Manchester City 3-1 Everton: Gabriel Jesus & Raheem Sterling put hosts top of Premier League

Gabriel Jesus scored twice to end his Premier League goal drought as Manchester City saw off Everton to return to the top of the table.

Pep Guardiola’s side will stay for at least another day, with Liverpool needing to beat Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday (16:00 GMT kick-off) to reclaim their place at the summit.

Raheem Sterling came off the bench to add the hosts’ third with his first touch, a week after suffering alleged racial abuse during City’s defeat at Chelsea.^[1]

This victory, City’s 10th league win in a row at home, was rarely in serious doubt once Jesus had fired his side ahead on a bitterly cold day at Etihad Stadium.

Yerry Mina’s misplaced pass allowed Ilkay Gundogan to find Leroy Sane in space, and he sent Jesus galloping into the area to score with a fine low finish.

It was the Brazilian’s first league goal since August – a run of 11 games and 487 minutes without finding the net – but he only had to wait another 28 minutes for his second of the game.

When it arrived just after half-time, Sane was the provider again – with Jesus meeting his precise cross to plant an unstoppable header past Toffees keeper Jordan Pickford.

City looked in complete control but Everton gave themselves hope just after the hour when Dominic Calvert Lewin met Lucas Digne’s cross to reduce the deficit.

The visitors were only briefly back in it, however, with substitute Sterling heading in Fernandinho’s cross four minutes later.

It was enough to ensure City, whose loss at Stamford Bridge last weekend was their first in the league this season, are back in a familiar position at the top.

Kevin de Bruyne, back from a knee injury that has kept him out of action since 1 November, also came off the bench before the end to give the home fans further reason to cheer.

• Reaction to City’s win at the Etihad^[2]
• All of Saturday’s other Premier League action^[3]

De Bruyne back and Aguero on the bench

The hard work was done by the time De Bruyne emerged from the relative warmth of the bench with 16 minutes remaining, but the welcome he received from the home fans showed how pleased they were to see him back.

Before Saturday’s game, the Belgium midfielder had played only 236 minutes out of a possible 2,250 in 2018-19 because of injuries to both of his knees.

This was only his sixth appearance of the season, with Guardiola hoping that will mean the27-year-old will be “fresh” for the busy festive period.

De Bruyne’s return was not the only good news for Guardiola, with striker Sergio Aguero fit enough to be among the substitutes after missing the past four games with a groin problem.

In the end, the Argentine was not needed but, like De Bruyne, he will surely have a big part to play in the weeks ahead.

Everton show plenty of attacking ambition

Everton have now gone four games without a win but with better finishing they could at the very least have made the scoreline closer on Saturday.

Richarlison, so often their hero this season, was first to blame when he blasted wastefully over after arriving in space to meet Digne’s cross at the back post.

That was the Toffees only effort at goal in the first half, but they were much more lively once they had fallen 2-0 down after the break.

The Toffees have chiefly relied on Richardson and Gylfi Sigurdsson for their goal threat this term, but Calvert-Lewin was a handful throughout.

He has only scored twice since the start of September but could have had two in 45 minutes here, if not for a fine Ederson save to keep out his clever flick.

Important goals for Jesus – reaction

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, speaking to Match of the Day: “The players responded [to defeat at Chelsea] in a marvellous way. Everton have top players. Today was tricky – a dangerous, dangerous game.

“Everton are a top side. They drew at Stamford Bridge, at Liverpool it came down to the last second. I am very pleased.

“[Gabriel Jesus] settled so well from the beginning but it is better his family is here and strikers need to score goals. I am pretty sure he scored two nice goals that will be important for him.”

Everton manager Marco Silva, speaking to Match of the Day: “Tough match, like we expected. You know the qualities they have.

“Until the moment they scored the game was what we expected. We were blocking them and they didn’t create one chance. The biggest chance was our chance with Richarlison. Against this team we have to be effective when we create opportunities to score.

“We made a mistake with the first goal, they scored and after that they were more comfortable. We made chances with Sigurdsson and Walcott.

“They were more effective.”

Man of the match – Leroy Sane (Man City)

City’s fine home run – the best stats

• Man City have won all 21 of their games in all competitions this season when they’ve scored in the first half. The only five games they’ve failed to win this season are the five in which they’ve not scored in the first half.
• Man City have won their last 10 Premier League home games, scoring 36 and conceding just seven goals.
• Everton have won just one of their last nine Premier League away games (D3 L5).
• Since Pep Guardiola became Man City manager, Everton have scored more Premier League goals against the Citizens than any other side (8).
• Gabriel Jesus’ opener for Man City was his first Premier League goal since August, ending a run off 11 games, 487 minutes and 18 shots without one in the competition.
• Man City’s Leroy Sane assisted both of Gabriel Jesus’ goals in this game – before today the German had never previously assisted the Brazilian in the Premier League.
• Man City’s Raheem Sterling scored just his second headed goal in the Premier League, and first since December 2015 v Sunderland.
• Since the start of last season, no Everton player has scored more goals in all competitions than Dominic Calvert-Lewin (13, level with Gylfi Sigurdsson).

What’s next?

City continue their defence of the Carabao Cup at Leicester on Tuesday (19:45) and return to the Etihad next Saturday to host Crystal Palace in their final league game before Christmas (15:00).

Everton host Tottenham in their next Premier League game on Sunday, 23 December (16:00).

BBC Sport – Football