Raheem Sterling does his talking on the pitch as he helps fire Manchester City back to the top of the league

Manchester City 3-1 Everton: Sterling came off the bench to score within three minutes of coming on the pitch to kill off the Toffees after Dominic Calvert-Lewin threatened a fightback

Raheem Sterling came off the bench to score City's third goal (Reuters)

After falling for the first time last weekend, Manchester City climb back on top. Pep Guardiola’s side return to the summit of the Premier League table by recording a 3-1 victory over Marco Silva’s Everton that was, bar a few choice moments, largely comfortable.

A Gabriel Jesus brace and a header by Raheem Sterling - who produced the perfect response to a difficult week off-the-pitch - ensured of all three points. City maintain an unbeaten record against the Premier League’s ‘bottom 14’ that stretches back to a 4-0 defeat at Goodison Park at the start of last year.

Liverpool received no favours from their neighbours on the side of Stanley Park and will now play their other great rivals, Manchester United, knowing that they require a victory at Anfield on Sunday to regain first place.

This City performance was not without the odd moment of vulnerability that Jürgen Klopp’s side will hope to expose and see exposed over the remainder of the campaign. Yet again, they conceded cheaply at the Etihad, this time to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

It was also, though, a reminder that - even against supposed ‘the best of the rest’, even after Liverpool had life and death with Everton at Anfield two weeks ago - Guardiola’s side win these games with a rare ease and can invariably count on three points.

Just as against Hoffenheim on Wednesday night, City started slowly, with the likes of Fernandinho and Bernardo Silva misplacing simple passes, and it was this sloppiness which allowed Everton some moments of early promise.

Calvert-Lewin drew an excellent save out of Ederson - albeit from an offside position - though the visitors' best first-half opportunity fell to Richarlison after Lucas Digne capitalised on Kyle Walker's error. Digne's far-post cross deceived Ederson and found Richarlison in space but his volley cleared the crossbar.

Guardiola, patrolling his technical area while sporting a fetching club beanie hat, was unnerved, concerned that his players were struggling to move out of first gear, but City have an ability to suddenly assert their superiority on a game. A spell of sustained pressure followed Richarlison's miss and resulted in another Brazilian international breaking the deadlock.

It was Everton's insistence on playing out from the back which cost them. After a spell of recycling possession close to his own goal, Yerry Mina ran out of options and punted long. Ilkay Gundogan cut the long, loose pass out and within seconds, Lery Sané had slipped the ball between Everton's scrambled defensive line and through to Jesus to score.

This was Jesus' first league goal since August and one he needed amid questions over his development and place in this team. On his arrival two years ago, Jesus was considered competition for Sergio Aguero but in recent months he has been reduced to the role of understudy. Guardiola has consistently defended the 21-year-old, though he will undoubtedly be happy that his domestic scoring drought is over.

Jesus had another goal correctly ruled out from a clearly offside position on the cusp of half time, then doubled his tally shortly after the two teams re-emerged. Again, it was a Sané assist after a long spell of City probing. The Brazilian simply positioned himself in the space between Mina and Michael Keane to head over Jordan Pickford’s outstretched hand.

Two goals clear, City should have been sure of victory but Guardiola’s side have shown a tendency to concede cheaply at the Etihad this season. Calvert-Lewin profited from their complacency, rising highest to guide the tireless Digne’s cross over Ederson and reduce the arrears.

If both halves of Merseyside now hoped for Everton to earn an unlikely point, those hopes were quickly extinguished. Sterling was brought on immediately after Calvert-Lewin’s header and restored City’s two-goal lead almost as quickly, nodding Fernandinho’s cross past Pickford in a similar fashion to Jesus’ second.

Everton would seek to strike back again, but would seek in vain. Richarlison and Theo Walcott had clear opportunities to inject some uncertainty into the Etihad crowd but both cleared the crossbar when it appeared easier to keep their attempts down. Instead, the only events of note were on the touchline - one substitution, one non-substitution.

Kevin De Bruyne made his sixth City appearance of the season and his second comeback from knee ligament damage, having missed the best part of four months by injuring both his knees since August. Phil Foden, meanwhile, was stripped and readied to enter the fray, only to be sent back to his seat.

Did Guardiola change his mind? Did he want to see out the final minutes with a bit more control, rather than send on an attack-minded teenager? If so, he was perhaps a touch too cautious. City were in control, as they so often have been and will be at the Etihad this season.