Source: Daily_Mail
Premier League title race? It is more like a crawl, but Manchester City ARE involved
The problem with the modern Barclays Premier League is that there is always someone waiting to burst your bubble.[LNB]This should have been a good news day for Manchester City, when they celebrated their refusal to cave in to Carlos Tevez with a Christmas visit to the very top of the English football pyramid. But an outstanding goalkeeping performance from Everton's Tim Howard and an all-action display from goalscorer Tim Cahill tripped City up.[LNB]Instead, all Roberto Mancini had to chew on as he drove home through the snow was a reminder that in England you have to be a bit better than his City team were here to make your mark.[LNB] Burst bubble: Carlos Tevez had briefly lifted spirits with news he planned to stay at Eastlands. ... it didn't last long[LNB]There is only one team in the country who have not had nights like this so far this season. Only City's neighbours United have managed to avoid the pain and the disappointment of a chance wasted, an opportunity spurned.[LNB]City have had other black days against Sunderland and Wolves. Chelsea suffered at Birmingham and Liverpool while Arsenal have had to stomach nauseating setbacks at home to West Brom and Newcastle. None of this is a co-incidence. The standard of teams at the top of the Premier League is poorer this season than it has been for many years.[LNB]It is tempting just to wonder what the United team of 1999, Arsenal's 2003-04 invincibles or Jose Mourinho's early Chelsea team would have made of this opposition. Certainly it's difficult to see how the season would have gone beyond March as a genuine competition if they were around.[LNB] Dominance: How would the great teams of the Premier League era do against the current title-chasersa[LNB]How the current United side sits top is a mystery in itself. Rarely have Sir Alex Ferguson's team seemed so pedestrian and, at times, so vulnerable. Nevertheless as we approach the Christmas programme they remain favourites to win a record-breaking 19th title.[LNB]Certainly City were disappointinglast night, not to mention disappointed. They lost - for the third timein a row to Everton - on a night when David Moyes' team did not force asingle corner and scored with both of their shots on target.[LNB]'There'sa big smile tonight, I feel terrific,' said Moyes. 'I thought we playedwell in the first 20 minutes and in the end it's a really good threepoints. Tim Cahill takes the fight to people - he's the one who leadsus into battle. We've moved him about and he willingly does it. Hisattitude is terrific and he puts himself on the line for his team.'[LNB]But Cahill himself preferred to credit Howard for his excellence.[LNB] Top Toffees: Any team is capable of beating the top teams this season, as Everton proved at Eastlands[LNB]'He's been the man, not just this season but all the other seasons as well. That's what he brings to the team. There are times in games when we look to him to get us out of it and tonight he did that.'[LNB]Results such as this, while hugelyrewarding, must drive Moyes to distraction. If City are frustrated atnot being top, the Scot will wonder why his team have again managed toput themselves behind the eight-ball with half a season gone.[LNB]Muchas Moyes is admired throughout the game, it really is hardly worthwatching his team until after Christmas. The second half of thecampaign always sees them trying to catch up like a sprinter who hasfumbled the relay baton. [LNB]Onmore than one occasion, Everton have finished seasons as the form team.That, however, is no good if you have started it like a three-leggedhorse. But with players such as Cahill, Howard and Phil Jagielka -along with the likes of Mikel Arteta, absent injured last night -Everton should not be in the slipstream of teams like Bolton,Sunderland and Newcastle.[LNB] Not much between them: Everton endured a torrid start to the campaign, but remain a series threat[LNB] Opportunity still knocks for Moyes when it comes to the scrap for European places. Such has been the peculiarity of this season that a fifth-place finish need not be beyond them.[LNB]Perhaps only teams like Bolton, Sunderland and Blackpool can be genuinely satisfied with what they have achieved since August. At the top, none of this will do much for our representatives in the Champions League. [LNB]The English powerhouses who made the semi-finals their own in recent times will have to improve markedly in time for the commencement of the knockout stages of Europes's blue riband competition in late February.[LNB]In England, though, the door to the title remains open. For once it is a four-horse race. Albeit a rather slow one. [LNB] Manchester City 1 Everton 2: Tim Cahill and Leighton Baines help 10-man Toffees upstage Carlos TevezTwo Tims, Cahill and Howard, hail Everton's 'massive' victory over Manchester CityARSENAL FC
