The spectre of Pep Guardiola will loom over Manuel Pellegrini regardless of what he achieves with Manchester City this season but defeats so close to Wembley will not aid his cause either. Everton’s players had called on Goodison Park to dispense with its recent anxiety and intimidate City in the Capital One Cup semi-final. As it transpired they seized the initiative themselves to take a merited lead from a hard-fought first leg.
Jesús Navas equalised Ramiro Funes Mori’s goal to give City hope of a reprieve in the second leg but Romelu Lukaku’s swift reply provided Roberto Martínez with the reward he craved and merited from a close semi-final.
It appeared Everton had commenced preparations for their first League Cup semi-final since 2008 on Sunday against Tottenham Hotspur. Once again, Martínez’s team sat deep in an attempt to plug the gaps that have led to 20 goals being conceded at Goodison in the Premier League this season, more than any other side, and allowed the visitors to control possession in central midfield. Once again, the restored Muhamed Besic impressed in the middle and Everton grew as an attacking threat gradually, albeit much quicker than in the 1-1 draw with Spurs.
City began confidently and with purpose as they looked for a way to thread Sergio Agüero in behind his international team-mate, Funes Mori, and continue the prolific form that had brought the team 13 goals in their three previous Capital One Cup ties. The distance between Everton’s midfield and forward line also helped Pellegrini’s team in regaining the ball swiftly from the likes of Lukaku and Ross Barkley.
Once Besic began to stamp his authority on the midfield battle, however, flicking the ball over the head of David Silva and rousing Goodison with a fully committed, clean tackle on Yaya Touré for good measure, the pattern changed. Everton advanced in numbers rather than simply hope, Gerard Deulofeu came into the contest and Lukaku finally had the support to trouble City’s central defence of Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolás Otamendi, with the injured Vincent Kompany watching on from the director’s box.
The lineups reflected the importance of the competition to the respective clubs, with Martínez fielding arguably his strongest available side while Pellegrini gave rare outings to Fabian Delph and Gaël Clichy. Both managers persisted with their cup keepers, Joel Robles sparing Tim Howard another run-in with his critics on the Gwladys Street and Willy Caballero replacing Joe Hart for City, but neither had a save to make until Everton opened the scoring in first half stoppage time. The goal had been coming.
Everton served notice of their improvement when Deulofeu slipped Lukaku into space inside the visitors’ area only for the striker’s first touch to enable Otamendi to intervene. The home side then had two goals disallowed for offside in the space of five minutes, rightly so on each occasion. Gareth Barry and Funes Mori were both offside when Leighton Baines floated a free-kick to the far post where the former City midfielder headed back for John Stones to convert from close range. Lukaku also beat Caballero but was two yards behind the visiting back-line when he received a pass from Deulofeu.
City had barely troubled the Everton goal before the interval. Otamendi headed wide from a Kevin De Bruyne corner while a combination of Stones, Robles and Funes Mori prevented Agüero capitalising on slips from Barkley and Baines. Otherwise, their bright start faded and prompted Pellegrini to make two substitutions before the hour mark, Martín Demichelis replacing Mangala and Navas injecting his pace. Change had the intended effect.It was a case of third time lucky for Everton when Tom Cleverley delivered an inswinging corner from the right on the stroke of half-time. Barry was again first to the cross, glancing on to Barkley who, despite injuring his foot early in the game, unleashed a powerful drive that Caballero parried into the path of Funes Mori. Lukaku was offside when Barkley struck but the Argentina defender was not and gleefully swept home his first goal at Goodison.
Agüero sliced wide from close range, Fernandinho headed straight at Robles and De Bruyne forced a smart save from the Spanish keeper as Everton were pressed back. The referee also dismissed a penalty appeal from City when Silva went to ground under a challenge from the substitute Kevin Mirallas. The counterattack suited Everton, however, with Barkley breaking several times only to lack the killer final touch, but they were undone by one from their own corner as City levelled. Touré’s clearance found Agüero who threaded a pass behind an exposed home defence for Navas to beat Robles with a cool finish.
But the City celebrations were still in full swing when Everton retook the lead through Lukaku. Baines, Barkley and Barry combined on the left, the veteran midfielder swept a delightful cross over the head of Demichelis and the Belgium international was perfectly placed to head home his 19th goal of the campaign, injuring himself in the process.
Everton 2-1 Manchester City the verdict: Martinez's most special night at Goodison gives Blues shouting chance of Wembley final
Phil Kirkbride runs the rule over a brilliant night at the Old Lady as Everton beat Manchester City
It ain't over until the fat lady sings – but boy did Everton give their fans something to shout about.
On a night that will rank as a defining one in the Roberto Martinez era, the Blues summoned a superb performance to land the first blow in this fight for a place in the Capital One Cup final
A second leg – and no doubt a sterner test – awaits at the Etihad on January 27 but Everton produced a stirring display on an absorbing night at Goodison to put themselves narrowly ahead in the tie.
Ramiro Funes Mori gave them the lead, Romelu Lukaku headed the winning goal, and there were a string of wonderful performances in between but, crucially, Martinez's side defeated City with the backing of their fans.
As the Catalan had confidently predicted it would be, Goodison was rocking.
The Old Lady was supportive and patient with its players but often uncompromising to the opposition as calls from the manager, his captain and the rest of the players were answered.
After tackling the issue of Goodison's volatile atmosphere head-on in the build up to this game, the air was cleared and then filled with the sounds of jubilant Evertonians.
They know all too well that only half the job has been done and City, so often subdued and shackled by Everton's cohesive, committed and combative display, will still fancy their chances of overturning the 2-1 deficit later this month but on this form, their side will take some stopping.
The debate will rage as to whether this was the Blues' best ever performance under Martinez but few will argue that it felt the most special at home as anxiety gave way to a sense of unity.
Even the sight of Lukaku hobbling off with 10 minutes to go with a troubling ankle injury, joining Tom Cleverley and Seamus Coleman in leaving the game early, could not dampen their spirits.
Champagne on ice for now - but repeat will see them through
Everton, deservedly, hold the lead in this semi-final. They were the better team, they wanted it more, they attacked with greater drive and energy and defended as well as they ever have under Martinez.
The Catalan, as is right of a manager, will be cautious and calm in the wake of this but, privately, he will be ecstatic with his players and the fans.
Jesus Navas' equalising goal, less than 20 minutes from time, had threatened to take the edge off an excellent performance but while quality sides like City cannot ever be written off, nor can this spirited bunch in royal blue.
It was Gareth Barry who told us not to hit the panic button should the visitors score and with composure, and dead-eye accuracy, he provided the cross for Lukaku to nod Everton in front on the night, and in the tie.
Everton's talisman was the match-winner but there were giant performances throughout the side; Ross Barkley savoured the big game challenge, Ramiro Funes Mori scored on the stroke of half-time but also defended with his typical intensity, while Mo Besic served up a star performance.
Not only did he continually pick the pocket of Yaya Toure and shield the back four like a loyal guard-dog, he also played with a bravery that was infectious.
We could talk about every other player too, Leon Osman, Leighton Baines, Barry, Gerard Deulofeu...the list goes on and on - and let's hope the momentum of this win does as well.
The evening had started with an Everton side slightly on edge, City were soon on top and in control as the home side struggled to settle.
But by the end of the game, Martinez's team were the most confident out there as they astutely saw out the game in a final few minutes of celebration at Goodison.
The champagne remains on ice for now, but a performance as smart and committed as that one in three weeks' time and Everton will be heading to Wembley for sure.
Funes Mori's goal, his second for the club, on the stroke of half-time was reward for the way the Blues had steadily improved.
Far from one-way traffic
After seeing two goals rightly disallowed for offside, the Blues found the breakthrough as Barkley's piledriver was saved by Willy Caballero but only as far as the defender who smashed home the rebound from close range.
The Argentinian, who cast a nervous glance towards the referee's assistant before racing away in celebration, is no stranger to big goals – just ask his River Plate team-mates.
And his fearless display here cannot be overstated in the analysis.
A hero at one end, Funes Mori had only minutes earlier saved the day at the other, blocking David Silva's shot on the line after Joel Robles had denied Sergio Aguero with a fine save.
They were the best chances City had carved out in the first-half despite controlling most of the possession, particularly in a dominant opening quarter of the game where Everton looked nervous.
But Goodison believed, the atmosphere was the best it has been in ages – by some distance as well – and when the crowd got to their feet to applaud an attempted through-ball from Besic, that didn't quite come off, it was clear that the supporters were fully behind the team.
Everton finished the first-half with a flourish and remained well on top after the break, Deulofeu going close with an audacious chip that Cabellero clawed away while the storming runs of Barkley and Lukaku were causing the visitors' backline a whole host of problems.
But you don't keep a side like City down for too long and as the game began to stretch, and just open up too much for Everton's liking, Manuel Pellegrini's side began to create chances.
Aguero miscued inside the six yard box, appeals for a penalty were dismissed when Navas went down under a Kevin Mirallas challenge and Robles produced a fine, full-stretch save, to deny Kevin De Bruyne.
But this was far from one way traffic.
Shouting chance going to the Etihad
Everton were equally as dangerous, the barnstorming Barkley in particular, and after he out-muscled Nicolas Otamendi, he found himself one-on-one with Cabellero from the angle – but the young midfielder could only shoot straight at the keeper.
The fear was that it was too good an opportunity to turn down in such a high stakes game – and that belief was only heightened when City struck.
The away side had shown themselves incredible dangerous in hitting Everton on the counter-attack from the Blues' corner kicks and so it proved the way they got back into the game.
In the blink of an eye, City turned defence into attack, Aguero fed Navas and he coolly slotted past Robles.
But Everton have 'never-say-die' tattooed across their chests and two minutes after being pegged back, they were back in front through Lukaku.
City probed for a second equaliser but never truly looked like finding one and as the clock wound down, and the Blues played with a maturity that deserted them during games with Bournemouth and Stoke recently, the ground crackled with atmosphere and emotion.
This isn't over but Everton are in with a shouting chance of making it to the final.
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