There was a heavy sense of emotion in the air as Manchester City made their final Premier League visit to Goodison Park, with Everton continuing their “Goodison Park Goodbye Tour.” As the iconic Z-Cars anthem blasted out across the stadium, it set the tone for a night charged with nostalgia. Kevin De Bruyne, captaining City during his final season at the club, led his teammates onto the pitch with clear determination to secure a crucial win.
Manchester City started strongly, dominating early possession and trying to find an opening against an Everton side determined to make their last clash against the champions at Goodison a memorable one. Savinho had an early penalty appeal waved away by VAR, while Matheus Nunes forced a smart save from Jordan Pickford as Pep Guardiola’s men probed for weaknesses in the Toffees’ defensive setup.
Everton Hold Firm in First Half Despite City Pressure
Despite Manchester City’s early dominance, Everton created the game’s first major scare when James Tarkowski rattled the post with a firm header from a James Garner corner. It was a reminder that the hosts still posed a threat, particularly from set pieces. Moments later, Kevin De Bruyne almost opened the scoring with a powerful strike from the edge of the box, only for Jake O’Brien’s diving block to deflect the ball wide.
Stefan Ortega, starting in goal for Manchester City with Ederson absent, made a crucial save shortly after the break to deny Jarrad Branthwaite’s close-range header. Meanwhile, Everton suffered a major blow when captain Tarkowski was forced off injured just minutes into the second half, replaced by Michael Keane, who received a yellow card soon after for a heavy tackle on Omar Marmoush.
Manchester City Turn the Screws in the Second Half
As the second half wore on, Manchester City began to tighten their grip on the match. Everton, despite some spirited attacking through Abdoulaye Doucouré, found it increasingly difficult to escape their own half. Doucouré did force another excellent save from Ortega with a driven shot from the left channel, but the visitors always looked the more likely side to score.
Pep Guardiola reacted by making a double substitution, introducing Mateo Kovacic and Jeremy Doku in a bid to find the breakthrough. Everton boss David Moyes also rang the changes, bringing on Dwight McNeil, Tim Iroegbunam, and Carlos Alcaraz. Despite Moyes’ attempts to inject fresh energy into his side, it was Manchester City who maintained the pressure, with Ilkay Gundogan and De Bruyne both going close.
O’Reilly and Kovacic Break Everton’s Resistance
Manchester City’s patience was finally rewarded in the 84th minute. Matheus Nunes, lively throughout, delivered an inviting cross from the right and young midfielder Nico O’Reilly reacted fastest, darting in front of his marker to prod home from close range. It was a moment of joy for the travelling fans, as O’Reilly celebrated his crucial first senior goal.
The win was sealed in stoppage time when substitute Mateo Kovacic added a second. After being set up cleverly by Gundogan — who produced a Player of the Match performance — Kovacic slid in to fire a clinical finish past Pickford. The result gave City a vital three points in their chase for Champions League qualification and a fitting farewell performance at Goodison Park.
What the Result Means for Both Sides
With this crucial victory, Manchester City climbed into fourth place, just one point behind Newcastle United, who still had to play Aston Villa later in the Manchester City’s late show once again demonstrated their resilience and ability to deliver under pressure, keeping their Champions League hopes firmly alive with only a few games left to play.
For Everton, the defeat was a sobering reminder of their struggles this season, although they remained 13th in the Premier League table. It marked their first home league loss since January, a testament to the fortress they had built at Goodison Park in recent months. However, with Goodison’s farewell season nearing its conclusion, the Toffees will need to regroup quickly to finish the campaign on a high note.
