Striking power the difference in an initially close game | OneFootball

It was always going to be a difficult ask of David Moyes’s Everton to come away from a visit to the Etihad Stadium with a result.

​However, the Toffees enjoyed a strong first-half performance, limiting the opposition to just three shots on target and creating several good chances of their own.

​Despite the hundreds of millions of pounds of talent on show for Manchester City, the best player on the pitch in the first half wore black.

​It was Iliman Ndiaye who, in the absence of Jack Grealish, put in an outstanding performance for Everton in the first half.

​His defensive work was first-rate, chipping in with 15 defensive contributions, more than any other player in the match, often defending against tricky Jeremy Doku like a seasoned full-back.

​His ability to dribble Everton out of their own half and get them on the attack singlehandedly relieved pressure off the Everton defence on several occasions.

​Everton’s three real chances in the first half, and ultimately the game, came from Ndiaye’s positive front-foot play.

​But his two best creative contributions, a cross and a through ball into Beto, resulted in efforts wide of the post.

​In the 14th minute, Ndiaye made a brilliant run down the right wing before squaring a ball across the goal for Beto, who, sliding in, could only get studs on the ball. Any more contact on the effort would have taken the ball into an open goal.

​In the 32nd minute, Ndiaye played a well-weighted through ball to Beto, who did well to find space, but flashed his shot wide of the post. It was blown offside, but upon replay, a VAR review would have been very tight.

​When they could have been protecting a one or two-goal lead, Everton went in at half-time on level terms with Manchester City.

​City quickly punished Everton’s missed chances, Erling Haaland scoring with his first effort of the match, a header under Jordan Pickford in the 58th minute from Nico O’Reilly’s lofted cross.

​Just five minutes later, his second shot made it 2-0, a first-time strike glancing off James Tarkowski’s heel and past Pickford.

​The contrast is obvious. In a game where they needed to take their chances, Beto couldn’t convert on either of his two opportunities. ​While on the opposite side of the pitch, Haaland scored twice from an xG of 1.02.

​After Jean Phillipe-Mateta’s three-goal performance against Bournemouth today, Beto will now have the worst record of goals to xG of strikers in the Premier League.

​Getting in the right areas is important for any striker, which he is doing, but the lack of goals is currently costing Everton points despite solid performances.

​For David Moyes and his side, it was a strong performance against a very good team, and it leaves plenty of positives to take into their match against Tottenham Hotspur next weekend.

Reader Comments (6)

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Sobering statistics, but truth.

We have come some distance in one window, it will take some time for a full reglazing.

There are reasons to be grateful if not cheerful, time will show that we are moving in the right direction in steady pace.

Patience is indeed a virtue, and a hard one to live with.Can't wait to see through the next window.

Beto did everything he could to get to the one that slid past the post. Flagged offside by a gnats whisker, he's no slouch and reasonably quick off the mark, he even went with his left to try to reach it so couldn't have done much more.

As Angus mentioned, as was blindingly obvious, Iliman Ndiaye was an absolute standout. For what we paid for him, an absolute steal.

In the end, it was money that won that game.

Mike Connolly 3 Posted 18/10/2025 at 23:29:00

I can't understand how Beto is missing these chances.

Last season, he had competition with Calvert-Lewin on who could miss the most chances. So this season I expected some improvent... it's even worse... and not just for us, his national team as well.

Him and Barry need to be gone in January. Try a Championship striker, they can't be any worse.

In all fairness ,Everton played a good game; had we a half-decent striker, minimal it would have been a draw.

When you consider the talent and the price tags, we weren't played off the pitch and caused them some troubles. Beto has to go, even on loan... Christ, the other week he missed an open goal from just on the 6-yard box.

Surely from somewhere around the world there has to be a half-decent striker excelling in their local league???