The problem was that Everton, as always, were dogged and determined opponents, prepared to spoil and scrap their way to a point, in the hopes of snatching all three.
Going into the game, the usual noises were emanating from the Everton camp, about how money can’t buy you team spirit, how the Toffees are driven by their desire to prove a point to the minted Mancs, and how they feel City are afraid of the bogeymen.
All nonsense, of course, but nonsense that needed putting to bed.
City did just that, and the manner in which they did so should be every bit as heartening to Roberto Mancini and the fans as the devastating football they played at Tottenham, or the clinical dominance of Wigan.
Against a team which packed two banks of four players between the Blues and their own goal, and at times had all 11 in their own third of the pitch, free-flowing football was always going to be at a premium.
And when David Moyes identified David Silva as the maestro of the City orchestra, and ordered Jack Rodwell to give him his muscular attention, it was clear this would be a long afternoon, with patience required.
But win they did, to make it eight straight victories at home – impregnability at home is another feature of teams that bring home the silver.
The most pleasing aspect of the win was the fact that Mancini spotted the possibilities of changing the whole dynamic of the game by introducing Mario Balotelli.
The normal course of events would have seen Carlos Tevez trotted off the bench to add his brand of scurrying menace to a penalty area thick with bodies and devoid of space.
Hindsight suggests that Tevez, not fully fit and well below par so far this season, might have just ended up running down blind alleys, and City’s conundrum would remain unsolved.
Balotelli, in concert with the irrepressible Silva and the ever-optimistic Sergio Aguero, simply tore up the Everton script. The young Italian has the strength and close control to operate in tight spaces, and his prodigious shooting ability is always liable to win games.
Silva, despite being kicked and buffeted at every turn by Rodwell, continued to exert an influence, finding half a yard of space and only needing one touch to control and pass, and keep the attacks going.
He also drifted left, right and deep, dragging Rodwell with him to create spaces for others, and testing the youngster’s stamina and concentration.
It was just as well that Silva can perform under such attention, and with such expectation on his shoulders, as Samir Nasri was peripheral and Edin Dzeko was not as influential as he has been so far this season.
When it boils down to it, City’s two undisputed world-class stars were the men who unhinged Everton, Aguero and Silva attracting Everton players like bees around honey, and freeing others to do the damage.
Aguero was first to find a crack, setting off on a swerving, sliding run across the face of the Everton edifice. When three defenders recognised his threat and converged, he simply slipped the ball back for Balotelli, who could see an expanse of goal.
He needs no second invitation, and the side-footed shot took a slight deflection but still fizzed past Tim Howard.
The 20-year-old has developed a reputation as the most under-stated goal celebrator on the planet – in fact, he borders on miserable, sees the act of putting the ball in the net as little more than a brickie sees the laying of another trowel of mortar.
He ran to halfway to hug Mancini and break into a grin, simultaneously showing his belief in a manager who hasn’t been picking him, and hinting that perhaps the sullen teenage sulks are giving way to a more mature embracement of life.
Balotelli continued to have an impact, setting up the liberated Silva to hit a post, and then teeing him up for an offside goal.
With their wall breached, Everton were done. They had posed little threat to Joe Hart, and their unconvincing attempts to haul the goal back simply meant Silva and Co found more space in which to operate.
The little Spaniard darted in to steal the ball on halfway, but was surrounded by the enemy and with no obvious solution. He simply danced and waited for James Milner, another inspired Mancini substitution, to power forward, and then delivered a stinging pass for the England star to despatch and settle the issue.
Mancini has made it plain that, at this moment, Tevez – iconic hero of the last two seasons – is currently fourth choice behind Dzeko’s goalscoring excellence, Aguero’s clinical genius and Balotelli’s power and precision.
What happens next is down to the player himself. He has the talent to play a full and effective part in an exciting season – in fact, he could be the difference between title glory and near-miss.
Dropped by his country and his club, Tevez is in danger of spoiling his legacy, which should see him as a world-class star.
There will be no more bending over for him.
Victory not only exorcised the ghosts, it also meant the Blues have now won 12 and drawn one of their last 13 home games.
That kind of home form is another requisite of title winners.
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Moyes needs to grow a pair, become a man, and stop whining about his paranoid fantasies. What an utterly disgusting tiny boy he is. Cahill attempted yet another nasty little cheap shot tackle, VK saw it coming and got out of the way, and little Timmy wound up doing himself. I couldn't be more pleased...!!
I would suggest that we kick one of their flair players off the pitch in the return fixture, but after selling Arteta, they no longer have any. They have a marginally insolvent club, very tired whiny weasel manager, a skeletal squad, and a Chairman who is so desperate to sell the club on to a rich owner (eat your hearts out, Toffees), he will probably soon be flagging down vehicles from street corners while wearing a negligee. They'll be relegated before they're sold on to a well-heeled new owner, and that would serve them right.
Absolutely true, shouldn't have bogey teams, especially at home.
Having said that Everton were a disgrace, Moyes was trying to make excuses for the way they set up after the game by blaming lack of certain personnel giving him no choice. The true facts are that is precisely how they set their stall out on all previous visits as mentoined, regardless of personnel. Harrying, kicking, obstructing, and time wasting.They are the spoiling kings of the premiership, with an attitude as miserable and sour as their Managers face.
Fortunately, City worked their way through it this time, and put them in their place, and all credit to them, this is a trait that needs to be honed even finer to cope with teams of this type. However, I cannot help thinking that we sometimes lack the personnel to attack teams of this nature with real old-style natural wingers who have pace and the ability to ghost and dribble past past 2 or 3 defenders at a time, we were far too narrow, and contributed to our own difficulties, what was wrong with Johnsone to not even be on the bench, was he injured?
ps
Pleased to see Jamie Redknapp's balanced view of the Kompany/Cahill incident unlike that great City detractor Alan Hansen's version. Hansen said Kompany was a disgrace, and hurt Cahill, and thought the FA should look at it, sounded like if he had his way Kompany would be hanged at Strangeways next Wednesday morning.
Redknapp on the other hand said Cahill was clearly looking to "do" Kompany, and Vincent did the professional thing and left his leg in, hurt or be hurt in other words, and he didn't have a problem with it, he didn't say as much, but Cahill got what he deserved.
All good stuff, never mentioned (them).
Don't write tevez off just yet. He was the best striker in the premiership last season and may well be our first choice striker come the end of the season.
Everton didn't do anything we didn't do at Arsenal and Spurs last year.
No problems with that.
But very heartened by the City response. We needed to show the same patience with Napoli (admittedly a better side than Everton). Top, top teams know that 0-0 after an hour is OK. they believe in the way they play and keep going.
Add to that the growing belief that in Bobby ManC we finally have a manager who can change the course of a game and it's looking rosy.
Everton came to spoil and defend, kicking man rather than ball if and when necessary. Had any team played in the way Everton did against any other team than City, Hansen would have been outraged, the press would have gone on a witch hunt and world war three would have broken out by 3.00pm on Saturday. But our indignation at, and the press's favourable reaction to, Moyes's tactics has obscured some really important truths, especially what Moyes's true purpose was. His full comments after the match have not been reported and ignored. What he actually said was that he'd seen teams come to the Etihad and concede 4 or 5, he wasn't going to see that happen to Everton and he set his team up accordingly. No wonder Everton never looked as though they had a goal in them! Our "bogey team" giving up all hope of a victory - even before the kick off! All eleven men behind the ball much of the time! But City kept plugging away, never allowed themselves to get frustrated, kept playing the game without letting it descend to the bad-tempered brawl which would have guranteed Everton a point. The carping from Merseyside and rags that you spend £140 million and still have to rely on a deflection to get a goal against a side which has spent nothing for three years misses the point. Silva wasn't marked out of the game, we kept playing the football we believe will work and we won. Saturday was a triumph of out growing self belief and psychological strength - and Moyes had better think of some new tactics for the return!
A word in praise of James Milner. Where did he come from for the second goal! On Saturday he just seemed to come out of nowhere and I have just had repeated viewings ofthe goal on the City website - he appears like an express train so late it defies belief. Which also makes you wonder how Silva could play such an inch perfect through ball to him. Brilliant by both! Thanks lads.
Excellent analysis of what was a very satisfying victory. Had Everton's ploy worked, it would have provided a blueprint for teams looking to stifle us for a share of the spoils. Silva's unflappability, City's patient determination and Mancini's wise substitutions put paid to this, and have laid down another a marker in City's quest to be champions come the end of the season.
Some of the press (& interviews) post game have been laughable. Apparently a performance that would have been seen as patient, professional, overcoming a team determined not to lose (by any means) and the sign of title challengers by any of the other top teams....was poor, lacklustre, lacking innovation, cynical (VK targetted Cahill in his attempt to avoid assault for God's sake!) and a sign we're not good enough to win the title! We did what we had to do against any team that 'parks the bus' and uses endless (truly cynical) time wasting and fouling tactics. The crowd stayed relatively patient (as we'll have to) and we got three points before the trip to Munich......well done all! Ps: Moyes is more comical than his erstwhile dad at OT these days
I wet over to listen to the post-match analysis on the Liverpool Daily Post, to see what the scousers made of the match. They accuse Webb of arrogance and "making it difficult for Everton to stick to their gameplan." I thought it was one of the pluses to Webb's performance that he made it difficult to carry out this gameplan. Moyes had come up with a classic example of "los bastardos" football. This is a tactical approach based on "nullyfying" the opposition's most creative player - David silva. A marker, Jack Rodwell, is assigned to Silva, and whenever the opportunity presents itself Rodwell is to give Silva the clattering of his life. Eventually the ref tires of this and Rodwell gets a booking. Here the true tactical advance introduced by "los bastardos" football comes in - the application of teamwork to cheating. Rodwell takes a well earned breather and the role of clogger in chief passes to none other than Phil Neville. Webb ruins the party by booking Neville as well - and lays himself open to charges that he he's been card happy (in the words of the Everton OS "like Mancini waving Sheikh Mansour's visa around"!) being too quick to book an inexperienced youngster and an exemplary player, just because he's an ex-red, playing in front of a baying mob. Inevitably, in the face of such bias, the heroes prove they have feet made of toffee and are undone by a wicked deflection. Thank you, Mr Moyes - but I don't think anyone has ever accused Everton of trying to be an entertaining side.
What on earth was Moyes on about in his statement to sky re the 'nasty tackle from VK on Cahill'? Has he viewed the replays on the supposed incident? Very much doubt it. I was there and i saw Cahill attempt a two footed sliding tackle which should have had HIM sent off! The slow motion replays confirmed this too. VK actually tried to get out of the way and Cahill came off worse, poetic justice some might say. After listening to Moyes castigate the officials , the only recourse he had after playing his 11-0-0 formation and getting played off the park, with his whining Scottish voice it just reminded me of someone else in football management.......................
Some of the City support are beginning to spout more crap than your average Kopite..
Sorry we didn't roll over and die for you.. .. You had all the help you could possibly need, ..Howard Webb played a blinder for you..
David Silva certainly is a great player...but theres more than a little "Con artist" in his make up..and he undoubtablly needs reinforced shorts going by the amount of time he's on his arse during a game... And yes, Tim Cahill was reckless, and was deservedly booked...Kompany got off scot free for a delibrate stamp..he should have gone.for red.
Of course some of you won't be able to admit this, as you're City Blind...not a bad thing to be loyal...But to claim Everton are a dirty side, based on frustration over us consistently beating you home and away for the last few seasons, and for making it difficult for you to win in this one. and also claiming to be glad Cahill ended up injured after Kompanys assault ..Is Gobshitery of the highest order....I used to have quite a soft spot for City... but until more of your supporters learn to win with a modicum of graciousness and class, instead of spout irrational bile, i shall hope EVERY team attempts to kick you off the park...Starting with Bayern Munich...
What makes Silva so special is that, in addition to his vision, timing, the weight of his passes etc. is his ability to muscle his way through the attention of the cloggers even though he is "slight" in build. A rare gift indeed!
Best player I have seen in a City shirt except perhaps Denis Law/Colin Bell.....but given a season or more - who knows??