Erling Haaland has continued his remarkable scoring streak after netting a brace to help Manchester City securing a 2-0 Premier League win over Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Citizens and the Toffees played frantically at times during a frustrating first 45 for both teams and mistakes resulted in some decent chances to open the scoring.
Guardiola’s side rattled the woodwork and came close on numerous occasions, but the best first-half chance fell to Everton striker Beto, who will be kicking himself for not converting from close range early doors.
Just as Pep Guardiola’s men were looking limp and Everton were growing in confidence after the break, Haaland - who else - came to the rescue and scored two goals in five minutes to put the Citizens in control.
Everton had no response and victory for Man City has seen them leapfrog Arsenal to the Premier League summit on goal difference, but the Gunners merely need to draw away against Fulham in the 5:30pm kickoff to reclaim top spot.
As for David Moyes’s side, they have suffered their third away defeat in four Premier League matches this term and have slipped to 10th in the top-flight standings, four points behind rivals Liverpool in third place.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates with Nico O'Reilly on October 18, 2025
Oliver Thomas live from the Etihad Stadium
Where would Man City be this season without the goals of Erling Haaland?
The Citizens have scored a Premier League-high 17 goals so far this season and Haaland has netted 11 of those, sitting five clear of his nearest challenger - Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo (six) - at the top of the scoring charts.
Haaland is the only player in Premier League history to reach 10+ goals in a team’s first eight matches of a season, and he has remarkably achieved this on three occasions in his four seasons at the Etihad, previously scoring 10 goals after seven matches in the 2024-25 campaign and 11 goals in his debut season in 2022-23.
The 25-year-old seems to be as motivated as ever to fire Man City back to the summit of English and European football, and if he can stay fit throughout this campaign, who is to say that Guardiola’s men will not be there or thereabouts competing on all fronts?
While Man City’s possess one of the world’s most prolific strikers, Everton have lacked one of those for some time, with both Beto and Thierno Barry yet to show signs that they have what it takes to perform at the required level under Moyes.
Barry was poor against Crystal Palace before the international break and he failed to make an impact of the bench this afternoon, while Beto wasted the couple of chances he was presented with in the final third.
Between them, they have scored just two goals in 10 games this season (Beto - two, Barry - zero) and that needs to change if Everton are to take the next step and consolidate their position in the top half of the table.
MAN CITY VS. EVERTON HIGHLIGHTS
Everton's Beto in action on October 18, 2025
Chance for Beto! (14th min: Man City 0-0 Everton)
A huge let off for Man City!
Iliman Ndiaye is sharp to pounce on a mis-placed pass from Nathan Ake, and the Everton attacker drives forward before picking out Beto with a low, inch-perfect cross inside the box. The goal is wide open, but Beto can only direct his effort with his outstretched leg wide of the post.
Man City hit the woodwork! (24th min: Man City 0-0 Everton)
Foden whips a corner dangerously towards Haaland, but the ball smacks off the head of Jake O’Brien and hits the crossbar before it is cleared away from danger.
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates on September 14, 2025
Erling Haaland goal vs. Everton (58th min, Man City 1-0 Everton)
Who else?
Everton are caught napping at the back and Nico O’Reilly makes a brilliant run down the left flank before chipping a cross into the penalty box for Haaland, whose header is too powerful for Pickford to keep out.
Erling Haaland goal vs. Everton (63rd min, Man City 2-0 Everton)
Haaland cannot stop scoring!
Savinho moves over to the left flank and smartly pulls the ball back to Haaland on the edge of the area. The Norwegian strikes low with his favoured left foot and the Etihad erupts as the ball fizzes under Pickford’s body and into the net.
MAN OF THE MATCH - ERLING HAALAND
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates on August 16, 2025
Iliman Ndiaye deserves a special mention as he was exceptional for Everton at both ends of the pitch, particularly in the first half, but it is difficult to ignore the game-changing contributions of Man City's talismanic striker Haaland, who stepped up when it mattered and delivered the good for Guardiola's side yet again.
Clinical is the perfect word to describe Haaland’s performance against the Toffees. He could, and possibly should, have completed his hat-trick in the closing stages, but City ultimately did enough to claim all three points, and it was all thanks to the Premier League’s most in-form player - and probably the most in-form player on the planet.
MAN CITY VS. EVERTON MATCH STATS
Possession: Man City 71%-29% Everton
Shots: Man City 19-5 Everton
Shots on target: Man City 7-1 Everton
Corners: Man City 11-3 Everton
Fouls: Man City 8-14 Everton
BEST STATS
Erling Haaland has scored in each of his last 11 games for club and country.
⚽ vs. Brighton
⚽ vs. Finland
⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽ vs. Moldova
⚽⚽ vs. Man Utd
⚽ vs. Napoli
⚽ vs. Arsenal
⚽⚽ vs. Burnley
⚽⚽ vs. Monaco
⚽ vs. Brentford
⚽⚽⚽vs. Israel
⚽⚽ vs. Everton… https://t.co/DJuUi4c7cV
— Squawka (@Squawka) October 18, 2025
WHAT NEXT?
Man City will now turn their attention to the Champions League and will travel to Spain to take on Villarreal on matchday three of the League Phase on Tuesday night.
As for Everton, they are next in Premier League action on October 26 when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
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