Haaland and Akanji fail: Dailysports player ratings for Manchester City vs. Everton
Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert
Before their match against Manchester City, Everton had managed goalless draws against Arsenal and Chelsea. Today, City seemed poised to break that streak by scoring in the 14th minute but conceded on the 36th. The match ended in a draw, likely the result Everton had hoped for.
Regardless of the result, this was arguably City’s best performance in their last five games. The attack finally looked alive, regularly creating dangerous chances — 24 shots in total, though only five were on target. The endless, fruitless ball circulation also came to a halt, largely thanks to Bernardo Silva and Savinho.
Now, let’s focus on the standouts from this game.
Bernardo Silva
In recent matches, Guardiola had been using Silva in an unusual way, placing him on the right wing — a position that doesn't suit him. This limited his involvement, with a shockingly low number of touches per game. Today, Silva was deployed in his natural role as a No. 10, where his creativity and talent could shine.
Bernardo’s impact on City’s attack is hard to quantify statistically, but when he’s in his natural position, the team’s attack becomes less predictable and stagnant. Whether it’s his ability to find passes into the box, take shots himself, or create combinations with teammates (he had 89 touches today, second only to Kovacic and Gvardiol), Silva’s presence feels right in this role. Seeing him where he belongs gives a sense of justice — “this is where he should be.”
Savinho
Instead of Silva, the right-wing spot was finally occupied by a true winger — Savinho. The difference was noticeable from the first minutes.
Since his breakout season at Girona, the Brazilian has struggled to replicate that form in England. However, starting today, Savinho addressed one of City’s key issues: an over-reliance on the left flank for attacks. The young player created a real threat on the right.
Savinho isn’t a “classic” winger; rather than staying wide, he frequently cut inside, demonstrating versatility. He delivered crosses to the far post (five in total, two successful), attempted to dribble into the box (seven successful dribbles out of 10), and wasn’t afraid to shoot (seven shots, three on target). Notably, he earned the penalty that Haaland missed, showcasing his importance in the game.
After this performance, it’s clear: Pep should trust Savinho more and give him consistent opportunities in this position.
Joško Gvardiol
There’s little to add here. Joško remains one of City’s key players, providing defensive solidity while contributing offensively. Today’s stats back this up: seven duels won out of 11, five shots (unfortunately off-target), three successful dribbles (out of four), and a team-high 97 touches, second only to Kovacic’s 122.
Honorable mention
Jeremy Doku. Surprisingly, City’s dribbling ace only attempted one dribble today — and it failed. Not his usual 10-14 attempts. However, he engaged in more duels: 12, winning seven, compared to three (all successful) against Aston Villa. It seems Guardiola had a specific plan for him today.
Player ratings for the match:
- Manuel Akanji – 6
- Nathan Aké – 7
- Joško Gvardiol – 7
- Ilkay Gündogan – 6
- Kevin De Bruyne – 6
- Jeremy Doku – 7
- Rico Lewis – 7
- Mateo Kovačić – 7
- Stefan Ortega – 6
- Savinho – 8
- Bernardo Silva – 8
- Josh Simpson-Pusey – 6
- Phil Foden – 7
- Erling Haaland – 6
