Everton shake off altitude sickness

THIS will hardly feature in a highlights video of Liverpool’s year as Europe’s capital of culture but while that moniker has always split those who prioritise finance over arts, Everton were happy to bank three points.

Only Aston Villa have used fewer players this season and although David Moyes’ team are enjoying their growing reputation for playing a fast-paced brand of passing football they have laboured against sides from the top half of the Premier League.

They were unfortunate to be undone by two penalties against Liverpool, impressed against Manchester United and Arsenal only to lose, and grabbed a point at Chelsea but this was just a second victory of the campaign over a top-10 side.

Everton clocked up a 12-match unbeaten run up until losing at Old Trafford just before Christmas but since that burst of fine form, Mikel Arteta’s performances has been patchy, Leon Osman has been out with injury and top-scorer Yakubu as well as Joseph Yobo and Steven Pienaar have now headed off to the African Cup of Nations.

They were without Andy Johnson as well on Saturday, yet Joleon Lescott’s goal was enough to earn a win to add the expectation that Everton can break up the top four for the second time in four seasons.

Moyes said: “We are in contention and it’s great. I’m not going to be daft enough to say that yes we can do that but we have done it before and I think because of the improvement at Everton, there’s a chance. We have got a lot of belief that we can go the distance. I think that the players have got it between their teeth as well.”

That could not be said of either side in the opening stages at Goodison Park but the hosts slowly got themselves on top and Tim Cahill should have scored with two chances in the same skirmish midway through the first half. But Lescott, who has been set a target of 10 goals for the campaign by Moyes, came up with his sixth of the season just after the half-hour, turning in Arteta’s driven cross from five yards out, although there was a hint of offside.

A fan hit the bar twice in a half-time competition to earn his father a sports car and even though he was trying to hit the woodwork, he threatened the Park End goal more than City did after the restart.

Martin Petrov, who had City’s first shot on target in the 94th minute, and Elano both had off-days, while new signing Nery Castillo was anonymous before being taken off 10 minutes into the second half. Sitting in front of the back four Dietmar Hamann and Vedran Corluka were solid enough but were obsolete once Sven-Goran Eriksson’s team, who have won just twice away from all season, went behind.

The Swede must hope that Michael Johnson can overcome his growing pains to add drive to his midfield, and a decent striker must be a priority. Eriksson was critical of his side’s tendency to resort to long balls but is adamant they still have serious Champions League ambitions themselves.

He said: “If the others who are on 39 points can fight for fourth, fifth and sixth, we will do the same I’m sure. If you look at it, Liverpool should take fourth if there was any sense. The league isn’t finished for us and we will go on and fight.

“I won’t complain about my players. I think they’ve been fantastic throughout the season and I’m sure they aren’t happy with themselves. You are disappointed when you lose but in the second half we did a good job out there without creating too much. That’s been a little bit of our problem. Especially away, we don’t create as much as we should but I’m not a pessimist.”

EVERTON (4-4-1-1): Howard 6, Hibbert 7, Jagielka 7, Lescott 8, Nuno Valente 7, Arteta 7, Carsley 6, Neville 6, McFadden 6 (Vaughan 60, 7), Cahill 6, Anichebe 7 (Baines 90, 6).

Subs Not Used: Ruddy, Gravesen, Stubbs.

MANCHESTER CITY (4-4-1-1): Hart 6, Onuoha 5, Richards 7, Dunne 7, Ball 5, Elano 5, Corluka 6, Hamann 7 (Gelson 56, 6), Petrov 6, Castillo 4 (Bianchi 57, 5), Vassell 6 (Ireland 69, 5).

Subs Not Used: Isaksson, Garrido.

REFEREE: Mark Halsey (Lancashire) 5: Eriksson was too polite to complain too much about Lescott being marginally offside for the goal — but he was.

MATCH RATING: ** Never came close to pre-match expectations. It was more a game for Lee Carsley than Elano or Mikael Arteta.