FULL-TIME, and Everton’s win means Manchester City’s title defence is damaged even further. The second half didn’t live up to the promise of the first half, but both sides did have some good chances to score throughout. The away side will feel aggrieved to not have been awarded a late penalty for a handball by Fellaini, and see their Premier League crown hanging by the slightest of threads after this latest loss, especially after Nikica Jelavic’s late finish.
90' +4
N. Jelavić has scored a goal for Everton! Assist by M. Fellaini.
N. Jelavić gets yellow.
GOAL!! That does it! Nikica Jelavic is wide open, he gets the ball from Fellaini and lobs Hart to secure the win for the Toffees. Great finish.
90' +2
City are really putting the pressure on in the final minute, but Everton are still keeping them out well.
90' +1
L. Osman gets yellow.
A yellow for Osman late on, and he's not impressed at all.
90'
N. Jelavić enters the game and replaces V. Anichebe.
89'
City continue to press forward but Everton also continue to hold firm as the game enters its final stages.
87'
Was that with his hand? Replays suggest it might well have been, so City may well feel aggrieved at not earning a penalty there. It should have been, although the away side are awarded a free kick.
86'
Tevez is still trying hard but sees a shot blocked wel by Fellaini.
83'
S. Sinclair enters the game and replaces K. Touré.
G. Clichy enters the game and replaces J. Milner.
Samir Nasri makes his first meaningful contribution, as he sees a low shot deflected slightly but saved well by Mucha.
81'
What a brilliant defensive header that was from Coleman, who prevents Tevez getting an equaliser at the back post.
Minute
Description
80'
Milner has a chance, but is furious as Silva seems to get in his way. Frustration mounting for the Premier League champions.
79'
That's another great save from Mucha, who is across to smother a shot well. He's had a good game as well.
78'
Chance! Distin is there at the back post but heads over! City have been suspect from corners all afternoon.
77'
Anichebe has been pretty useful up front, as he forces another corner then urges Everton's fans to make some more noise.
76'
That would have been a good goal for Johnny Heitinga. The corner comes in and the Dutchman is there at the back post but sees his header beaten away by Hart.
75'
Coleman has been absolutely tireless on the right, and forces another corner for Everton.
73'
Good corner there from Silva, but Dzeko heads well over at the near post.
72'
Decent cross there from Milner, but there's no one there in a City shirt to put the ball away. They're on top but just can't quite break Everton down.
70'
S. Nasri enters the game and replaces G. Barry.
S. Naismith enters the game and replaces Kevin Mirallas.
69'
Everton are also looking for a goal to seal the victory, but Joe Hart catches a cross well.
67'
Great double save! Mucha saves first from Tevez and is then back up again to block Milner's follow-up shot. Superb from the Toffees goalkeeper.
66'
City are starting to get some really good possession again, but they seem unable to find the killer pass right now.
64'
City have a free kick after a clumsy tackle on Tevez, but it comes to nothing.
61'
S. Pienaar gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
Pienaar has been sent off! It's a dangerous tackle on Garcia and the South African must leave the field.
59'
Osman has another great effort on the volley that goes wide. He's on superb form this afternoon.
57'
Mirallas then swings in a corner, but Anichebe is ruled to have committed a foul in the box.
56'
That's untidy from City as Toure scuffs a long Mucha clearance away with Mirallas bearing down on him.
55'
A corner to Manchester City is headed on at the near post, but Nastasic can't quite get his foot to the ball as he follows in at the back.
54'
Fellaini wrestles Garcia off the ball but the away side are really starting to get some momentum. However, they can't quite get past Everton's defence in their penalty area.
51'
Manchester City are enjoying a bit more possession in this half, but Everton are holding firm still.
48'
There's been a few elbows flying around this afternoon, accidentally or otherwise, as Javi Garcia nearly takes a lump out of Anichebe's head in an aerial challenge. The Nigerian should be fine to continue, though.
47'
Cheers from the fans already, although they're ironic cheers as Kolarov blazes a shot well over the bar from about 18 yards out.
46'
We're back already for the second half, which is kicked off by Manchester City.
45' +3
HALF-TIME, and Everton deservedly lead 1-0 thanks to Leon Osman’s wonderful strike. They could have had more, but Kevin Mirallas saw an effort wrongly ruled out for offside, and the Toffees have looked far better than their opponents. It has been a physical contest, with several bookings already, and Manchester City haven’t quite been able to assert themselves just yet. They will really need to improve, as the home side have been largely dominant and look relatively untroubled in defence, reducing the Citizens only to long-range shots.
45' +2
David Silva gets yellow.
Another booking, this time for David Silva who is cautioned for a needless trip.
45'
There'll be two minutes of time added on.
44'
It's all happening now, as Joe Hart claws away Coleman's dipping cross into the path of Mirallas, who sees his header beaten away. It's been an absorbing game so far.
43'
Chance! Just as I say that, Silva has another go and finds Dzeko in the box with a brilliant cross. However, despite having a free header, the Bosnian can only head over the bar.
42'
David Silva hasn't quite found it today, for whatever reason. He floats in a cross that sails over everyone.
39'
Decent shot there from Tevez, who sends one just wide from outside the box. The away side have definitely been second-best so far, though.
38'
Seamus Coleman has been absolutely superb on the right, and sends in another cross that Victor Anichebe blazes over the bar. If he'd left it, Fellaini would have had a tap-in behind him.
35'
Big penalty shout there for Everton as Fellaini falls under pressure from Matija Nastasic. However, Lee Probert says no.
34'
E. Džeko gets yellow.
Referee Lee Probert is certainly flashing the yellow around today, as Edin Dzeko is the next to be booked for jumping unfairly. He's not impressed.
32'
L. Osman has scored a goal for Everton! Assist by S. Coleman.
GOAL!!! And what a goal!!! The ball is rolled back to Leon Osman, who cracks in a superb long-range shot with his left foot that sails into the top corner! What a superb strike!
30'
A. Kolarov gets yellow.
Kolarov hauls down Osman in front of the Everton fans, who are furious. The City man then sees his name go into the book, with the Toffees earning a free kick near the touchline.
28'
That's a nasty one for Distin, who falls awkwardly under a challenge from Gareth Barry. He should be fine, though.
26'
S. Pienaar gets yellow.
Everton feel they should have a free kick, then Steven Pienaar slides in out of frustration on Gareth Barry and is cautioned for his troubles.
25'
Dear me. Mirallas tries a shot from well outside the box that goes very wide, right along the floor.
24'
Man City are starting to get going here, as Edin Dzeko shows great strength in the box to turn and shoot under pressure from a defender but can't quite get good enough contact.
23'
Then, Tevez has a good shot from outside the box that Mucha does well to cling onto down low.
22'
Cracking free kick there from David Silva that could have been awkward for Everton goalkeeper Jan Mucha, but he gathers it well.
20'
Another good cross there from Leighton Baines, and Kolo Toure has to slide to deflect it away for another corner.
17'
Everton really fancy this, as Leon Osman tries a shot through several pairs of legs but sees it cleared away comfortably.
15'
Baines comes forward again on the left with great vigour. He's causing the away side plenty of problems with his direct running and crosses.
13'
GOAL!!! NO!!! It's offside! The ball is headed back into the box and is taken down by Kevin Mirallas, who smashes it home. Replays show he was onside, so that's a real shame for the Toffees.
11'
Everton are doing pretty well here so far, although their corner comes to nothing. They seem to have recovered from last week's defeat.
10'
Great work on the right from Seamus Coleman, who comes forward on the right, tricks his way through and forces a corner.
8'
M. Fellaini gets yellow.
Another uncompromising tackle there, as Marouane Fellaini goes in hard on James Milner and picks up an early booking.
7'
Good chance here for Everton as Leighton Baines floats in a corner and it isn't quite dealt with at first by the City defence. However, they get the job done eventually.
5'
Ouch. Edin Dzeko goes up for a header with Sylvain Distin and is clattered on the side of the head.
3'
City win a free kick on the left early, but Aleksandar Kolarov's delivery is very poor and the ball is cleared.
2'
Carlos Tevez looks full of running already as he rampages forward on the left but sees his cross blocked.
1'
Here we go! Everton get the first half underway.
Everton have been on a poor run recently, going out of the FA Cup at home to Wigan last time out. However, they are still right in the thick of the race for European qualification and have won their last three games at home to Manchester City in the Premier League, so they will be hopeful of getting a positive result at Goodison Park. The Toffees have won just once in all competitions since the beginning of February, so need to get back on track quickly or else they could find themselves overtaken.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s grip on their Premier League title is loose, but they continue to hang on grimly, 12 points behind Manchester United with 10 games left. They have had some decent victories recently, beating Chelsea at home and grinding out a win away to Aston Villa, while last time out they destroyed Barnsley in the FA Cup to secure their passage to the semi-finals. The Citizens will feel they can still defend their crown, and will need the three points today to keep the pressure on their city rivals.
How are the teams looking? Here’s Everton first: Mucha, Baines, Gibson, Heitinga, Mirallas, Distin, Osman, Pienaar, Coleman, Fellaini, Anichebe. Subs: Springthorpe, Oviedo, Jelavic, Naismith, Neville, Barkley, Duffy.
Everton make two changes from the team that lost to Wigan in the FA Cup, with Phil Neville and Nikica Jelavic both dropping to the bench to be replaced by Darron Gibson and Victor Anichebe. Meanwhile, the away side make four changes, one of which is enforced as Yaya Toure is suffering from a migraine, poor thing. Samir Nasri is also on the bench, with James Milner and Javi Garcia returning to the midfield, Matija Nastasic coming back into the defence and Joe Hart regaining his place in goal.
We’re getting close to the start at Goodison, as both sides make their way out onto the pitch.
Good afternoon, and welcome to Goal.com’s LIVE! text commentary on this Premier League game between Everton and Manchester City. I’m Chris Teale, thanks for choosing to enjoy this one with me.
Thank you for joining me this afternoon for this game, and stick with Goal.com for the rest of the action from the Premier League and around Europe. I’ve been Chris Teale, I appreciated the company.
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