on the woeful capitulation that characterised so many performances in the recent past. Playing a City side like today’s with so many terrific players such as Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden, would have seen the Blues probably lose by four or five goals, just a few weeks ago.

Now comes yet another stern test for the team as they go to Anfield again just a month after that derby debacle, for Sunday’s FA Cup third round clash.