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City add to Everton's woe

02/10/2005

Everton remain bottom of the Premiership after a 2-0 defeat against Manchester City.

Danny Mills and Darius Vassell scored the goals in the final 20 minutes of the match in what was an otherwise dour encounter at the City of Manchester Stadium.

With City going into the match after two straight defeats, and the Toffee's having won just once so far this term, the game started as nervously as expected and with little attacking invention.

David James saved comfortably from a long range Tim Cahill effort, while, at the other end, Andrew Cole missed the best chance of the half, curling a shot narrowly wide of the post.

Cahill thought he had given Everton the lead after half an hour, yet was marginally offside when heading past James off Nuno Valente's free kick.

City came to life in the second period and with Joey Barton setting the tone and wakening the crowd with a thumping challenge on Phil Neville, on 58 minutes, earning himself a yellow card in the process.

Barton's influence on the game grew and Vassell failed to control the young Scouser's pass when well placed.

Kiki Musampa wasted a promising opening, shooting into the side netting instead of picking out Cole or Vassell and a rare piece of magic from Mills was needed to break the deadlock.

The uncompromising defender unleashed a 25-yard strike into the corner of the net, past the stranded Martyn, with just 19 minutes remaining.

Antoine Sibierski hit straight at Martyn from close range when he should have scored, yet Vassell made the three points safe on 90 minutes, slotting home a clever Barton pass.

The defeat leaves Everton bottom of the table with just three points and one goal from seven matches.

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