Manchester City made it five Premier League games unbeaten yesterday, as Pep Guardiola’s men secured a 2-0 triumph over Everton at the Etihad.
The result keeps the Citizens just a couple of points off current leaders Arsenal, even moving ahead of Liverpool ahead of their clash with Manchester United tomorrow.
However, it was yet another superb showing in England’s top-flight, with Guardiola’s men limiting the opposition to minimal chances whilst taking advantage of the ones that fell their way.
Stats such as 71% possession with seven shots on target further highlight the dominance in the North West – something which has been extremely common during the manager’s tenure.
He will certainly have one player to thank for the success against the Toffees, with his performance against David Moyes’ men nothing short of breathtaking.
Erling Haaland’s excellence against Everton
When you think of a clinical goalscorer, the first name that springs to mind is Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian taking his career to new heights after joining Man City in 2022.
He’s now featured 155 times for the Citizens, scoring a staggering 136 times – subsequently adding multiple to his tally during the win at the Etihad yesterday.
The 25-year-old netted his two efforts within just five second-half minutes – taking his tally to 11 despite featuring in just eight league outings throughout 2025/26.
He was also the most fouled player on the pitch during the triumph, whilst also registering 38% of his entire touches in the game within the opposition box.
Haaland also won 75% of the ground duels he entered, along with a staggering four shots on target – once again being Guardiola’s most threatening option in attacking areas.
Despite the showing of the centre-forward, one other first-team member showcased his worth and is rapidly becoming as undroppable as the City talisman.
The City star who’s becoming as undroppable as Haaland
After missing out on the Premier League title last season, Guardiola and City dipped into the transfer market to try and bolster numerous key areas of the squad.
The goalkeeping department has had a huge overhaul in recent times, with James Trafford and Gianluigi Donnarumma both making the move to the Etihad, with Ederson moving on to join Galatasaray.
The latter of the new duo has cemented his place within the starting eleven, already keeping three clean sheets within his first five league outings for the Citizens.
However, it wasn’t the only area of the pitch that was bolstered, with the hierarchy spending big money on Tijjani Reijnders from Serie A side AC Milan.
The Dutchman made an immediate impact on his debut, registering a goal and an assist in the 4-0 battering of Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.
He’s since started every game for the club in the Premier League, with his showing against the Toffees evidence of the quality that he possesses in the middle of the park.
The 27-year-old may have been unable to register a goal or an assist, but his underlying stats from the victory are evidence of the star quality he has in his arsenal.
Minutes played
59
Touches
41
Passes completed
93%
Dribbles completed
100%
Tackles won
100%
Recoveries made
1
Ground duels won
3
Chances created
2
Reijnders may have only featured for 59 minutes at the Etihad, but he still managed to thrive at both ends of the pitch – undoubtedly playing a key role in the triumph.
He completed 93% of the passes he attempted, whilst also achieving a 100% dribble success rate – highlighting the threat he posed when having the ball at his feet.
However, without the ball, the Dutch star also managed to thrive, as seen by his superb tallies of 100% tackles won, one recovery made and three ground duels won.
Other stats, such as two chances created and 100% long balls completed, further showcase his all-round quality – which is rapidly making him one of the club’s most crucial players.
As a result of his performance, Reijnders was handed an impressive 7/10 match rating by One Football – further highlighting his superb showing at the Etihad.
After such a showing, Guardiola simply can’t drop the midfielder from his starting eleven, with his addition already looking like an excellent one just eight games into the campaign.
There’s little disputing that Haaland is the club’s most important player at present, but there’s no reason why Reijnders can’t join him in such a category in the months or years ahead.