Late Surge Keeps City’s UCL Hopes Alive in Farewell to Goodison

Manchester City left it late but grabbed a vital 2-0 win over Everton in their final-ever visit to Goodison Park, keeping their Champions League dream firmly on track.

Manchester City might not have produced fireworks in their last-ever trip to Goodison Park, but they did enough to take home three crucial points in a tense 2-0 win over Everton — a result that stretches their unbeaten run against the Toffees to 16 matches and reignites their Champions League chase.

With confirmation that five Premier League sides will qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League, the stakes were higher than ever for Pep Guardiola’s side. Starting the day in fifth, City had the early kick-off slot to crank up the pressure on their rivals — and while it wasn’t vintage stuff, the result was all that mattered.

City began brightly, hogging possession as expected, and came close when Matheus Nunes unleashed a fierce 25-yard strike that forced Jordan Pickford into a sharp early save. But despite their dominance on the ball, it was Everton who almost stunned the visitors. James Tarkowski rattled the post with a header from James Garner’s corner — a let-off for stand-in City keeper Stefan Ortega, who could only watch.

At the other end, City fashioned a golden chance of their own. Nunes, heavily involved throughout, cut the ball back to Kevin De Bruyne, whose signature left-footed curler looked destined for the bottom corner until Jake O’Brien’s brave block with his head kept the game level.

After the break, Everton continued to pose questions. Jarrad Branthwaite was denied by a reflex Ortega save, while Abdoulaye Doucouré also tested the City stopper on the hour mark. It was the kind of gritty display Sean Dyche would’ve wanted — until the final minutes unraveled.

City, sensing the urgency, pushed forward. Savinho’s low drive kept Pickford busy, and the Everton No.1 was called into action again when Omar Marmoush raced through after a defensive mishap from Michael Keane. But even he couldn’t stop the inevitable.

With five minutes left, 18-year-old Nico O’Reilly ghosted in at the near post and turned in Nunes’ whipped cross to finally breach Everton’s resistance. It was a huge moment — not just for the youngster, but for City’s Champions League ambitions. Mateo Kovačić then put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time, drilling a low effort from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

A nervy, often frustrating afternoon ended in relief for Guardiola’s men, who now find themselves four points inside the top five — and firmly back in control of their own destiny.

Key Takeaways:

• Unbeaten Run Extended: City are now unbeaten in 16 straight games against Everton.

• Nico O’Reilly’s Moment: The youngster made a major impact off the bench with his first senior goal.

• UCL Momentum: With five Champions League places up for grabs, City’s win comes at the perfect time.