Phil Foden sparks Manchester City into comeback win at Everton

Manchester City survived a testing encounter at Goodison Park as they came from behind to beat Everton 3-1 and climb back into the top four.

The newly-crowned Club World Cup winners recovered from going behind to former winger Jack Harrison's first-half goal to score twice after the break through a beauty from Phil Foden and a Julian Alvarez penalty.

Late on, Bernardo Silva curled home into an empty net after Jordan Pickford had his kick charged down to leave Everton a point above the relegation zone.

It was only City’s second win in seven league matches, but was enough to bring second-placed Arsenal within their sights and Liverpool not much further away.

However, the loss of John Stones, making only his fifth Premier League start this season due to injury, and an eighth successive Premier League game without a clean sheet were less welcome.

With Liverpool and Arsenal drawing just before Christmas, City returned victorious from Saudi Arabia knowing winning their two games in hand would leave them just a couple of points behind Jurgen Klopp’s side at the summit.

Had it not been for some wayward shooting and, more significantly, Jordan Pickford, they would probably have been coasting towards the first of those wins before half-time.

The England number one's most important intervention came in the 14th minute when he saved Matheus Nunes’ shot and then stuck out a foot to narrowly divert wide Alvarez’s rebound. He also later denied Jack Grealish.

And without Erling Haaland for a sixth successive game – the Norway international’s foot injury is also expected to keep him out of the weekend’s visit of Sheffield United – Pep Guardiola’s side started to look a bit toothless.

That has been a longer-term problem for Everton but scoring