Erling Haaland netted a brace with his first goals since his return from injury to lift Manchester City to a 2-0 home victory over relegation-threatened Everton on Saturday and provisionally into top spot in the Premier League table.

Pep Guardiola’s team have 52 points after 23 games, while Liverpool -- who can reclaim the lead with a win over Burnley later on Saturday -- have 51 points, also from 23 games. Everton are in the relegation zone in 18th.

Haaland, who recently missed almost two months with a broken bone in his foot, netted his 15th and 16th of the season to go clear at the top of the Premier League scorers’ list.

The Toffees’ stifling defence frustrated City before the Norwegian striker finally broke the deadlock in the 71st minute when he fired home a blistering shot after a corner kick.

Haaland completed the brace when he ran onto a pass from Kevin De Bruyne in midfield before beating Jarrad Branthwaite and then coolly slotting it past keeper Jordan Pickford.

Man City v Everton

• Match kicked off at 12.30pm GMT

• Man City XI: Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Dias (C), Ake, Rodrigo, Nunes, Foden, Alvarez, Doku, Haaland

• Everton XI: Pickford, Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Young, Gueye, Garner, McNeil, Harrison, Calvert-Lewin.

• GOAL! Erling Haaland breaks the deadlock! Man City 1-0 Everton

• GOAL! Haaland adds a second! Man City 2-0 Everton

• FT: Man City 2-0 Everton

Manchester City FC 2 - 0 Everton FC

Erling Haaland ends rare goal drought to save soporific Manchester City against Everton

14:52 , Lawrence Ostlere

Full report from Manchester City’s two-goal win over Everton,m which sends them top of the table for now at least:

Erling Haaland ends rare goal drought to save soporific City against Everton

FT: Man City 2-0 Everton

14:33 , Sonia Twigg

Full time: It might have taken City a long time to break the deadlock, but once they did the result was never in doubt.

De Bruyne’s introduction ultimately changed the game, it added a direction to City’s domination, but it was Erling Haaland who will rightly be named man of the match.

Two big chances and two goals from the league’s top goalscorer.

Man City 2-0 Everton

14:29 , Sonia Twigg

90+8 min: Is there time for one last City attack?

They have had almost all of the ball in added time so far.

Man City 2-0 Everton

14:27 , Sonia Twigg

90+6 min: Grealish pulls the ball back to Foden on the edge of the box, his low shot is goalwards-bound, but Pickford is able to make a relatively straightforward save.

Man City 2-0 Everton

14:26 , Sonia Twigg

90+4 min: City are just playing the ball around inside their own half, maybe the final spark has gone out of the game.

Man City 2-0 Everton

14:24 , Sonia Twigg

90+2 min: Man City are playing the ball around comfortably and are looking for a third, with the injection of pace from the substitutes including Grealish.

Man City 2-0 Everton

14:22 , Sonia Twigg

90+1 min: Everton have the ball in the back of the net, Beto did not time his run well and was flagged offside but it eas a good turn and finish.

We are into the 10 minutes of added time.

Man City 2-0 Everton

14:21 , Sonia Twigg

90 min: Man City have not lost any of their last 32 home games, winning 28 of them.

Man City 2-0 Everton

14:19 , Sonia Twigg

88 min: The game has just slowed down since the second goal, which came as Everton tried to commit forward to find an equaliser.

Man City 2-0 Everton

14:18 , Sonia Twigg

87 min: Doku comes off for Grealish with the result all but wrapped up in favour of the home side.

GOAL! Haaland adds a second! Man City 2-0 Everton

14:17 , Sonia Twigg

GOAL! 85 min: De Bruyne plays an inch-perfect long ball to Haaland who is just too strong, shrugging off the defenders before curling the ball into the corner of the net.

Man City 1-0 Everton

14:15 , Sonia Twigg

83 min: City have taken their foot off the gas since scoring the goal, but the strike may yet prove to be enough.

Man City 1-0 Everton

14:12 , Sonia Twigg

80 min: Everton play the ball through the city lines but the final shot was wide and he was flagged offside in the end anyway.

Man City 1-0 Everton

14:09 , Sonia Twigg

78 min: Everton are ringing in the substitutes, including bringing on 38-year-old Ashley Young.

Man City 1-0 Everton

14:06 , Sonia Twigg

75 min: City are now playing the ball around with confidence.

But should that second corner that led to the goal have been given? The Everton players were appealing for a goal-kick.

Man City 1-0 Everton

14:05 , Sonia Twigg

73 min: Do Everton have anything to answer to the Haaland strike?

It was the first significant chance for a long time, but one chance was all the Norwegian needed for his 15th goal of the season.

It was only his 17th touch of the game!

GOAL! Erling Haaland breaks the deadlock! Man City 1-0 Everton

14:03 , Sonia Twigg

71 min: Erling Haaland goal!

City’s talisman striker breaks the deadlock!

He hit it first time fired it home from a corner after a pinball moment in the box.

Man City 0-0 Everton

14:01 , Sonia Twigg

70 min: Another ball into the box is cut out, Everton are putting their bodies on the line here.

That time Gardner blocked walker’s cross, and the header from the corner goes out for another one.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:59 , Sonia Twigg

68 min: Rodri has a shot from distance and it blazes over the bar, like so many of City’s shots today.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:59 , Sonia Twigg

67 min: City are trying to build attacks, but Everton have been so organised at the back and it has been very difficult for the home side to try and force a way through.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:56 , Sonia Twigg

65 min: City have another corner, and it’s cleared by a strong header from Everton and they force City backwards.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:55 , Sonia Twigg

64 min: Everton are putting all their men behind the ball, and forcing City to play it back to their goalkeeper.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:53 , Sonia Twigg

62 min: Everton again are alert to clear the ball after Haaland puts one across the face of goal. There is less than half an hour to go.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:51 , Sonia Twigg

60 min: Everton are still standing strong, but will those substitutes make the difference?

Everton work out a ball aimed for Alvarez, but with all their players back are struggling to mount attacks of their own.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:48 , Sonia Twigg

57min: Haaland looked to be making a promising move, but he was pulled up for a foul.

The substitution is being made, Akanji and Nunes off for De Bruyne and Walker.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:46 , Sonia Twigg

55 min: De Bruyne is taking off his tracksuits and getting ready to come on.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:45 , Sonia Twigg

53 min: Foden was brought down by Gueye and that will be the first yellow card of the game.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:43 , Sonia Twigg

52 min: There is a brief delay for an Everton injury and Foden receives instructions from Foden.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:40 , Sonia Twigg

49 min: Alvarez has tried his luck from distance, but it was well wide of the target.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:39 , Sonia Twigg

47 min: City are starting this half where they finished the first, an Everton defender is there to head the ball away from a dangerous Doku cross.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:37 , Sonia Twigg

46 min: Everton get the second half underway

HT: Man City 0-0 Everton

13:35 , Sonia Twigg

The teams are coming back out for the second half.

HT: Man City 0-0 Everton

13:32 , Sonia Twigg

HT: Man City 0-0 Everton

13:28 , Sonia Twigg

Here are some photos from the first half:

HT: Man City 0-0 Everton

13:20 , Sonia Twigg

Half Time: In the first half, Man City dominated possession and chances, but did not manage a single shot on target.

Foden and Nunes caused a lot of problems, but Everton were resolute and organised, making crucial blocks throughout the half to keep the home side at bay.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:16 , Sonia Twigg

44 min: Another City chance, again defended by Everton, how long can they survive this onslaught?

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:14 , Sonia Twigg

42 min: Nunes has the ballon the right, there are numbers in the box, but Everton have been defending well and they make another block to deny a cross.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:12 , Sonia Twigg

40 min: Everton just seem like they’re starting to grow into the game and string some passes together.

The first half an hour was all City, but the possession has just started to even out a bit.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:09 , Sonia Twigg

37 min: Everton have a chance!

Harrison has skewed his shot, but that was a good opportunity for the visitors. He brought it down in the box well but hit the ball completely from underneath.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:08 , Sonia Twigg

36 min: Pickford came off his line well to prevent a probing run from Matheus Nunes.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:07 , Sonia Twigg

35 min: Pressure is momentarily relieved when a free kick is awarded in Everton’s favour inside the box for a foul on Godfrey.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:04 , Sonia Twigg

32 min: Everton are keeping almost everyone back except the lone figure of Calvert-Lewin.

Everton are alert again, this time to block a shot from Foden.

Man City 0-0 Everton

13:02 , Sonia Twigg

30 min: Who is going to find the breakthrough in this match? The momentum has mostly been with City, but it will not be easy for them with Everton keeping their numbers back.

Another important block from Tarkowski prevents a cross from reaching Haaland.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:59 , Sonia Twigg

27 min: Haaland has a chance, but he was underneath the ball from Doku and the ball ballooned up over the bar.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:59 , Sonia Twigg

26 min: Everton have a set piece of their own, half their league goals this season have come from set pieces, but that effort was not controlled by Calvert Lewin and the goalkeeper was able to make the save.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:57 , Sonia Twigg

25 min: Doku had a great first touch to get away from Godfrey, but his final effort was blocked.

Everton are doing a lot of blocking of City shots.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:56 , Lawrence Ostlere

24 min: Given his recent form, Foden feels wasted on the right wing, shunted over there to make room for Alvarez and Nunes in the central spots behind Haaland. This time he crosses towards Nunes but it’s a touch overhit and is headed clear. City soon come again, though.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:54 , Lawrence Ostlere

21 min: Foden tries a shot cutting in from the right but that’s also blocked, which gives you an idea of how Everton are defending.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:52 , Lawrence Ostlere

18 min: As I write that, City make a good opportunity first through Alvarez on the left side of the box and then Doku in the same position, but both efforts are blocked. Jordan Pickford has not been required much so far.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:50 , Lawrence Ostlere

16 min: I will endeavour to dig out the actual figure, but I can’t imagine Erling Haaland has touched the ball more than two or three times in this match, so far. City have the ball but not in dangerous positions. Yet.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:46 , Lawrence Ostlere

13 min: What that pause in the game has achieved for Everton is just take the edge out of the stadium a little. The initial noise has dipped and it all feels a little flatter. City need to find a way to bring back the energy.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:44 , Lawrence Ostlere

11 min: After a bit of treatment, Ederson is OK to continue. There will be a fair few minutes added on at the end of this half for that stoppage.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:42 , Lawrence Ostlere

8 min: A pause in play after a clash in the City box between Ederson and Everton defender Ben Godfrey. Godfrey went into the challenge fully committed and the City keeper seems to be injured.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:39 , Lawrence Ostlere

5 min: City are patiently probing, and Everton are defending with occasional shows of aggression. This time it’s Tarkowski who clatters through the back of Alvarez on the halfway line, conceding a foul. A moment later Everton pinch the ball and switch it to the left for McNeil, who crosses, and City clear. Brighter by Everton, that.

Man City 0-0 Everton

12:35 , Lawrence Ostlere

2 min: There’s the first sign of Jeremy Doku’s electric pace, as he dribbles into the Everton box and forces a corner from a nothing position. The corner is well defended by Everton, but just how early they are on the back foot here is pretty ominious for the rest of their afternoon.

Kick-off! Man City v Everton

12:33 , Lawrence Ostlere

And we’re off! Manchester City have immediately taken ownership of the football.

Man City v Everton

12:31 , Lawrence Ostlere

The players are out on the pitch at the Etihad Stadium. Sean Dyche has a rugby spot high up in the stands, looking over everything, due to his touchline ban today.

Man City v Everton line-ups

12:24 , Lawrence Ostlere

Five minutes until this Premier League weekend gets under way! Here’s a reminder of the two teams today:

Man City: Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Matheus Luiz, Rodri, Foden, Alvarez, Doku, Haaland.

Subs: Walker, Grealish, De Bruyne, Ortega, Bernardo Silva, Gvardiol, Bobb, Wright, Lewis.

Everton: Pickford, Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Young, Garner, Gueye, McNeil, Harrison, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Patterson, Keane, Onana, Virginia, Beto, Coleman, Chermiti, Hunt, Dobbin.

Referee: John Brooks (Leicestershire)

Pep Guardiola warns Man City ‘to be ready’ for lunchtime clash with Everton

12:15 , Sonia Twigg

Pep Guardiola has brushed off talk of his Manchester City side returning to the top of the Premier League as they prepare to host struggling Everton.

The champions can take over at the summit – for a few hours at least – if they beat the Toffees in their Saturday lunchtime encounter at the Etihad Stadium.

Yet after having difficulties against the Merseysiders in the past – Everton claimed a 1-1 draw in Manchester last season – the City manager is taking nothing for granted.

Pep Guardiola warns Man City ‘to be ready’ for lunchtime clash with Everton

Premier League managers respond to sin-bin proposals: ‘Not a fantastic idea’

12:00 , Sonia Twigg

More from the big story from Friday and sin bins:

Premier League managers have slammed propsoals to introduce blue cards and sin-bins into football.

Football’s lawmakers are determined to crack down on dissent towards referees by giving officials the power to send players to the technical area for 10 minutes - mirroring similar protocols that are used in rugby union and other sports.

However, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), have delayed publishing details of the trial until next month.

Premier League managers respond to sin-bin proposals: ‘Not a fantastic idea’

Ange Postecoglou warns sin bins would ‘destroy’ football

11:45 , Sonia Twigg

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has warned any proposal to introduce blue cards and sin bins will destroy football.

It was revealed on Thursday that a trial could commence soon where a blue card would be shown for dissent and professional fouls where the offenders would be sin binned for 10 minutes.

FIFA has since clarified the trial will not occur in elite football, while football’s lawmakers, the International Football Association Board, will not publish plans for the sin bin trial until next month.

However, Postecoglou was unequivocal in his belief it would be a wrong move.

Ange Postecoglou warns sin bins would ‘destroy’ football

Man City team news

11:35 , Sonia Twigg

Pep Guardiola made four changes from his City side that beat Brentford in the Premier League on Monday.

Matheus Nunes and Jeremy Doku come in for Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, with John Stones and Manuel Akanji replacing Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol in the defence.

Everton team news

11:34 , Sonia Twigg

Here is the Everton team news as Sean Dyche names an unchanged team from the 2-2 draw against Tottenham.

Everton XI: Pickford, Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Young, Gueye, Garner, McNeil, Harrison, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Joao Virginia, Patterson, Keane, Onana, Beto, Coleman, Chermiti, Hunt, Dobbin.

Manchester City team news

11:31 , Sonia Twigg

Here is the Manchester City squad:

XI | Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Dias (C), Ake, Rodrigo, Nunes, Foden, Alvarez, Doku, Haaland

SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Walker, Grealish, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Gvardiol, Bobb, Wright, Lewis

Manchester City vs Everton

11:25 , Sonia Twigg

The team news will be coming up shortly, will Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne both be starting against Everton?

Pep Guardiola ‘99.99’ per cent certain Man City repeat treble will not happen

11:15 , Sonia Twigg

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has dismissed talk of a repeat treble by saying he is “99.99” per cent certain it will not happen.

The champions are favourites to win a fourth Premier League title in succession and are also in strong contention to retain the Champions League and FA Cup.

Winning those trophies in back-to-back seasons would be unprecedented and therefore Guardiola, whose silverware haul in the past year also includes the European Super Cup and Club World Cup, feels it is unlikely.

Pep Guardiola ‘99.99’ per cent certain Man City repeat treble will not happen

Can Man City and Girona both play in the Champions League?

11:00 , Sonia Twigg

As Girona look to pull off one of the biggest upsets in modern football history, it is not just those in Spain who will be eagerly watching to see if the club can beat Real Madrid and Barcelona to the LaLiga title. One interested party will be Manchester City. As both clubs are part of the City Football Group, Girona winning LaLiga or even finishing in the top four in Spain could have significant implications on next season’s Champions League. If both Girona and Manchester City qualify, there is a chance that only one of them will be allowed to play, given Uefa rules around multi-club ownership models.

Can Man City and Girona both play in the Champions League?

Is Man City v Everton on TV? Kick off time, channel and how to watch Premier League fixture

10:45 , Sonia Twigg

Manchester City host Everton in the Premier League on Saturday, knowing that a win would briefly lift them to top of the table.

Liverpool do not play until 3pm on Saturday, and a win for Pep Guardiola’s side would see them move one point ahead of their north west rivals.

Concerningly for Everton, City are unbeaten in their last 13 matches against the Toffees, a record stretching back to a 4-0 defeat at Goodison Park in January 2017.

Is Man City v Everton on TV? Kick off time and how to watch Premier League fixture

Manchester City vs Everton

10:20 , Sonia Twigg

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the Premier League’s early Saturday kick off between Manchester City and Everton.

A win would see Manchester City move top of the table, at least until Liverpool’s 3pm match against Burnley.

Pep Guardiola warns Man City ‘to be ready’ for lunchtime clash with Everton

Friday 9 February 2024 17:16 , Jack Rathborn

Pep Guardiola has brushed off talk of his Manchester City side returning to the top of the Premier League as they prepare to host struggling Everton.

The champions can take over at the summit – for a few hours at least – if they beat the Toffees in their Saturday lunchtime encounter at the Etihad Stadium.

Yet after having difficulties against the Merseysiders in the past – Everton claimed a 1-1 draw in Manchester last season – the City manager is taking nothing for granted.

Guardiola said: “We have to continue like we have done for many years. I said when our results were not good that our level was more than decent, we were playing good.

Pep Guardiola warns Man City ‘to be ready’ for lunchtime clash with Everton