City 0 - 2 Everton

Mancini's altercation with Moyes at the end summed up a frustrating night for City. On a high from a good run of away results - seven points from nine, six from six in London - and returning to "fortress" Eastlands, there was some optimism that this would be the start of a charge at fourth place. But it is never as easy as that! Everton demolished City's impeccable home record and chalked up their third successive win at the COMS - and for all City's possession, they probably deserved it.

City started well and applied some decent pressure but Cahill's goal just after the half-hour signalled an end to that, as Everton closed up. At the time I was incensed at the award of the free-kick for Cahill's goal, but Nigel Gleghorn and the Radio Manchester team now assure me it was a foul, and I'm willing to take their word for it - but I think City failed to settle quickly enough for that free-kick, and that tiny piece of indiscipline cost us.

From then on in Everton produced a masterclass of defensive football, with the central triangle of Heitinga, Distin and Jagielka proving too colossal to break down. As City have had a lot of success this season on the break using the pace of Bellamy, Everton's deep backline pretty much negated this form of attack and City struggled to break through the wall. The withdrawal of Ireland (due to a slightly suspect looking tackle from Heitinga) meant that City lost the precise incision that even an off-form Ireland can provide - De Jong and Barry, good battlers as they are, are not the players to break down a defence.

I was surprised that there were so many changes in the team after the success of the weekend, but Mancini set out a team to match Everton's style and in fairness to him, it worked before the withdrawal of Ireland forced him into a plan B.

The refereeing deserves a mention, because it was largely to blame for the niggly atmosphere. It was always going to be a physical game, but his inconsitency was infuriating in the first half - why was Tevez booked for his first infringement (his amazingly heroic throwing of his head infront of a Jagielka clearance - a booking for dangerous play that was mainly only dangerous for himself!) when Arteta's cynical foul on Tevez as City broke clear was left unchecked. These things may not have a bearing on the outcome but they certainly have a bearing on the atmosphere, and I don't think City are as well equipped to deal with that atmosphere as Everton are.

The result is a blow for City, considering the chance was there to go fourth, and it is important that City react in the right way to this setback. It is still in our hands, as we face Tottenham at home, but it will take more clinical displays than this one to reach that fourth spot.