Manchester City Beat Everton In First Game As World Champions

Manchester City won 3-1 at Everton in their first Premier League game since lifting the FIFA Club World Cup. Watch match highlights, including all four goals.
Manchester City Beat Everton In First Game As World Champions
Manchester City Beat Everton In First Game As World Champions /

Manchester City won 3-1 at Everton on Wednesday in their first Premier League game since lifting the FIFA Club World Cup.

Pep Guardiola made just two changes to the starting XI that had thrashed Brazil's Fluminense 4-0 in Saudi Arabia five days earlier.

City dominated possession from the start at Goodison Park but fell behind against the run of play when Jack Harrison found the net against his former club in the 29th minute.

Harrison had been on City's books for three and a half years between January 2018 and July 2021 but he never played for Guardiola's first team.

City equalized eight minutes into the second half on Wednesday when Phil Foden fired home brilliantly from 25 yards.

The visitors then took the lead 11 minutes later when Julian Alvarez converted a penalty kick awarded after Amadou Onana had blocked a Nathan Ake shot with his right arm.

Manchester City players pictured celebrating following a goal scored by Julian Alvarez (center) during a 3-1 win at Everton in December 2023
Manchester City players pictured celebrating following a goal scored by Julian Alvarez (center) during a 3-1 win at Everton on Wednesday :: IMAGO/Propaganda Photo/David Rawcliffe

City sealed all three points in the 86th minute when Bernardo Silva produced a fabulous finish to punish an error by Jordan Pickford.

Everton keeper Pickford came out of his penalty area but made a mess of clearing the ball. His attempted clearance deflected off Alvarez and then the shin of Jarrad Branthwaite before Silva lobbed the stranded goalkeeper from 20 yards.

City's victory took Guardiola's men up to fourth in the Premier League table.

Highlights: Everton 1-3 Manchester City


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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.