Sharpys top lip
Player Valuation: £60m
Everton indebted to Mikel Arteta artistry
By Derick Allsop at Goodison Park
Everton (1) 1 Manchester City (0) 0
Everton struck a potentially significant blow in a contest recognised as an eliminator for the heavyweight division of the Premier League.
David Moyes' side wobbled for a period, early in the second half, when Manchester City swarmed all over them and threatened to cancel out Joleon Lescott's goal.
Significant blow: Joleon Lescott scores the only goal
Yet it was only in stoppage time that City were able to lay a glove on Everton and their lack of genuine menace still appears to separate them from clubs of Champions League substance.
Everton, with Mikel Arteta restored to their team following a three-match suspension, worked the angles and engineered the openings far more consistently.
Arteta's artistry characterised Everton's game and diminished the loss of three players on Africa Nations Cup duty. Not for the first time, City relied on the heroic defending of their captain, Richard Dunne, to spare them a more comprehensive beating.
Predictably, Arteta was instrumental in Everton's winner, his rapier thrust piercing City's resistance and inviting Lescott to strike for the sixth time this season.
Everton have lost twice during the enforced absence of their best player and his contribution over the rest of the campaign could determine their prospects of usurping Liverpool as the country's No?4 club.
Moyes said: "It's a big win for us. Obviously we missed the players away but in the second half we defended well when we had to. We made things happen with Arteta on the ball. Other teams below the top group are doing well too, so the competition is really tough."
City's challenge has already exceeded expectations, but their hopes of muscling among the big boys will depend on Sven-Goran Eriksson's ability to recruit a front man with destructive punching power.
Eriksson condemned his team's unsophisticated football during that wayward first half.
He said: "It took us too long to get going - we were 40 minutes late. We played long balls to chase and if we want to play that way we'll have to sell half our team. In training we don't allow that. But Everton were very aggressive. We have to be good enough to beat that if we want to be a great team."
Everton's more measured, imaginative football ought to have yielded more goals in that first half. Arteta orchestrated most of their attacks and Tim Cahill might have capitalised. Joe Hart denied the Australian, who then lifted the ball over the bar from the rebound.
The influence of Arteta finally told in the 31st minute. He whipped the ball hard and low into the goalmouth and Lescott was alert enough to score.
City emerged for the second half a new team. The switch of Elano into his more familiar central role gave them craft and movement. Then Micah Richards was posted in the right-back position but given a licence to raid. Despite City's greater share of possession and the anxiety in the Goodison stands, Tim Howard was never seriously inconvenienced until time added on.
Once Everton were able to get Arteta on the ball their confidence returned and Cahill was again frustrated not to have given his side the cushion of a second goal.
City summoned a frantic finale and the otherwise ineffectual Martin Petrov at last gave Howard a save to make. The Everton goalkeeper also fielded Rolando Bianchi's tame header to secure the points.
Thought he was a bit in an out for us yesterday. But once again he made the difference with the cross. He really is World class
By Derick Allsop at Goodison Park
Everton (1) 1 Manchester City (0) 0
Everton struck a potentially significant blow in a contest recognised as an eliminator for the heavyweight division of the Premier League.
David Moyes' side wobbled for a period, early in the second half, when Manchester City swarmed all over them and threatened to cancel out Joleon Lescott's goal.
Significant blow: Joleon Lescott scores the only goal
Yet it was only in stoppage time that City were able to lay a glove on Everton and their lack of genuine menace still appears to separate them from clubs of Champions League substance.
Everton, with Mikel Arteta restored to their team following a three-match suspension, worked the angles and engineered the openings far more consistently.
Arteta's artistry characterised Everton's game and diminished the loss of three players on Africa Nations Cup duty. Not for the first time, City relied on the heroic defending of their captain, Richard Dunne, to spare them a more comprehensive beating.
Predictably, Arteta was instrumental in Everton's winner, his rapier thrust piercing City's resistance and inviting Lescott to strike for the sixth time this season.
Everton have lost twice during the enforced absence of their best player and his contribution over the rest of the campaign could determine their prospects of usurping Liverpool as the country's No?4 club.
Moyes said: "It's a big win for us. Obviously we missed the players away but in the second half we defended well when we had to. We made things happen with Arteta on the ball. Other teams below the top group are doing well too, so the competition is really tough."
City's challenge has already exceeded expectations, but their hopes of muscling among the big boys will depend on Sven-Goran Eriksson's ability to recruit a front man with destructive punching power.
Eriksson condemned his team's unsophisticated football during that wayward first half.
He said: "It took us too long to get going - we were 40 minutes late. We played long balls to chase and if we want to play that way we'll have to sell half our team. In training we don't allow that. But Everton were very aggressive. We have to be good enough to beat that if we want to be a great team."
Everton's more measured, imaginative football ought to have yielded more goals in that first half. Arteta orchestrated most of their attacks and Tim Cahill might have capitalised. Joe Hart denied the Australian, who then lifted the ball over the bar from the rebound.
The influence of Arteta finally told in the 31st minute. He whipped the ball hard and low into the goalmouth and Lescott was alert enough to score.
City emerged for the second half a new team. The switch of Elano into his more familiar central role gave them craft and movement. Then Micah Richards was posted in the right-back position but given a licence to raid. Despite City's greater share of possession and the anxiety in the Goodison stands, Tim Howard was never seriously inconvenienced until time added on.
Once Everton were able to get Arteta on the ball their confidence returned and Cahill was again frustrated not to have given his side the cushion of a second goal.
City summoned a frantic finale and the otherwise ineffectual Martin Petrov at last gave Howard a save to make. The Everton goalkeeper also fielded Rolando Bianchi's tame header to secure the points.
Thought he was a bit in an out for us yesterday. But once again he made the difference with the cross. He really is World class
