Gibson’s bolt from the blue stuns City

On a night when a man handcuffed himself to a goalpost in protest at an airline, Roberto Mancini’s title challenge hit turbulence at a venue that continues to provide Manchester City with so many crash landings.

Visits to Goodison Park have always proved unforgiving for City so the irony will not be lost on Mancini that the telling contribution came from a player booted out of their deadly rivals only last month.

Darron Gibson’s first Premier League goal since March 2010 enabled former club Manchester United to go level on points with Mancini and ensure City have now only one victory from their last 21 visits.