Manchester City had kept just 1 clean sheet in their last 17 Premier League games against Everton, but they stayed defensively solid at the Etihad to pick up a vital 1-0 win to close the gap on Chelsea to three points.
City had Yaya Toure to thank for converting a 24th-minute penalty that separated the teams, in a game which was marked by a worrying early injury to Sergio Aguero, who limped off injured and now looks likely to miss City's crucial Champions League game against Roma in midweek.
Everton offered little in the first half, failing to register a shot on target until the 54th minute, and while City were not on electric form in Aguero's absence, the champions did enough to pick up all three points and send a message to Chelsea that the fight for the title is far from over.
- Yaya Toure has scored all 7 of his penalties in the Premier League. Toure has now scored in 3 of his last 4 Premier League appearances for Man City.
- Everton’s starting XI had an average age of 30 years, 115 days in this game – the oldest seen in the Premier League so far in 2014/15.
- Gareth Barry was given his 99th yellow card in the Premier League in this game – only Kevin Davies and Lee Bowyer have been given as many in the competition.
- Roberto Martinez has faced Manchester City 11 times in the Premier League as a manager, and never been on the winning side (D1 L10).
- The Citizens are the side Martinez has faced the most in the Premier League history without winning (11).
- Manchester City have beaten Everton in 3 consecutive Premier League games for the first time.
- The Toffees took 54 minutes to register a shot on target, their longest wait in a Premier League games this season.
- This was Manchester City's second clean sheet in their last 17 Premier League encounters with Everton.
- It is the first time Everton have failed to score in an away Premier League game since April (vs Sunderland).
Analyse Man City 1-0 Everton with Stats Zone
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