The victory equalled the Club record of nine successive league wins as well as maintaining a 100% start to the campaign that also opens up - if for only 24 hours – a two-point lead on the rest of the Premier League.
The Blues had to wait until the hour-mark to break the deadlock through Aleksandar Kolorav’s angled drive and the points weren’t sealed until the last few minutes when Samir Nasri doubled the lead – but while it was a hard-fought three points, it was a thoroughly deserved win nonetheless.
Maintaining the eight-game win streak and the blistering start to the campaign was the target before kick-off, but Everton had started impressively themselves with last weekend’s 3-0 win at Southampton brimming with confidence and energy.
There was no real surprise that Manuel Pellegrini kept the same starting eleven that beat Chelsea comfortably seven days ago, though the fit-again Fabian Delph was named on the bench for the first time this season.
How we lined up...
With a full stadium and both teams aware that a win would see them finish the weekend at the top of the table, the game kicked off with light drizzle making for a fast, greasy surface and City were almost ahead after 90 seconds.
David Silva worked himself some space on the edge of the box and his half-blocked shot fell to Sergio Aguero who saw his low shot spooned over by Tim Howard.
Everton looked sprightly in possession without threatening Joe Hart’s goal but the next chance again fell to Aguero, with Jesus Navas’ excellent low ball into the box thumped goal-wards by the City No.10 but Howard again managed to turn it around the post.
Silva had a low shot parried by Howard before the Spaniard created another inviting chance with a sublime ball to into the six-yard box that Raheem Sterling was a fraction too late to convert.
It had been a breathless, superb start by the Blues but just as with the Chelsea game, the chances hadn’t yielded a goal the approach play deserved.
The hosts reminded City that they were still in the contest when Romelu Lukaku’s effort ruled out for offside – though margin was fractional at best – after 25 minutes
...Everton 0, City 2...
The game evened out somewhat as the half continued, but the Blues continued to carve through the Everton defence with Navas, Bacary Sagna and the imperious Silva a constant threat down the right.
That the game reached the interval at 0-0 was something of a mystery, though two edge-of-the-box free-kicks for the Toffees – the second of which brushed the crossbar via the foot of Lukaku moments before the break – suggested there was still plenty of hard work to come.
City again raced out of the blocks after the re-start and within 90 seconds again were a whisker away from breaking the deadlock as Sterling worked in from the right before slipping a clever pass to Silva whose shot struck the post with Howard well beaten.
Then, finally, with an hour played, the breakthrough.
A counter-attack, prompted by Silva (as ever), saw Sterling scamper down the right and into the box before slipping a reverse pass to Kolarov who slid the ball home from the narrowest of angles to put City ahead.
It was no more than the Blues deserved after creating so many chances and a couple of minutes later it could have been even better as the ball broke kindly for Navas to run into the box and with a clear view of the goal. Aguero offered an option in the centre but Navas delayed too long and instead saw his shot saved by Howard.
In the closing stages there were one or two hearts-in-the-mouth moments as the Toffees pressed for an equaliser. Hart lost the flight of the ball from a corner before the danger was cleared and minutes later Vincent Kompany hooked a shot clear almost off his own line.
But anything other than three points would have been harsh on the Blues and the scoreline was given a more realistic look when substitute Nasri and Yaya Toure traded a sumptuous one-two that ended with Nasri delicately lobbing Howard to seal the points on 88 minutes.
All in all, a terrific, polished display by a City team who are flying at present. Long may it continue.
