Erling Haaland scored two second-half goals to help Manchester City to a 2-0 win over Everton at the Etihad Stadium.
David Moyes’ side did more than make life difficult for City for almost an hour, Iliman Ndiaye particularly impressive, but Haaland headed in the opener from Nico O’Reilly’s cross before sweeping home a second soon after for his 11th Premier League goal of the season.
After that awkward August in which Pep Guardiola’s team were beaten twice in their opening three games, it is four wins and a draw in the Premier League, the result lifting City into top spot ahead of Arsenal’s away trip to Fulham in the evening kick-off.
For Everton, they will rue Beto’s early miss and a fingertip stop from Gianluigi Donnarumma to deny Ndiaye. The contrast between the two strikers could hardly be more stark. Beto and Thierno Barry have just one goal between them all season.
It leaves Everton in mid-table on 11 points. Haaland, meanwhile, is now five goals clear at the top of the scoring charts and while City are far from their fluent best this season, with the Norwegian striker in this kind of form, their chances of regaining the title remain.
Moyes: I wish Haaland was somewhere else
When Moyes was asked afterwards what he had said to Haaland after the game, the Everton boss replied: “I wish he was somewhere else. Let’s be fair, most managers will be thinking the same, won’t they?
“I thought in the game we did a really good job on him. And then you say, ‘How can you say that? He’s just got himself two goals.’
Moyes later added: “His ability to score, he has got something others haven’t. He certainly looks, going through one vs one, nearly unstoppable.”
After making the point that Haaland could have scored four or five had he been more ruthless in the closing stages, Manchester City boss Guardiola also praised his striker.
“I’m really pleased. We found him much, much more than before. In the first half, not much, but we found him. And that is really important. Because when you have this type of player, you have to use him.”
Guardiola: Foden maturing like a good wine
Both managers agreed that Phil Foden was excellent. “Iliman was the best player on the pitch in the first half,” said Moyes. “He might have got taken over by Foden as the game went on.”
Guardiola credited Foden for his appreciation of when to speed up – and slow down – the tempo of the game.
“I said many times, it was a question of time. You cannot play all the time on the sixth gear. It was a question of time that he realised and saw that not all the time it can be explosion actions. You have to walk. You have to make one pass. You have to touch the ball.
“I think at the moment, he’s been brilliant. And step by step, he will be better. Phil will be better. He will be like a good wine.”
