Man City v Everton LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Erling Haaland seals victory
Pep Guardiola’s side replaced Liverpool at the top of the Premier League with victory at the Etihad Stadium
Erling Haaland netted a brace with his first goals since his return from injury to lift Manchester City to a 2-0 home victory over relegation-threatened Everton on Saturday and provisionally into top spot in the Premier League table.
Pep Guardiola’s team have 52 points after 23 games, while Liverpool -- who can reclaim the lead with a win over Burnley later on Saturday -- have 51 points, also from 23 games. Everton are in the relegation zone in 18th.
Haaland, who recently missed almost two months with a broken bone in his foot, netted his 15th and 16th of the season to go clear at the top of the Premier League scorers’ list.
The Toffees’ stifling defence frustrated City before the Norwegian striker finally broke the deadlock in the 71st minute when he fired home a blistering shot after a corner kick.
Haaland completed the brace when he ran onto a pass from Kevin De Bruyne in midfield before beating Jarrad Branthwaite and then coolly slotting it past keeper Jordan Pickford.
Ange Postecoglou warns sin bins would ‘destroy’ football
Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has warned any proposal to introduce blue cards and sin bins will destroy football.
It was revealed on Thursday that a trial could commence soon where a blue card would be shown for dissent and professional fouls where the offenders would be sin binned for 10 minutes.
FIFA has since clarified the trial will not occur in elite football, while football’s lawmakers, the International Football Association Board, will not publish plans for the sin bin trial until next month.
However, Postecoglou was unequivocal in his belief it would be a wrong move.
Ange Postecoglou warns sin bins would ‘destroy’ football
Tottenham have also written to PGMOL this week to seek clarification over what is encroachment to a goalkeeper.
Man City team news
Pep Guardiola made four changes from his City side that beat Brentford in the Premier League on Monday.
Matheus Nunes and Jeremy Doku come in for Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, with John Stones and Manuel Akanji replacing Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol in the defence.
Everton team news
Here is the Everton team news as Sean Dyche names an unchanged team from the 2-2 draw against Tottenham.
Everton XI: Pickford, Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Young, Gueye, Garner, McNeil, Harrison, Calvert-Lewin.
Subs: Joao Virginia, Patterson, Keane, Onana, Beto, Coleman, Chermiti, Hunt, Dobbin.
Manchester City team news
Here is the Manchester City squad:
XI | Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Dias (C), Ake, Rodrigo, Nunes, Foden, Alvarez, Doku, Haaland
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Walker, Grealish, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Gvardiol, Bobb, Wright, Lewis
Manchester City vs Everton
The team news will be coming up shortly, will Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne both be starting against Everton?
Pep Guardiola ‘99.99’ per cent certain Man City repeat treble will not happen
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has dismissed talk of a repeat treble by saying he is “99.99” per cent certain it will not happen.
The champions are favourites to win a fourth Premier League title in succession and are also in strong contention to retain the Champions League and FA Cup.
Winning those trophies in back-to-back seasons would be unprecedented and therefore Guardiola, whose silverware haul in the past year also includes the European Super Cup and Club World Cup, feels it is unlikely.
Pep Guardiola ‘99.99’ per cent certain Man City repeat treble will not happen
The champions are favourites to win a fourth Premier League title in succession and in strong contention to retain the Champions League and FA Cup.
Can Man City and Girona both play in the Champions League?
As Girona look to pull off one of the biggest upsets in modern football history, it is not just those in Spain who will be eagerly watching to see if the club can beat Real Madrid and Barcelona to the LaLiga title. One interested party will be Manchester City. As both clubs are part of the City Football Group, Girona winning LaLiga or even finishing in the top four in Spain could have significant implications on next season’s Champions League. If both Girona and Manchester City qualify, there is a chance that only one of them will be allowed to play, given Uefa rules around multi-club ownership models.
Can Man City and Girona both play in the Champions League?
Girona and Manchester City are both part of the City Football Group ownership model - which could give Uefa a headache if both clubs qualify for next season’s Champions League
Is Man City v Everton on TV? Kick off time, channel and how to watch Premier League fixture
Manchester City host Everton in the Premier League on Saturday, knowing that a win would briefly lift them to top of the table.
Liverpool do not play until 3pm on Saturday, and a win for Pep Guardiola’s side would see them move one point ahead of their north west rivals.
Concerningly for Everton, City are unbeaten in their last 13 matches against the Toffees, a record stretching back to a 4-0 defeat at Goodison Park in January 2017.
Is Man City v Everton on TV? Kick off time and how to watch Premier League fixture
Everything you need to know about the Premier League fixture
Manchester City vs Everton
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the Premier League’s early Saturday kick off between Manchester City and Everton.
A win would see Manchester City move top of the table, at least until Liverpool’s 3pm match against Burnley.
Pep Guardiola warns Man City ‘to be ready’ for lunchtime clash with Everton
Pep Guardiola has brushed off talk of his Manchester City side returning to the top of the Premier League as they prepare to host struggling Everton.
The champions can take over at the summit – for a few hours at least – if they beat the Toffees in their Saturday lunchtime encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
Yet after having difficulties against the Merseysiders in the past – Everton claimed a 1-1 draw in Manchester last season – the City manager is taking nothing for granted.
Guardiola said: “We have to continue like we have done for many years. I said when our results were not good that our level was more than decent, we were playing good.
Pep Guardiola warns Man City ‘to be ready’ for lunchtime clash with Everton
The hosts can go top of the table, at least temporarily, with a win
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