The champions had to wait until 16 minutes from time to edge in front against the Toffees through a Fernandinho header, but the advantage lasted just four minutes as Everton pulled level from a set-piece that the City defence should have dealt better with.
The Blues have now fallen two points behind leaders Chelsea and though a point at Goodison Park can hardly be classed as a failure, the title race is so tight between the two top clubs that every point dropped feels decisive.
There is, of course, a long way still to go.
With seven changes made from the team who narrowly beat Sheffield Wednesday the week before and the skipper’s armband handed to Joe Hart, City arrived at a blustery Goodison Park knowing Arsenal and Chelsea are the next two Premier League opponents and that a victory was a vital.
With Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero fit enough to take a place on the bench, the Blues are getting their big guns back at exactly the right time
...Everton 1 City 1...
The stuttering Toffees went into this game with just one win in nine matches and, for the first time, with questions being asked of boss Roberto Martinez. Reports suggested that a recent heart-to- heart between players and manager resulted in a more direct approach during the midweek FA Cup draw with West Ham and whether that would provide the hosts with a fillip or not would become clearer during this game.
The first-half was largely dominated by City with Stevan Jovetic firing a couple of shots wide and Jesus Navas dragging another past the post as the champions tried to gain a foothold in an oddly subdued atmosphere.
The swirling wasn’t helping the flow of the game and despite Everton offering little or nothing in attack, it was typical that they should have the two best chances to go in at the break ahead with first Romelu Lukaku jinking past Eliaquim Mangala and forcing Hart to make a fine save and then Seamus Coleman saw his shot strike the bar five seconds later.
It would have been harsh to say the least if City had reached the halfway point in arrears but the Blues would have only themselves to blame for not working the Everton keeper Robles during the first 45
...Everton 1 City 1...
Referee Martin Atkinson’s insistence on giving Everton every 50/50 infringement in or around the City box was starting to grate too, with the amount of free-kicks given in sight of goal threatening to empty his can of shaving foam with the game barely 50 minutes old.
On 57 minutes Lukaku was again denied by a superb Hart save as the beefy Belgian drove into the box and sent a rasping low shot in the England keeper pushed past the post with his fingertips to keep the scores level.
As time went on, it looked more and more likely that one goal would settle this encounter, though it wasn’t easy to predict which way it would go – City were missing the drive and invention of Yaya Toure plus the industry of James Milner who was side-lined with a minor niggle.
On 67 minutes, Pellegrini had seen enough and Aguero was summoned off the bench in an attempt swing the game City’s way and within seven minutes, the Blues were ahead
...Everton 1 City 1...
The move began with an excellent tackle by Pablo Zabaleta on the edge of his own box and swift counter-attack that ended with Silva tormenting the home defence before sending a shot goalwards and his deflected shot was forced over the line by the merest touch of Fernandinho’s head.
That perhaps should have been that, but just four minutes later Everton pulled level with yet another soft free-kick awarded out on the right for - frankly - a nothing challenge by Zabaleta on Phil Jagielka who didn’t even appeal for a foul.
It was 35 yards from goal and the perfect angle for Leighton Baines to whip in a trademark free-kick that was glanced home a little too easily by Steven Naismith.
Having taken such a long time to grind down the hosts’ resistance, it was galling to concede so quickly and the champions, not at their best by any means, couldn’t muster another worthwhile chance in the time that remained so the spoils, on this occasion, were shared.
