MAN CITY 0, EVERTON 0
Manchester City endured a disappointing night as they were held at home by Everton to remain third in the Barclays Premier League.
And that frustration was epitomised by late drama when City were denied a stone-wall penalty in the third and final minute of stoppage time.
Referee Roger East appeared the only person at the Etihad who did not believe Raheem Sterling was brought down by John Stone’s tired and reckless lunge close to the byline.
“It was a clear penalty. Both legs of Raheem were taken by Stones, but if the referee does not whistle you cannot do anything about it,” explained Manuel Pellegrini whose side would have moved to within one point of Arsenal and Leicester had they won.
City’s manager added that his side did enough to win, but were found lacking in front of goal.
He said: “I was happy with the performance, but not the result. We did enough to win the game, especially in the second half.
“The first half was very close, with only one of two chances in each box. In the second we completely dominated and they were saved by their keeper.”
Pellegrini was happy with a third clean sheet in the last five games, especially in the continued absence of injured captain Vincent Kompany.
He continued: “It is very important, but we have not changed our style and are still an attacking team.
“Of course it is frustrating, but I do not have any regrets. We defended well and created chances and just needed to improve in the last third of the pitch to take our chances.”
Everton manager Roberto Martinez thought Mr East got the decision right for the penalty.
He was delighted with his team’s performance, especially preventing City scoring at home for the first time in days short of 12 months.
And Martinez added that it was also pleasing as preparations were not ideal as the team was late arriving due to an accident on the M62 that left Manchester gridlocked.
City made five changes from the side that kicked off Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Norwich City as they faced Everton for the second of three fixtures in January, the other two in the semi final of the Capital One Cup with Everton posting a 2-1 win from the first leg.
There were recalls for Joe Hart, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Kevin De Bruyne and Yaya Toure as Willy Caballero, Aleksandar Kolarov, Pablo Zabaleta, Fabien Delph and Kelechi Oheanacho were the players to lose out.
City were without the injured Eliquim Mangala, Fernandinho and Wilfried Bony as well as long-term absentees Kompany and Samir Nasri while David Silva was only fit enough to be on the bench.
It was a low-key opening by City’s standards as Everton defended resolutely to deal with occasional moments of danger.
The best chance of the opening half came after 17 minutes when Toure’s header forced a flying save from Howard.
De Bruyne and Sterling also had half chances, but it was a disappointing attacking display from City.
Indeed, Everton could have snatched a lead when Gerard Deulofeu’s angled shot forced a save from Joe Hart who was making his 250th Premier League appearance.
Leon Osman also volleyed not far wide and Romelu Lukaku fired just over after cutting in from the right.
City enjoyed the lion’s share of possession early in the second half, but still lacked a cutting edge.
Jesus Navas twice fired wide while Toure had a shot blocked by Ramiro Funes Mori and from the resulting corner Sergio Aguero fired straight at Howard.
As City’s pressure intensified Howard three came to Everton’s rescue blocking with his legs to deny Sterling, De Bruyne and Aguero
City made their first change with 16 minutes left as they looked to make that elusive breakthrough as Silva replaced De Bruyne.
The change failed to provide the spark that was needed to unlock the Everton defence, though there was a big moment at the death when City and their fans were convinced they ought to have been awarded a penalty.