Manchester City picked up from where they left off before the international break with a 3-0 win over Everton to move back into second place in the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola’s side strolled to a 2-0 victory over Manchester United two weeks ago and were just as comfortable in Sunday’s contest at the Etihad Stadium.
Raheem Sterling, making his 300th appearance in the English top flight, linked up with Joao Cancelo to fire City ahead after earlier having a penalty awarded and overruled.
Rodri scored an equally impressive goal from long range and Bernardo Silva then capped a win that moves City, who handed a full league debut to Cole Palmer, above Liverpool and within three points of leaders Chelsea.
Ilkay Gundogan looped a header on top of the crossbar after Jordan Pickford kept out Silva in a one-sided first half that saw Demarai Gray limp off for injury-hit Everton.
City were awarded a penalty for Michael Keane’s apparent challenge on Sterling, but referee Stuart Atwell overturned the decision after a lengthy wait due to a lack of contact.
But the home side made the breakthrough on the brink of half-time thanks to Sterling’s first-time finish after being picked out by a sublime outside-of-the-boot pass from Cancelo.
Rodri gave City some breathing space with a rocket drive from 25 yards that flew past Pickford into the top-left corner with 55 minutes played.
Guardiola’s men were beaten 2-0 by Crystal Palace in their most recent home league match, but they made certain of a fourth top-flight win in five games through a simple finish for Silva late on.
What does it mean? City ease past out-of-form Toffees
The pressure was on City to pick up a victory against the Toffees following wins for Liverpool and leaders Chelsea on Saturday.
From the moment Sterling deservedly opened the scoring for the Citizens, an eighth successive league win against Everton – scoring 24 times in that run – was never in doubt.
Rafael Benitez’s side are now without a victory in six Premier League matches, making this their longest winless run since January 2018 and heaping pressure on the Spaniard.
Sterling stars on landmark appearance
At 26 years and 348 days, Sterling became the fourth-youngest player to make 300 Premier League appearances and marked the occasion with a superbly taken half-volley.
Cancelo deserves credit for his assist, which was his sixth of the season in 18 outings – as many as he produced in his first two seasons with the club combined.
Shot-shy Everton offer little
City may be in good form, but defeat to Palace at the Etihad Stadium less than a month ago is proof that they can be beaten with the right gameplan.
Whatever tactics Everton deployed here did not work, with the Toffees registering just two attempts on target, neither of which truly troubled Ederson.
Key Opta Facts: City rampant once again
– This was the 58th occasion of Manchester City winning by three or more goals in the Premier League under Pep Guardiola – at least 10 more times than any other team during his time in charge (Liverpool, 48).
– Everton have now lost each of their last eight Premier League games against City – only against Manchester United between December 1999 and February 2004 (nine) have they lost more consecutive games against an opponent in the competition.
– City have conceded just six goals from their 12 games in the Premier League this season; their second-fewest at this stage of a league campaign after 2018-19 (five), when they went on to win their second Premier League title under Guardiola.
– Bernardo Silva now has 50 Premier League goal involvements for Manchester City (25 goals, 25 assists), and has scored in back-to-back league appearances for the first time since March 2018.
– Since the start of last season, Everton have only won 21 per cent of the Premier League games in which Dominic Calvert-Lewin has not featured (3/14), compared to 50 per cent in the games when he has played (18/36).
What’s next?
City turn focus to the Champions League on Wednesday, with a point required at home to Paris Saint-Germain to guarantee a place in the last 16. Everton travel to Brentford in their next Premier League outing in a week’s time.
