Man City v Everton player ratings: Dias 7, Haaland 8; Gueye 7, Calvert-Lewin 6

Haaland shoots down stubborn Toffees with his first Premier League goals since return from injury

Ederson 6/10

CITY RATINGS. Made a meal of first-half injury after challenge with Godfrey. Otherwise a quiet day. AP

John Stones 6/10

City will be delighted to have him over his recent injury problems. Defensively responsible and some ambitious passing. AP

Ruben Dias 7/10

Guilty of being too eager to have a fight with Calvert-Lewin at times. Won key header in prelude to Haaland's breakthrough. AP

Manuel Akanji 6/10

Defensively solid and neat and tidy but guilty of slowing the play down when involved in build-up. Not a huge shock to see him sacrificed for De Bruyne before the hour. Getty Images

Nathan Ake 7/10

Dutchman is having a good season and was arguably the pick of City's defenders. AP

Rodri 7/10

Solid as per usual but distribution was too prosaic early on. City looked more dangerous when he played direct and early into wide men. Getty Images

Matheus Nunes 5/10

Still finding his feet at the club with his opportunities limited. Did little here to suggest he will be a regular in the near future. AP

Phil Foden 6/10

Peripheral when out on the right with the ball mostly being to fed to Doku on the other flank. Dangerous when coming inside and getting involved. AP

Julian Alvarez 5/10

Butchered chance to find Haaland after rare Tarkowski error before half-time. PA

Jeremy Doku 6/10

Saw plenty of the ball but with Godfrey and Young doubling up his impact was limited. AP

Erling Haaland 8/10

Anonymous first half with Everton compact and City struggling to create. Smashed home the breakthrough when chance fell his way, muscular second made game safe. PA

Kyle Walker 7/10

CITY SUBS. (On for Nunes, 57'): Added that extra width on the right. His cross led to series of corners where City made the breakthrough. PA

Kevin De Bruyne 7/10

(On for Akanji, 57'): Would improve any side so no surprise to see him change the game and create the second. Silva (for Alvarez, 78'): N/A; Grealish (for Doku, 87'). Getty Images

Jordan Pickford 6/10

EVERTON RATINGS. Some smart distribution, blameless for the goals. Reuters

Ben Godfrey 7/10

Dealt admirably with the tricky Doku until being forced off with injury. Getty Images

James Tarkowski 7/10

Really determined display from the Everton skipper with several vital blocks and clearances. Getty Images

Jarrad Branthwaite 6/10

Had a good game, blocking and clearing everything but will be disappointed to have been outmuscled by Haaland for 2-0. PA

Vitaliy Mykolenko 6/10

Ukrainian defender had a solid game with City mostly choosing to attack down the opposite flank. AFP

Ashley Young 6/10

Started on the right of midfield but role was chiefly about helping deal with the lively Doku. Getty Images

James Garner 6/10

Never stopped running and denying the home side space to operate. Getty Images

Idrissa Gueye 7/10

Key component of the gameplan that frustrated City for so long. Broke up play and pressed tirelessly. AP

Dwight McNeil 6/10

Worked hard with Mykolenko to shut down City's right side. Didn't offer much going forward. Overhit early crossing opportunity with Calvert-Lewin lurking. Getty Images

Jack Harrison 7/10

Worked his socks off behind Calvert Lewin with some intelligent pressing helping them win the ball back high up. Getty Images

Dominic Calvert-Lewin 6/10

Put in a shift as the visitors' lone striker but could have looked after the ball better and made some poor decisions. AP

Seamus Coleman 6/10

EVERTON SUBS. (On for Godfrey, 56'): Picked up where Godfrey left off in the battle with Doku on the flank. Beto (on for Calvert-Lewin, 78'): N/A; Onana (on for Young, 78'): N/A; Chermiti (on for Gueye, 89'): N/A; Dobbin (on for McNeil, 89'). ReutersShow less

Erling Haaland scored his first goals since November as Manchester City broke down Everton's stern resistance to earn a 2-0 win at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The Norwegian is back in the City team after a spell on the sidelines with a foot injury, and made the difference as the relegation-threatened visitors made life difficult for last season's treble winners.

Everton manager Sean Dyche was forced to watch from the stands because of a touchline ban and he will have been impressed with their compact and determined first-half display.

However, Dyche would have been less pleased to concede from a set-piece as City made the breakthrough. Everton's players weren't happy with the award of the corner on 71 minutes with them feeling it had been headed behind by Ruben Dias.

And when the cross came back in it was the Portuguese defender who won the first header and the loose ball ricocheted into the path of Haaland who smashed it home from close range.

The goal deflated the visitors and it was 2-0 when Haaland claimed a trademark second. There was nothing intricate about it as he barreled through the middle of the Everton defence and his strength and pace helped him shrug off Jarrad Branthwaite to slot home and make the points safe.

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