Manchester City 2 Everton 0: An Erling Haaland brace extends Manchester City’s unbeaten run | OneFootball

Manchester City 2 (Erling Haaland 58′, 63′)

Everton 0

Manchester City have won 2-nil against Everton today at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side have stretched their unbeaten run to eight matches after a second half Erling Haaland brace decided today’s game.

When the starting lineups were announced for today’s match, Pep Guardiola had made three changes to the starting eleven from Manchester City’s 1-nil win over Brentford. Rodri, Josko Gvardiol, and Oscar Bobb dropped to the bench. Nico, Nathan Ake, and Jeremy Doku started today’s match.

First half

After the game kicked off, the best way to describe the opening 10 minutes was disjointed. There was no flow to the game, and Manchester City looked rusty after the international break. Everton started the game well and would’ve been happy with how the game played out in the opening 10 minutes

Everton should have taken the lead in the 13th minute. Iliman Ndiaye intercepted a misplaced pass from Nathan Ake. Ndiaye surged down the right wing and played a teasing ball across the City penalty area. Unfortunately for David Moyes’ side, Beto couldn’t get on the end of Ndiaye’s low cross, and the chance was gone. But it was a warning shot fired at Pep Guardiola’s side.

Following Beto’s chance, Savinho hit a shot from a good position straight at Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal. Savinho was played in by Matheus Nunes, but he fluffed his lines when the chance came.

Manchester City would hit the crossbar in the 24th minute. A quality corner from Phil Foden almost picked out Haaland, but Jake O’Brien got his head to the ball before Haaland could get on the end of Foden’s corner. O’Brien didn’t know much about his header, as it hit his head, and the ball hit the crossbar with Jordan Pickford beaten.

Beto would fire a good chance wide to give Everton the lead in the 32nd minute. Iliman Ndiaye played in the Everton striker, but he scuffed his shot wide from a good position. It mattered little as the flag was up for offside, which perhaps saved Beto’s blushes.

Both teams have chances to open the scoring.

Gianluigi Donnarumma would make a strong save to deny Iliman Ndiaye in the 41st minute. Everton launched a counterattack after Ndiaye easily dispossessed Jeremy Doku deep in his own half. Eventually, Everton broke, and after a cross from the right was well cleared by Tijjani Reijnders, the ball fell to Iliman Ndiaye. The Senegalese international used neat footwork to create space for himself to shoot. He fired in a powerful strike at Donnarumma’s near post, which the Italian international tipped over the bar.

A minute later, Manchester City should have taken the lead themselves. Erling Haaland started a City counterattack, and he had Tijjani Reijnders and Jeremy Doku to his left with the Everton defence stretched. Haaland laid the ball off for Reijnders, who played in Jeremy Doku, who fired in a tame shot that Jordan Pickford saved.

Jordan Pickford would deny Savinho on the stroke of halftime to keep the score at nil-all. The Brazilian international was picked out on the right wing by a quality cross-field ball from Tijjani Reijnders. Savinho’s close control and tidy feet created an opening for himself. Savinho fired a shot straight at Pickford, who made a comfortable save to ensure the game would remain goalless at the interval.

Second half

The first ten minutes of the second half resembled that of the first half. Manchester City had plenty of the ball, but there was no urgency to their play in possession. Everton were keeping their defensive shape well, which was making it hard for Pep Guardiola’s side. Looking at the performances of Savinho and Jeremy Doku on the wings, you did sense that the time was coming for one or both players to be substituted.

Erling Haaland gives Manchester City the lead!!!!!

Everton’s stubborn resistance was finally broken in the 58th minute by Erling Haaland. Nico O’Reilly played in a quality ball from left after being played in by Phil Foden, and Haaland powered a header past Jordan Pickford to give City the lead. It was a quality move by Pep Guardiola’s side and a quality header from Haaland to break the deadlock.

That man again gives City a 2-nil lead.

Erling Haaland would give Manchester City a 2-nil lead in the 63rd minute. A quality turn and ball from the middle to the left flank by Phil Foden picked out Savinho in acres of space. The Brazilian international picked out Haaland on the edge of the Everton area, and he beat Jordan Pickford with a quality low finish to double Manchester City’s lead.

Following Erling Haaland’s second goal of the game, the sting was taken completely out of the game. Up until the 85th minute, there were no real incidents of note. The biggest concern was an injury to Nico O’Reilly, but he returned to the pitch, which allayed any fears that he had sustained a significant injury.

Erling Haaland had three good opportunities in the game’s closing stages to complete his hat trick. But Jordan Pickford denied Haaland that honour with several fine saves. When the final whistle blew, Pep Guardiola’s side had extended their unbeaten run to eight games with a comfortable victory at the Etihad.

First thoughts after the final whistle.

Manchester City did what they had to do at the Etihad Stadium today to pick up another three points. It wasn’t City’s best performance, and they did look rusty, especially in the first half. But in Erling Haaland, Pep Guardiola’s side have the ultimate wrecking ball. His brace, which was scored within 5 minutes knocked the stuffing out of Everton. That is what Erling Haaland does and he did again today. Phil Foden, Nico O’Reilly and Nico all played well and Manchester City will enter this week’s Champions League league phase fixture against Villareal full of confidence.