Barclays Premier League

FT: EVERTON 2 MAN CITY 0

Ten-man Everton grab a famous victory which takes them up to fifth and deals probably the final fatal blow to Manchester City's slender title hopes. The all-important goal came after 33 minutes and was fit to win any big game. Leon Osman cut across the ball with his left foot to conjure up a magnificent long-range strike that the bewildered Joe Hart could only watch as it swerved into the top corner. City were well below their best and could not find the net even after Everton were reduced to ten men just after the hour when Steven Pienaar was dismissed for an ill-judged tackle. Robert Mancini's men piled on the pressure, but the Everton defence held firm for the most part and when they were beaten, Jan Mucha made excellent saves to deny Tevez and Milner. The visitors will feel hard done by, as a handball by Marouane Fellaini near the end was clearly inside the area, but Mr Probert awarded only a free-kick instead of a penalty. Their misery was compounded in added time by a second from Nikica Jelavic. Manchester United can go 15 points clear with victory over Reading later today.

GOAL: EVERTON 2 MAN CITY 0

Everton make sure of victory with a breakaway goal by Jelavic, who was set up by Fellaini.

EVERTON BOOKING

Osman is shown the yellow card for time wasting.

EVERTON SUBSTITUTION

Anichebe is given a rousing ovation as he leaves the field to be replaced by Nikica Jelavic.

FREE-KICK WASTED

Kolarov adds insult to injury for City as his free-kick crashes straight into the defensive wall.

CITY DENIED CLEAR PENALTY

A shot from Tevez is blocked by the arm of Fellaini. It should be a penalty, but Mr Probert only gives a free-kick. The Belgian was a yard inside the box.

DOUBLE CITY SWITCH

City make a double switch, with Sinclair and Clichy replacing Toure and Milner.

COLEMAN OUTSTANDING FOR EVERTON

Coleman makes a brilliant diving clearance to deny Tevez, just as the Argentine was steadying himself to convert a cross from the right by Silva. The pressure is being heaped on the home side. Nasri's tame shot is saved easily.

POSSIBLY A STRAIGHT RED CARD

There is some debate as to whether Pienaar received a red card for the nasty tackle that led to his dismissal. Mr Probert's post-match report will clear that one up.

MUCHA TO THE RESCUE

City go close again, but Mucha races off his line to block a point-blank shot from Zabaleta. That was an excellent stop.

GREAT CHANCE WASTED

Hart comes and fails to gather a Baines corner and Distin heads over an unguarded goal. That could so easily have been a second.

DZEKO HEADS WELL OVER

Dzeko is first to Silva's right-wing corner, but gets too much on his flicked header from in front of the near post and the effort goes well over the bar.

GREAT RECORD IN BIG GAMES

City's only defeat in 13 meetings against top-half opposition came in December's Manchester derby against United and remember they only conceded the decisive goal in that one (to Robin van Persie's deflected free-kick) in the final minute.

CHANGES FOR BOTH TEAMS

City replace Barry with Samir Nasri. Everton reply by taking off Mirallas and replacing him with Steven Naismith.

SUPERB DOUBLE SAVE

City go so close to levelling. Dzeko's lofted pass finds Tevez, but his initial effort is blocked by Mucha, who then gets to his feet and saves the follow-up from Milner. Zabaleta shoots over moments later.

DISAPPOINTING SHOT FROM KOLAROV

Coleman trips Tevez on the left corner of the Everton area. Milner squares the ball to Kolarov, but he goes for placement rather than power and the effort is easily blocked.

CAN CITY PROFIT?

Well that dismissal should change the face of the game, but Everton have worked so hard for the cause you wouldn't rule them out maintaining or even adding to this lead.

EVERTON RED CARD

Javi Garcia is left writhing around on the floor after a challenge from Pienaar, who is shown the red card for a second bookable offence. Looking at the replay he can have no complaint whatsoever.

PUSHING FOR A SECOND

Everton are not far away from a second. Baines' corner from the left is flicked on and Osman's left-foot volley is deflected wide.

UNSURE AT THE BACK

A long ball pumped down the centre causes indecision in the City defence. Fortunately for the visitors, Toure takes charge at the last moment and clears or Mirallas could have been left with a tap-in.

ESCAPES FOR EVERTON

Milner rises highest to nod down Barry's cross from the left into the path of Garcia, who is unable to bundle the ball home from close range. Nastastic then fails to get on the end of a Silva corner. That's a major escape for Everton.

MANCINI INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED

Sitting on the bench, Mancini looks distinctly unimpressed with what he is seeing from the visitors. Expect a change to come before too long.

GOOD CHANCE GOES BEGGING

Baines somehow manages to find Anichebe with a fine cross from the left. The Everton man looked as though he was marked, but ended up with a free header and is disappointed with what turned out to be a tame effort.

ANICHEBE DAZED FOR A MOMENT

Anichebe is a little unsteady on his feet after catching a flailing arm in the face from Garcia. After brief treatment the Nigerian returns to the field.

OVER FROM KOLAROV

Robert Mancini switched to a flat back four right at the end of the first half. Will the more traditional shape give his side more of an attacking threat? Kolarov blasts over in the early going.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

City get the second half under way.

HT: EVERTON 1 MAN CITY 0

Everton lead at the break thanks to that long-range effort from Leon Osman on 33 minutes. It was a stunning strike from the stand-in captain, the viciously swerving shot with the outside of his foot from 25 yards giving Joe Hart no chance. The home side have deserved their lead, they have been up for this one right from the start and have been anxious to make amends for that pitiful display against Wigan in the FA Cup last weekend. They could easily be two goals to the good, Kevin Mirallas having an early strike unjustly ruled out for offside. City enjoyed a spell of possession midway through the half without creating anything that really threatened Jan Mucha's goal. As it stands, Everton are on course for their fourth successive home victory over City.

MAN CITY BOOKING

Chasing back, Silva trips Coleman and is shown his first yellow card of the season.

MIRALLAS HEADER BLOCKED

Coleman's dipping cross from the right causes Hart problems and he punches weakly to Mirallas, whose header strikes Toure and goes out for a corner.

DZEKO FIRES OVER

Kolarov delivers an excellent cross from the left, but Dzeko mistimes his jump slightly and, leaning back, heads over the crossbar.

TEVEZ SHOOTS WIDE

Tevez does well to escape the attentions of Heitinga and shoots just past the post from 25 yards.

OVER FROM ANICHEBE

Everton threaten again as Anichebe turns impressively inside the area before shooting over the crossbar.

PENALTY CLAIMS

Everton want a penalty for a foul by Nastasic on Fellaini. Mr Probert, though, waves play on. It was more of a penalty than the one given to Norwich against Southampton last weekend, but not quite enough to warrant a spot-kick, if you see what I mean.

MAN CITY BOOKING

Mr Probert loses patience with Dzeko and shows the City forward a yellow card for persistent fouling.

GOAL: EVERTON 1 MAN CITY 0

Leon Osman gives Everton the lead with a stunning strike, his swerving left-footer from 25 yards out finding the top corner.

HEADER ON TARGET

Fellaini manages a header on target from a long free-kick from the opposite flank by Baines, but gets no purchase behind the effort and Hart saves easily.

CITY BOOKING

Kolarov wrestles Pienaar to the ground and is the first City player to be cautioned.

BARRY ESCAPES A CAUTION

Barry jumps into Distin rather than going for the ball and the Everton central defender falls awkwardly. Mr Probert decides not to reach for the yellow card this time, much to the disgust of the home fans.

EVERTON BOOKING

Pienaar dives in and catches the back of Barry's legs after the ball had gone. That's a clear yellow card.

DZEKO STRIKE ON TARGET

Dzeko then has a go with his right foot, but again the strike is too near the centre of the goal and gives Mucha no alarms.

CITY START TO THREATEN

Tevez exchanges passes with Silva, but his tame shot from 25 yards is easy for Mucha. Dzeko then swivels and gets in another effort on target. City are getting a taste for this.

SOUND GOALKEEPING FROM MUCHA

Silva's free-kick from wide on the right is allowed to travel all the way through to the goalkeeper, but Mucha had watched it all the way and was not caught out as Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech was at Old Trafford last weekend.

WHAT'S IN STORE FOR FELLAINI?

There are no half-measures with Marouane Fellaini. I've just got a feeling he will either get the winner or be sent off today.

SOLID AT THE BACK

City's defence has been almost back to its best recently. They have kept clean sheets in six of their last eight league matches and their 13 clean sheets is the best in the Premier League.

RARE CITY RAID

Silva finds a little space down the City right, but his deflected cross is safely gathered by Mucha.

11 YEARS IN CHARGE

Twelve years ago, Roberto Mancini was playing his last game as a player, for Leicester at Everton. Where was David Moyes 11 years ago? Taking charge of Everton for the first time. It was the Scot's anniversary yesterday and what a good appointment it has proved by the board.

TOFFEES IN CHARGE

It's been a cracking start by the home side. City have barely had a kick in the attacking third of the field so far.

GOAL DISALLOWED

Mirallas lashes a volley into the roof of the net, but the flag is up for offside. That was a borderline decision, looking at the replay.

GOOD VISION FROM PIENAAR

Pienaar lofts an inviting ball over the top for Anichebe, but the ball skips off the slick surface and through to Hart. There's a steady drizzle here at Goodison at the moment.

EVERTON BOOKING

Fellaini takes out Milner with a rash late challenge. That could have easily been a red card, but instead it's a tenth booking of the season and a two-game ban.

EVERTON HALF-CHANCE

Milner trips Baines near the by-line, but the delivery from the Everton left-back is headed away by Kolo Toure. Mirallas fluffs a half-chance from the resulting corner.

DZEKO IN THE WARS

Dzeko gets an accidental forearm to the face from Distin and gets up a little groggily. Mr Probert speaks to captain Zabaleta about the City striker's reaction to the challenge.

THREE AT THE BACK

Rumours before kick-off of City deploying a three-man backline look to be true. It's Kolo Toure, Nastasic and Zabaleta, with Kolarov and Milner tracking up and down the wings.

FELLAINI OWES EVERTON

It shows how short of in-depth quality Everton are that Marouane Fellaini has been included again from the start. Following his abject display against Wigan last week and his subsequent storming off down the tunnel after his substitution, you know disciplinarian David Moyes would love to have dropped the Belgian to the bench.

HERE WE GO

Everton kick off, attacking the goal to our left.

TODAY'S TEAMS

Everton: Mucha, Coleman, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Mirallas, Gibson, Osman, Pienaar, Fellaini, Anichebe. Subs: Springthorpe, Jelavic, Oviedo, Naismith, Neville, Barkley, Duffy. Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Toure, Nastasic, Kolarov, Javi Garcia, Barry, Milner, Tevez, Silva, Dzeko. Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Nasri, Sinclair, Clichy, Razak, Lopes. Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).

TEAM NEWS

Everton make two changes to the side that beat Reading in their last league game, with Johnny Heitinga replacing the injured Phil Jagielka and Victor Anichebe replacing Nikica Jelavic up front. City show three changes from the team that beat Aston Villa in their last league game. Aleksandar Kolarov replaces Gael Clichy at left-back, Yaya Toure has been ruled out with a migraine and his place goes to Gareth Barry in midfield and Edin Dzeko comes in for the injured Jack Rodwell.

PREVIEW

Manchester City will be looking to trim the gap at the top to nine points for a few hours with victory at Everton in Saturday's early kick-off in the Premier League. It will not be an easy task for Roberto Mancini's men, because if there has been such a thing as a bogey side for City in recent years, the Merseysiders have been it, along with Manchester United. For their part, Everton desperately need a win to ensure they still have something to play for over the remainder of the season. The Toffees quietly fancied their chances of lifting the FA Cup but those dreams were shattered when they suffered a stunning 3-0 home reverse to Wigan last weekend and seeing the victors land an easy-looking tie with Championship side Millwall in the semi-finals will have only added to their angst. Sitting in seventh, their lowest position of the season, the home side can ill afford a third league defeat in four, and it will not have escaped their attention that Merseyside rivals Liverpool went above them for the first time this season following the 3-2 win over Tottenham last weekend. Everton boss David Moyes is expecting an open, attacking game of football today. “I can't for a minute see Manchester City coming here and thinking that they have got to stop Everton,” he told the club's official website. “They will look to try and win. I've got to say that every game we play at Goodison we look to win – that doesn't alter whoever we play. We'll have a big job stopping them and we have to go and make sure that we take our opportunities.” Today's game kicks off at 1245GMT, so join us around 30 minutes beforehand when we should have the confirmed team news, which will be followed by a match commentary.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Marouane Fellaini has 11 goals to his credit in the Premier League in 2012-13 and has relished the opportunity to play further forward this season due to the Merseysiders' lack of fit or functioning first-team strikers. The Belgian was both hero and villain at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season, using his thigh to divert the ball past Joe Hart on 33 minutes for an Everton opener, but committing the foul on Edin Dzeko that led to City's leveller from the penalty spot. With Sergio Aguero again missing, much of the visitors' threat will come through Carlos Tevez. The Argentine is still keen on a return to his homeland when his current deal runs out next summer, but City are equally committed to keeping him in Manchester and have begun talks on a new contract. Tevez has not quite hit the heights of previous campaigns, but he still has 14 goals to his name in all competitions and has six in his last four games, including a hat-trick last time out against Barnsley in the FA Cup.

HEAD TO HEAD

Everton just have the head-to-head edge in league meetings between the sides with 60 wins to 59 by Manchester City and 40 games being drawn. At Goodison Park, Everton have 41 wins to 16 by City, with a further 22 meetings ending up all square. The earlier meeting between the sides this season in Manchester on Dec. 1 finished in a 1-1 draw. Marouane Fellaini gave Everton a 33rd-minute lead, only for Carlos Tevez to level ten minutes later from the penalty spot. The corresponding match last season on Jan. 31 saw Everton win 1-0 through a goal on the hour from Darron Gibson. City have lost on their last three trips to Goodison in the league and have won just one of their last 14 matches at Everton.

FORM GUIDE

Everton start the day in seventh place with 45 points from 28 games, just behind Liverpool but with a game in hand. David Moyes' men beat Reading at home last time out in the Premier League. But prior to that they lost at Manchester United and Norwich and have only won two of the last seven. At home, though, they are a tough proposition for anyone, having lost just once in 14 outings at Goodison in the Premier League this season, the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Dec. 30. City currently lie second with 59 points from 28 games, 12 points behind United. They have lost two of 14 away (at Sunderland and most recently Southampton on Feb. 9) and have the joint best away defensive record along with Arsenal, conceding 13 goals.

EARLY TEAM NEWS

Everton will again be without goalkeeper Tim Howard and influential defender Phil Jagielka. Howard broke two bones in his back in the FA Cup win over Oldham, while Jagielka has had minor ankle surgery. Full-back Tony Hibbert (calf) may not play again this season. For their part, City will again have to do without captain Vincent Kompany (calf) and striker Sergio Aguero (knee). Defenders Micah Richards and Maicon (both knee) and midfielder Jack Rodwell (hamstring) remain on the long-term injury list.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Taking charge of today's game is Lee Probert, who was appointed to the Select Group Referees List in 2007. In terms of cards-per-game the Gloucestershire official has been one of the more lenient in the top flight over the past two seasons. Probert has refereed 17 Premier League games this season, administering 52 cautions and dismissing one player, Fulham's Brede Hangeland, in the match with Sunderland at Craven Cottage. His assistants today are Andy Halliday and Ron Ganfield, while Martin Atkinson is the fourth official.