Did Manchester City finally say goodbye to their already slim title chances at Goodison Park? Ten points behind leaders Chelsea on a weekend that saw Spurs and Arsenal both win 4-0 and, perhaps even more crucially, Chelsea reassert themselves (3-0) too, City's forlorn chances took another big hit on Merseyside.
Pep Guardiola's pass, pass and pass routine was in evidence again, as Everton manager Ronald Koeman countered the Catalan's predictable approach with a robust and direct style. With City achieving the usual pass accuracy and possession figures, Everton cut through with two- and three-pass moves that ended right in front of a startled Claudio Bravo's goal.
Positives
Difficult to find anything positive in a performance that oozed lethargic passing when a more dynamic approach saw the opposition through to a convincing final score. Little reaction to Everton's thrust from either the players or the manager. Everton efficiently scored on their first three shots on goal and managed a total of four from six shots.
Negatives
Guardiola must be beginning to wonder whether his pass-pass-pass mantra will hold up in the Premier League. Here, once again, there was progress until the final third, where robust defending and long balls out toward Romelu Lukaku undid all the "good work". As the game went on and no Plan B appeared, it became even more depressing to see the away side still patiently square-passing with a three goal deficit to make up in the last quarter of an hour. Clearly the Catalan has a plan but not the players to put it properly into action.
Manager rating out of 10
5 -- Guardiola emerged with a side that had little pace in midfield on a ground where City have been run ragged often enough in the past. He stuck with it, looking ashen faced and slightly stunned, as the reality of it all unfolded gently in front of his unblinking eyes. Has completed a dismal double on Merseyside this season.
Player ratings (1-10; 10=best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Claudio Bravo, 5 -- The Chilean was beaten by Everton's first shot of the game and ended the game not having made a single save, but beaten four times. Witnessed an unravelling in front of him in the second half that resulted in three more goals going past him, including the final one through his legs from a 19-year old debutante.
DF Bacary Sagna, 5 -- Comfortable start pushing well up with the attack, had a useful far post header cleared off the line by Tom Davies, but hit by the same lax defending malaise as his co-defenders in the second half.
DF Nicolas Otamendi, 5 -- The opening minutes saw him involved in a number of robust headed clearances, but it was not to get any better than that. Finished off his day after getting booked for a limp and theatrical impersonation of a man being assaulted, when all Lukaku had done was brush into him with his chest.
DF John Stones, 5 -- Comfortable during a fast-moving first half, he too got into much more of a tangle as the crowd got onto his case in the second half. Final act was to wallop a clearance into Seamus Coleman, perfectly setting up Ademola Lookman for the fourth goal.
DF Gael Clichy, 5 -- Good early support for the raiding Kevin De Bruyne, but blotted his copybook by giving easy possession away in the run-up to the opening goal.
MF Yaya Toure, 5 -- Lots of tight little circles and short, one-touch passes without making an entirely adequate contribution to a whirlwind midfield. Tired of watching David Silva hit the first man with all of his free kicks, took a pot-shot himself, but to no avail. Lost possession for the third goal.
MF Pablo Zabaleta, 5 -- Too slow for the role he was asked to play, being caught offside in attack and slow moving to track back. Lost possession in the final third at one point and ended up giving away a corner from the ensuing Everton move. Hooked to avoid further torment.
MF David Silva, 6 -- Passing fulcrum in the first half. Rounded Joel Robles but was pushed wide. In the final third, the need for one final touch was often the telling difference between a goal chance staying open and being snuffed out by Everton's eager defenders.
MF Raheem Sterling, 5 -- Taken out by Robles for an early penalty shout, he shared Silva's tendency to prefer an extra pass to a shot on goal. Was still taking two touches too many in the final minute.
MF Kevin De Bruyne, 6 -- Back on track with his passing range, providing three beautifully weighted efforts in from the left flank in the first half. Gradually got swallowed up by Everton's midfield pressing until he was no longer one of the game's important figures.
MF Sergio Aguero, 5 -- Back to a more mobile role, tracking deep to pick up play and launch new attacks. Low shot on 71 minutes was, however, the first proper save Robles had had to make.
Substitutes
MF Kelechi Iheanacho, 5 -- Replaced Pablo Zabaleta after 62 minutes and made little initial difference to a game that was seriously running away from City by then. By the end, had made no difference whatsoever.