Hopes were high going into the game after Tevez led the Blues out with the captain's armband after successful "clear the air" talks.
But on a freezing night, City were caught cold when slack defending allowed Tim Cahill to nod Everton into a fourth-minute lead. Leighton Baines then finished neatly to put the visitors two up.
The Blues dominated possession and had the numerical advantage when Everton had Victor Anichebe sent off on the hour. City eventually pulled one back after Phil Jagielka scored an own-goal.
However, there was to be no leveller and City's misery was compounded in the last minute of injury time when Kolo Toure was sent off for a second yellow card. Everton have now won five of the last six meetings between the teams.
Earlier, the news of Tevez’s u-turn, perfectly timed for City fans arriving at the stadium, spread a message of peace and goodwill to all as they rolled up, full of renewed hope and intent.
A choir was reminding us all that “A king is born today”, and they must have been tempted to make the “born” into “re-born”, such was the feeling of new vigour around Eastlands over the Tevez news.
The fact that the Argentinian ace would stay, and remain as captain, also meant the team had a more solid, lasting feel to it.
So it remained to be seen exactly what effect the reversal of Tevez’s decision would have. It certainly gave the fans a huge lift.
With Nigel de Jong suspended, James Milner stepped into the breach, while Roberto Mancini reinforced his great belief in Pablo Zabaleta by choosing him as his first choice right back.
With Micah Richards and Jerome Boateng on the bench, it was a clear message that the battle for places in the back four is nowhere near over, even though Mancini seemed set on a quartet of Boateng, Kolo Toure, Vincent Kompany and Aleks Kolarov a couple of weeks ago.
As if there were no bounds to the good news with which to warm the cockles of Blue hearts on an Arctic night, Mario Balotelli got in on the act.
He picked up the Golden Boy award, handed out annually by Italian newspaper Tuttosport to their choice as Europe’s best young player. It was an award which was beginning to look a little sick when the Italian limped off with 10 minutes to go after another unsatisfying performance.
He follows in illustrious footsteps – previous winners include Rafael van der Vaart, Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas.
So the game began amid unheralded optimism. Like the 1929-30 league campaign, when City were last top at Christmas, it did not last.
It was Everton who began brimming with attacking intent and invention, and who promptly moved ahead as Cahill punished the Blues at Eastlands for the third successive season.
Baines did the initial damage with a run down the left and cross which was retrieved by Seamus Coleman beyond the far post.
He clipped the ball back in and Cahill, marauding as ever, was totally unmarked to head home.
Boos
There were soon boos ringing around Eastlands, not because of the goal, but simply because the Blues had begun without any sense of urgency or vitality.
They almost lifted the mood when Yaya Toure’s lofted pass played in David Silva on the left, but his left-foot volley scorched into the side netting.
The frosty feeling in the crowd plummeted another couple of degrees when Zabaleta was off receiving stitches in a head wound after a clash of heads with Cahill.
Everton took full advantage, Victor Anichebe and Baines attacking stand-in right back James Milner. Anichebe crossed to Cahill and he simply teed the ball up for the inrushing Baines to curl a right-foot shot beyond Joe Hart.
City responded well, but they were faced with massed ranks of defenders and got no luck when Zabaleta’s shot hit the arm of Phil Neville in the area. The fact that the former United man had that arm stuck to his side counted in his favour, but it was a strong penalty shout.
Kolarov tried his luck with a 25-yard free kick which had Howard scrambling across to save, but with Silva and Yaya misfiring, Tevez crowded out and Balotelli missing, City’s first half response was not good enough.
Mancini responded at half time by bringing on Adam Johnson for the ineffective Milner with instant results as his first raid set up Kolarov for a powerful volley which Howard was forced to punch.
Hope was renewed on the hour when Anichebe, minutes after clattering into Hart, was similarly clumsy on Zabaleta and was shown a red card.
But even after that it was all a bit forced, although Barry – who did more than most – almost pulled one back, linking with Silva and volleying just over the bar.
Barry also slid a pass for Balotelli for a real chance, but the Italian slipped at the vital moment.
When the goal did come, there was an element of luck which was badly needed. Silva carved the opening with a smart pass, Johnson helped the ball on to Yaya Toure and his shot took a big deflection off Phil Jagielka.
City were in full cry for the equaliser after that, but when Balotelli hit the post and Howard somehow smothered Tevez’s follow-up shot, you began to feel it would not be their night.
That was certainly the case, as Tony Hibbert clearly handled Silva’s goalbound shot without penalty, and Tevez brought a great save from Howard in added time.
The frustration was too much to bear for Kolo Toure, sent off for two daft fouls in added time and he will now miss the Newcastle game.
Mancini has sorted out City’s away form, to the extent that they now have the best record on their travels in the Premier League.
Now he has to do something quickly about winning games at home if dreams of glory are not to fade and die.
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everton are the rubbish that the liverpool bin dippers put back in the bin, rough and dirty.
That was a game where a really poor team won. and the best by a mile lost.
I’ve got nothing else to say, Goodnight sleep tight and don’t let the bugs bite.
Oh Dear !
As Alan Hanson would say, "Sloppy Defending"
Well if it took us loosing to Everton to see the team finally turn the heat up and show a world class attacking performance then I'm actually OK with the loss. Fantastic performance, Mancini's team are finally showing what is possible and in team building timeframe it's taken Mancini a very short time to achieve such a fantastic transformation. BEST OF ALL THE CITY OF MANCHESTER GOT CARLOS TEVEZ FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!! Anyone slagging the team off for tonights performance need to buy a red scarf for Xmas and go move to Salford cause you'd be acting like a numpty Rag!
Really bad first goal ! Over the first half of the season city do not have a title winning mentallity & an acceptance to take second best .. that is the bottom line ..ctid
Its ironic, I wrote in the preview before the game that I hope K Toure stays awake and watches Cahill, bang there goes Cahill. That was a most inept display by Toure as I have from him since the early Hughes era. We need as a priority a top class centre half alongside Vincent in January. Toure after marking only space and losing the initial header waves his arms around blaming others, take responsibilty Kolo for your own errors, he was even part responsible for the second, turned his back on the shot, a no no that is taught to ten year olds, never turn your back.'How this guy has fooled top coaches who somehow think he is a good defender is beyond me, hes a luxury we cannot afford. To go two goals down to any team that early in a game is suicide and thats what it turned out to be. Unfortunate but self inflicted wounds.
Oh dear what rot! Time for Kolo Toure to review his position too. out of position too often. Why try to wallk the ball in? ok so Everton were negative. we got what we deserved we were 2nd to the ball too often. they tackled we stood off too often. we urgently need some speed along the wings - Johnson seems to be only hope - but he needs to start. I am hoarse from shouting at the tv Kolorov shoots well sometimes but he should lift the ball into the box not blast against a packed defence.
Nothing to say really.....
Everton 1 win in 8 games
Everton win at Eastlands for fourth year running (without the help of Micah Richards for a change)
Everton down to 10 men for the last 30 mins
Everton are like the guy in the gym who always gives you an extra 10 press ups when it looks like he has nothing left to give.... City are like the gym that gives in with more to give.... Hence why Everton score a lot of late goals and three years on City are still unable to score important match winning goals late in games.
Utterly Typical City at their sickening annoying best!
TOP OF THE LEAGUE...oh hang on. Sorry wrong page
So Everton have just won the Champios' League, the FA cup, The Premier League (and The Ashes) Well to judge from the players response at the final whistle, you'd think so. After a game where they had 4 shots to City's 25. Not to mention penalties not given.
What was wrong with Kolo Toure and Vinny tonight. They were both awful.
Tevez did not look sharp at all. Might I recommend doing some training like every other team instead of going to Tenerife for a few days.
Well i can give you 10 reasons why typical city lost that match.
1 Live on sky
2 We beat the weather
3 We were unbeaten in 8
4 They hadn't won in 8
5 Tim Cahill was playing
6 We could have gone top
7 We hadn't conceeded at home for ages
8 They hadn't won away for ages
9 Carlos Teves came off the transfer list
10 The referee was Mr Walton
Very frustrating evening but that's what we always get against everton. If we played another 90 minutes we would have still lost. Anyway that's the bogey team out of the way, let's go for the title now.
Sign Tim Cahill.
Whether we play him or not I care not. Just sign him
Explain to me again how you maintain the same defensive line up when you are two down and then you persist with it when they lose a man. Surely a back line of three can handle one striker with his 10 team mates packing the 18 yard line. Time for changes with all that so called expensive talent blowing a game like that.
we need to convert chances into goals. how many shots on goal have we had this season, surley more than any other premiership team. about 30 tonight and only one is converted, and deflected too!!
That seemed to go quite well. For United.
Classical City match. Typical City result. Third in the league. Third rate goal difference. Played two more games than Manchester United and they top of the league!
We will not win anything again this year. I'd rather support the best team in the league, Man Utd, than this overpaid, overrated bunch of no marks!
I am very disapointed typicult City we had the chance to go top and we blow it but we should of at least got a draw out of the game we had so many chances Joe hart did not even had to make a save.why the hell did Tim Howard was not booked wasting time so many times near the end and how on earth we did not get a least 1 penalty.Peter Walton had a bad game this evening.This premier league is so tight this season anyone can beat anybody in this league cant be to doom accept we lost to Everton again but we 3rd in the league at christmas 2 points behind the leaders at christmas so cant be to disapointed keep faith.
CTID
We've got all the gear and no idea! As soon as it was mentioned we could top the league for xmas it was to much to ask for a win. Not much point having 20+ shots at goal when we still get beat. Everton were rubbish and walked away laughing with three points! my crappy day just got worse! Any chance we had of winning the league has gone and the teams around us now have games in hand! Well done City merry christmas!!
There are 2 managers who absolutely get up my nose; the rednose one and his poodle-Moyes. Once again, Moyes comes to COMS and put 10 men behind the ball. Tim Howard always have a good game against and again so tonight. We had 15 shots on goal to there 3; 10 corners to zero and 60% possession.
I am gutted and this result is just a temporarily setback. We are still in the top4. For some reason Everton have played well at COMS the last 3-4 years, and have being our bogey team of late. Let's keep the faith. City Forever!
utter compacent failure
I really cannot believe how bad Toure performed at the back, gave both goals away, why he wasnt subbed I dont know, who could have done any worse than that? The good news is that maybe Lescott will get a game or maybe Richards as Toure is so stupid he gets sent off for a careless tackle in injury time. Pity you cannot get a tackle in the penalty are Kolo!
This was a poor performance. Defensively a shambles in the first quarter of an hour and offensively still having problems carving out real chances against teams which park the bus. But what an odious bunch Everton are - the most unpleasant manager in football (except one, perhaps) and he's stamped his personality on the team. Time wasting from the 8th minute on, Fellaini leading with his studs and elbow every time as a matter of course, Osman going in all studs showing on three occasions, cynical challenges all over the place. But the dud of the night prize has to go to the ref, who must be totally blind or a rabid anti-City Evertonian. I don't like losing, but I'll give credit to any side which beats us fair and square. But this Everton side was a disgrace. Balotelli looks to have a problem after Howard prevented him scoring with a feet first, studs showing lunge as Balotelli lobbed and hit the post and was then taken our by a barge in the back as he went for the rebound. It's a long time since I've seen a side as nastilly cynical as that crew - and for the ref to do nothing about the time wasting and only add four minutes of stoppage time (just for injuries and stoppages we totalled 8 - in the second half alone!) was typical of his performance. If he'd refereed a United game like that he would never have officiated again. But then again this ref proved that cheats do prosper.
Well we all saw it coming..and it did. Just when we thought it wasn't going to be typical City...... Punished heavily for a sloppy start we always looked to be struggling to break Everton down. Lost count of the number of pen claims for hand ball. The Rags would have had at least 3 at OT but we still don't get the breaks when we need them. Really disappointed but a long way to go. Barry's best game in a blue shirt this season.
why am i not supprised