Everton 1-3 Manchester City: City come back from behind to defeat hosts and close gap to the top

Fresh off their triumph in the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, City returned to domestic action with a strong determination to revive their faltering defense of their Premier League title.

Their visit to an Everton side in good form posed a challenging task, but the away team quickly took control of the game. Julian Alvarez had a close-range effort denied by Jordan Pickford.

City continued to dominate the opening 15 minutes, but Pickford once again displayed his skills in the Everton goal, making a superb double save to deny Matheus Nunes and Phil Foden.

Despite facing an early onslaught from the visitors, Everton surprisingly took the lead against the run of play just before the half-hour mark. Dwight McNeil capitalized on a mistake from Rodri to set up Jack Harrison for a simple finish inside the six-yard box.

With the momentum on their side, the hosts came close to doubling their lead before halftime, but Ederson made an impressive reflex save to tip Harrison's powerful strike over the bar, keeping the deficit at just one goal.

The early stages of the second half mirrored the first, with City applying pressure and eventually finding an equalizer in the 53rd minute. Foden beat Pickford at his near post with a powerful 25-yard shot.

Boosted by the goal, the visitors came agonizingly close to completing their comeback just two minutes later, as Foden narrowly missed connecting with Alvarez's low cross.

Undeterred, City were presented with a golden opportunity to take the lead after the hour mark when Nathan Ake's goal-bound effort struck Amadou Onana's arm.

With Erling Haaland absent, Alvarez stepped up to take the penalty and confidently blasted it down the middle, securing his fifth Premier League goal of the season.

As time ticked into the final 20 minutes, Everton searched for a late response, but Bernardo Silva punished a misplaced pass from Pickford with a well-taken goal.