Premier League – 33rd day: Manchester City snatches a precious success from Everton

Failing to fight for the title of Champion of England, Manchester City is ensuring its place in the Champions League for next season. On behalf of the 33rd day of the Premier League 2024-2025, the Citizens waited before bringing Everton to Liverpool (2-0). In an enclosure of Goodison Park close to the final closure at the end of this season, the Toffees have long resisted against the title holder. In the end, the third best defense in the championship fell in the last minutes on the achievements of Nico O'Reilly and Mateo Kovacic. Before a shock to play against Aston Villa next week, Pep Guardiola's men temporarily pass in fourth place, a point ahead of Nottingham Forest and a point behind Newcastle United, third.

It's a small step for the ordinary, but a big step for Manchester City in the Premier League. Before embarking on an intense week with the reception of Aston Villa then a trip to Nottingham for the Semi-final of the England Cup, the outgoing champion has just removed a good thorn in the race for qualification for the C1 2025-2026 campaign. With six points garnered in the last two days, the Skyblues do an excellent accounting operation and will approach the rest with less pressure on the shoulders. In the absence of Erling Haaland at the forefront of the Mancunian attack, this scenario is always good to take.

O'Reilly, two goals in two matches

However, everything was far from being won on the banks of the Mersey. Faced with a team from Everton invigorated by David Moyes and catchy in the image of his 14 draws made since the start of the championship, Manchester City dominated in the possession of the ball. However, that did not lead to a multitude of goal opportunities. If Matheus Nunes forced Jordan Pickford to a first parade (15th), James Talkowski found the Mancunian post on the first local opportunity (31st). Just before the break, Kevin de Bruyne obtained a chance to open the scoring, but his strike found the head of Jake O'Brien (43rd).

Upon returning from the locker room, City began to have to defend on attempts by the stirring Abdoulaye Doucouré (48th, 60th). Worse still: visitors only struck in the second period twenty minutes from the end of regulation time by Ilkay Gundogan (70th). Fortunately, the entries of Jérémy Doku and Kovacic brought more dynamism into the game of City. Consequently, Nunes overwhelmed to allow the young O'Reilly to mark closely (84th, 0-1). Finally unlocked, the meeting led to a second goal from Kovacic with … Doku on the initiative of the action (92nd, 0-2). City can now observe its competitors with more serenity.