Erling Haaland’s double close gap between Liverpool and sends Everton back to relegation spot
Erling Haaland scored for the first time since November as the Manchester City striker’s double fired the champions to the top of the Premier League with a gritty 2-0 win against Everton on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side were well below their best as they laboured to break down stubborn Everton at a nervous Etihad Stadium.
But Haaland struck twice late in the second half to get back on the scoresheet for the first time since returning from an absence of nearly two months due to a foot injury.
They were the Norway star’s first Premier League goals since he netted against Liverpool on November 25 and his first in five games in all competitions since he scored against Leipzig in the Champions League on November 28.
City are back on top of the table for the first time since November 24, but Liverpool, who are one point behind in second place, will return to the summit if they beat lowly Burnley at Anfield later on Saturday.
Guardiola’s men have won their last 10 games in all competitions, but the Spaniard might be a little concerned with the labourious way they took to the task against struggling Everton.
City are unbeaten in their last 22 league games at the Etihad, but third bottom Everton didn’t make it easy for them.
Everton’s haven’t beaten City since 2017 but Guardiola had painful memories of a 1-1 draw against the Merseysiders last season and had urged his players not to let their guard down.
City monopolised over 80 per cent of the possession in the first half an hour, they found it impossible to prise open Everton’s massed defence.
Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden had shots blocked as Everton threw themselves into tackles with abandon.
Haaland stretched to head over from Jeremy Doku’s cross when Foden was lurking in a more dangerous position behind the striker.
HAALAND TO THE RESCUE
Guardiola cut an anxious figure on the touchline, constantly gesticulating towards his players in a bid to get them to pass quicker and with more precision.
Everton keeper Jordan Pickford raced off his line to beat Matheus Nunes to the ball right on the edge of the area.
There was a warning for City when Jack Harrison blasted over from Ashley Young’s cross.
When the ball dropped kindly for Manuel Akanji inside the Everton area, the City defender looked certain to break the deadlock, but James Tarkowski made a last-ditch block as VAR ignored the hosts’ appeals for handball.
It was the first time City had failed to have a shot on target in the first half of a home league game since August 2022.
As City’s angst mounted, Rodri’s woeful long-range strike sailed into the stands to the sound of frustrated groans from home fans.
Guardiola had seen enough of City’s struggles and sent on Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker early in the second half.
City belatedly found some rhythm and their longest wait for a shot on target in a league game since September 2021 finally ended in the 71st minute.
Everton made a hash of clearing a corner and the ball broke for Haaland, whose fierce strike deflected in off Pickford’s leg to spark wild celebrations from the Norwegian and his relieved teammates.
Guardiola this week said you don’t need a Harvard education to understand the threat posed by Haaland and De Bruyne.
Everton clearly hadn’t studied hard enough‘That’s the key’… Rodri says Pep Guardiola is so special because of one reason
Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Rodri has shared a claim regarding what makes Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola so special.
The 53-year-old is currently in the middle of his eighth season in charge of the Citizens after winning the Treble for the second time in his managerial career last term.
With Guardiola’s side now on the hunt to regain the Premier League trophy and potentially become the first team to win a fourth English title in a row, one of his players has been sharing what he thinks about his manager.
Rodri shares the key for Guardiola’s success
Manchester City v Newcastle United – Premier League
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Speaking in a recent interview with the Daily Mirror, Rodri had this to say about Guardiola and what separates him from the rest.
He said: “People like Pep are special because of their hunger. It’s the way he wants to do it again, wants to win, wants to find a way and I think that’s the key.
MORE MAN CITY STORIES
“Not only for Pep but for all the big names that have won for all the years.”
With 856 games under his belt as a manager, prior to today’s clash between City and Everton, Guardiola has racked up 634 wins, 116 draws and 106 defeats, winning many trophies along the way.
Even though the Spaniard has managed three of Europe’s biggest clubs, the fact that he has been consistently successful with them in terms of the number of trophies he’s won backs up Rodri’s point about him always having the hunger to win and win again.
While the City boss has previously played down his side’s chances of winning another Treble this season, we feel that this is what he will be aiming for and will want his players to believe they can do.
If that were to happen, this would only strengthen Guardiola’s status as one of the best managers of the modern era.
that subject as De Bruyne’s precise pass sent Haaland motoring towards goal.
Over-powering Jarrad Branthwaite, Haaland left the Everton defender flailing on the turf as he sprinted clear to slot a cool finish past Pickford as he marked his 50th Premier League start in style.
‘That’s the key’… Rodri says Pep Guardiola is so special because of one reason
Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Rodri has shared a claim regarding what makes Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola so special.
The 53-year-old is currently in the middle of his eighth season in charge of the Citizens after winning the Treble for the second time in his managerial career last term.
With Guardiola’s side now on the hunt to regain the Premier League trophy and potentially become the first team to win a fourth English title in a row, one of his players has been sharing what he thinks about his manager.
Rodri shares the key for Guardiola’s success
Manchester City v Newcastle United – Premier League
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Speaking in a recent interview with the Daily Mirror, Rodri had this to say about Guardiola and what separates him from the rest.
He said: “People like Pep are special because of their hunger. It’s the way he wants to do it again, wants to win, wants to find a way and I think that’s the key.
MORE MAN CITY STORIES
“Not only for Pep but for all the big names that have won for all the years.”
With 856 games under his belt as a manager, prior to today’s clash between City and Everton, Guardiola has racked up 634 wins, 116 draws and 106 defeats, winning many trophies along the way.
Even though the Spaniard has managed three of Europe’s biggest clubs, the fact that he has been consistently successful with them in terms of the number of trophies he’s won backs up Rodri’s point about him always having the hunger to win and win again.
While the City boss has previously played down his side’s chances of winning another Treble this season, we feel that this is what he will be aiming for and will want his players to believe they can do.
If that were to happen, this would only strengthen Guardiola’s status as one of the best managers of the modern era.
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