Man City player ratings v Everton: One scores 8/10 but two earn 4/10 in 3-1 win - gallery

Manchester City returned to winning ways in the Premier League on Wednesday, courtesy of a 3-1 win over Everton.

But it was far from a straightforward affair in the world champions’ first match since returning from Saudi Arabia with a new addition to the club’s ever-expanding collection of silverware. City trailed at the break having failed to take advantage of early chances, but goals from Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez and Bernardo Silva in the second period ensured they closed the gap to leaders Liverpool.

City started the game in the ascendancy and created the game’s early openings in front of a surprisingly subdued Goodison crowd. Alvarez tested Jordan Pickford after just four minutes, with Foden’s follow-up blocked.

Matheus Nunes and Alvarez then shot straight at the Everton stopper, while the England no.1’s busy start to proceedings also saw him keep out an unorthodox toe-poke from Jack Grealish.

Offensively City looked slick, but they were less impressive at the other end, with Ederson and Manuel Akanji’s distribution playing the visitors into trouble. Everton made the most of City’s unusually slack passing on 29 minutes with Rodri, of all people, giving the ball away inside his own box. Dwight McNeil centred his cross and Jack Harrison, once on City’s books, tapped in the game’s opening goal.

Suddenly Goodison had woken up, and it took a full-length sprawl from Ederson to keep out another Harrison strike, while John Stones’ desperate tackle prevented Beto from having a one-on-one chance on goal. It was a costly bit of defending, with the ex-Everton man forced off soon after.

City offered little in the final 15 minutes of the first half and Rodri’s shot over from the edge of the box was the only chance of note. Pep Guardiola’s side were staring at one win in seven league matches at the break, but ensured that didn’t happen thanks to a quick start to the second period.

Foden kicked things off in spectacular fashion when he fired past Pickford with a rocket from around outside the area, his fifth league goal of the season. And soon it was 2-1 after Alvarez, starting up front in place of the injured Erling Haaland, netted from the spot. The decision to award the penalty was somewhat controversial with Nathan Ake’s shot inside the box striking the arm of Amadou Onana as he attempted to block the shot.

‘Champions of the world’ chanted the away fans, but the performance from City was well below that, as they ceded possession far too often compared to their impeccable standards. Dominic Calvert-Lewin should have made it 2-2 in the 75th minute, but he somehow missed the target from just a few yards out, after Harrison’s front-post cross picked him out.

It was an ill-tempered ending to proceedings, with even the benches involved in verbal exchanges, as Pep Guardiola acted as peace-keeper. But any hopes of a late comeback from the hosts were dashed when Pickford's flat kick out cannoned off Jarrad Branthwaite and fell invitingly at the feet of Silva, who curled the ball into the back of the net to secure three points in City's final away game of 2023.

Foden could have added two more late on when he shot from outside the area, once striking the post and forcing Pickford into a diving save in injury-time. Here's how we rated the City players...