By Samuel A. December 28. 2023
Manchester City had to come from behind to beat Everton as the champions gear up to get back to looking to defend it for the third consecutive time, but received a huge injury blow as John Stones was forced off in the 43rd minute of City’s 3-1 comeback win at Everton after hurting his ankle. The England international slid in to block Everton striker Beto, who was offside but the flag had not gone up.
Asked how serious the injury was afterwards, Guardiola said: “It doesn’t look good, but we will see. It’s his ankle.” Stones has been plagued by injuries this season, as he missed the start of the season after picking up a hip problem and was making just his eighth Premier League appearance of the campaign.
In blustery conditions, Everton weathered an early storm from City as Jordan Pickford made crucial saves to twice thwart Julian Alvarez, as well a keeping out Jack Grealish’s poked effort at full stretch. The hosts took the lead with their first meaningful attack of the game when Jack Harrison slotted in from close range and he could have had a second against his former club but was denied by Ederson’s stunning save, but City responded like champions after the break through Phil Foden, who picked the ball up outside the area and smashed in a low finish past the reach of Pickford.
The visitors turned it around on 64 minutes courtesy of Julian Alvarez’s penalty after Amadou Onana handled in the box and Bernardo Silva curled into an open net after Pickford’s miscued clearance to leave Everton hovering just one point above the relegation zone. City’s winning margin would have been an even greater one, with Alvarez’s free kick from range brilliantly tipped over the bar by Pickford and Foden rattling the post in injury time.
After a run of one win in their past six games, this was a welcome victory for the visitors, but concerns remain in defence where they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight league games. Injuries are stacking up too, with Guardiola saying star duo Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne will be unavailable until sometime in January and John Stones limping off against his old club with a foot issue. Ruben Dias was also not in the squad vs Everton.
