Erling Haaland’s double seized the points, took him to 23 goals in 13 games for club and country, and kept Tottenham as the only foes the uber-striker has failed to score against this season.
The 25-year-old’s finishes – on 58 and 63 minutes – shredded David Moyes’s visitors in two high-quality moments that decorated a generally middling affair. Without the injured Rodri and the departed Kevin De Bruyne, this Pep Guardiola iteration does not purr along like his finest ones have. Jack Grealish was not on the sward for Everton, because of the parent-club rule, and City’s manager may ponder the wisdom of allowing the forward’s nous and class to be loaned away.
So this was an afternoon’s work when the verdict was defined as “job done” but City’s continuing lack of total control was visible at times – the precise quality Rodri, who has a hamstring problem, gives them.
Guardiola could be content when, at first, his men repelled Everton pressure, as without the vaunted No 6 they can be porous. Theirs is a game of flair. So we saw the visitors’ defence sprung and Savinho chest the ball and cross, Nico O’Reilly step up from left-back and slide a 20-yard attempt inches past Jordan Pickford’s left post. Phil Foden’s defence-splitter was aimed for an in-rushing Jérémy Doku but he marginally missed the target.
