Everton 1 - 0 Manchester City: Darron Gibson’s winner does old team a big favour

Gibson lashed home his first goal since quitting Old Trafford earlier this month as the Barclays Premier League leaders slipped up at Goodison Park.

The visitors hit the bar in the first half through Samir Nasri but Everton, who earlier saw a Denis Stracqualursi effort cleared off the line, again proved stubborn opposition for City.

City had won just one of their previous 13 league visits to Everton and the extension of that poor record left them top of the table only on goal difference.

Manager Roberto Mancini was again frustrated by another controversial decision as his team were denied a late penalty for handball by Phil Neville but referee Peter Walton ruled any contact accidental.

It was an eventful contest which also saw a bizarre interruption when a protester chained himself to a goalpost.

Everton goal hero Gibson said he expected some messages of thanks from his former United team-mates. Gibson said: “I think they will be quite happy.”

Gibson, who moved from Old Trafford earlier in the month, netted the only goal via a deflection off Gareth Barry.

And he admitted scoring the winner against City was a good way to open his Goodison Park account. “A goal against any club is good, a goal against top of the league is great.”

Goodison manager David Moyes, celebrating his 150th victory as a Premier League manager on the same day he signed Nikica Jelavic from Rangers, said: “That might be one of the best I’ve had. I thought it was a brilliant effort and a great result for us. What an effort, it was a great result.”

City manager Mancini admitted that he had underestimated Everton.

He said: “I think maybe I thought it would be easier (to play Everton). “My players put everything on the pitch but we played a bad game.”

The defeat left Mancini’s side still as leaders in the Barclays Premier League but only on goal difference from rivals United who beat Stoke City 2-0 at Old Trafford.

Mancini said: “We are on the top [of the table] but it’s very important to win the next game from our point of view.

“We knew December and January were difficult months.”