Guardiola on Zinchenko: ‘He has our support’
Follow all the action as Manchester City travel to Everton in the Premier League today
Not too long ago, Pep Guardiola’s men looked like the champions-elect but a brilliant run of form from Liverpool, combined with a City’s surprising draw at Southampton and even more shocking defeat at home to Spurs, means the title race is back on. With the Reds otherwise engaged in Carabao Cup final duty this weekend, Guardiola’s troops do have the opportunity to re-establish a six-point lead at the top of the table however and put the pressure back on their rivals.
Everton may not be particularly inclined to do their fierce Merseyside rivals in favor but the Toffees’ own situation means that three points is far more valuable than any schadenfreude they might get by denting Liverpool’s title ambitions. Frank Lampard has inherited a club heading in the wrong direction and they are now firmly entrenched in a relegation battle with the business end of the season approaching. A 3-0 victory over Leeds earlier this month was a rare high point in an otherwise bleak couple of months and with the likes of Newcastle and Burnley hitting form, the Toffees’ record of never having been relegated in the Premier League era is starting to look in serious jeopardy.
Follow all the latest updates from Goodison Park:
Everton 0 – 1 Man City
90 mins: Five minutes of added time to play at Goodison Park. Time for Everton to earn an equaliser? They’ve put in a performance worthy of at least a draw.
Michael Jones26 February 2022 19:19
Everton 0 – 1 Man City
86 mins: No penalty! VAR comes to Manchester City’s rescue. It’s a poor decision. At the very least the referee should have been sitting over to the pitch side monitor. Rodri stuck out his arm in an attempt to control the ball and it hits his arm below the t-line on his sleeve. Manchester City have got away with one, it will be interesting to see how the VAR came to that decision.
Michael Jones26 February 2022 19:16
Everton 0 – 1 Man City
85 mins: There’s a thunderous appeal for handball in the Manchester City box. Everton play Richarlison into the left side of the box and he has a shot stopped by Ederson. The ball comes loose and hits Rodri on the right arm. It’s going to VAR. Even more late drama?
Michael Jones26 February 2022 19:13
GOAL! Everton 0 – 1 Man City (Foden, 82′)⚽️
82 mins: Late drama! Manchester City move the ball across the pitch and send it up to Bernardo Silva on the left wing. He hits a low cross into the box and it deflects off Mason Holgate into the six-yard box. Michael Keane is rooted to the spot and can;t shift his feet in time to clear the ball allowing Phil Foden to sneak up behind him and guide the ball into the back of the net!
Michael Jones26 February 2022 19:10
Everton 0 – 0 Man City
80 mins: 10 minutes to play at Goodison Park. Will this game end in a goalless draw or is there some late drama to come?
John Stones slides the ball into the box to Ruyad Mahrez but he’s got nowhere to go and has to retreat.
Michael Jones26 February 2022 19:09
Everton 0 – 0 Man City
77 mins: Anthony Gordon is replaced with Demarai Gray for Everton. Pep Guardiola also makes some changes bringing Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez on for Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling.
Michael Jones26 February 2022 19:05
Everton 0 – 0 Man City
74 mins: Everton break on the counter attack with Iwobi sliding the ball inside to Doucoure. He brings it into the middle of the pitch and laces a threaded ball into the left side of the box for Gordon. John Stones does well to force Gordon wide and narrow the angle to shoot. When the shot does come Gordon punts it wide of the near post.
Michael Jones26 February 2022 19:03
Everton 0 – 0 Man City
71 mins: A bit of breaking news coming out of the Premier League has seen Roman Abramovich hand over ‘stewardship’ of Chelsea to the trustees of the club’s charitable Foundation. More details on that to follow.
Michael Jones26 February 2022 18:59
Everton 0 – 0 Man City
69 mins: Great save! Kevin De Bruyne makes a run alongside the front edge of the box, he shimmies around Allan then drills a low shot at goal forcing Pickford into a low save to the left. The rebound comes out to Bernardo Silva who laces a first time shot back at goal but Pickford is quickly onto his feet and keeps the second attempt out with a strong right hand! Great goal keeping.
Michael Jones26 February 2022 18:57
Everton 0 – 0 Man City
66 mins: Save! Phil Foden is played down the left wing and whips a cross into the box that gets headed out by Jonjoe Kenny. The ball bounces nicely for the arriving John Stones and he laces a fine effort at goal forcing Jordan Pickford to parry it up into the air then recover the ball.
Michael Jones26 February 2022 18:53
www.independent.co.uk
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism