Man City v Everton player ratings: Dias 7, Haaland 8; Gueye 7, Calvert-Lewin 6

Erling Haaland celebrates scoring against Everton. EPA

Erling Haaland scored his first goals since November as Manchester City broke down Everton’s stern resistance to earn a 2-0 win at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The Norwegian is back in the City team after a spell on the sidelines with a foot injury, and made the difference as the relegation-threatened visitors made life difficult for last season’s treble winners.

Manager Sean Dyche was forced to watch from the stands because of a touchline ban and he will have been impressed with their compact and determined first-half display.

However, Dyche would have been less pleased to concede from a set-piece as City made the breakthrough. Everton’s players weren’t happy with the award of the corner on 71 minutes with them feeling it had been headed behind by Ruben Dias.

And when the cross came back in it was the Portuguese defender who won the first header and the loose ball ricocheted into the path of Haaland who smashed it home from close range.

The goal deflated the visitors and it was 2-0 when Haaland claimed a trademark second. There was nothing pretty about it, but his strength and pace helped him shrug off Jarrad Branthwaite and slot home to make the points safe.

Swipe or scroll through the gallery at the top of the page to view player ratings from the match.