Liverpool: Manchester City's Premier League title hopes were hit after losing 1-0 at Everton from a goal by former Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson on Tuesday.
Gibson's first goal since leaving Old Trafford in the January transfer window, via a deflection off Gareth Barry on the hour, consigned City to just their third loss of the league campaign, and boosted the title hopes of his old team.
"A goal against any club is good," said Gibson, whose strike was set up by United States midfielder Landon Donovan. "A goal against top of the league is great."
City are now only top on goal difference after United beat Stoke 2-0, while Everton climbed to ninth in the standings.
"I didn't prepare well for this game. I thought it was maybe easier," City manager Roberto Mancini said. "I know here it is never easy, never. I acknowledge my mistake. It is important for me to know this because, like this, I can't do the same mistakes in the next game."
When asked to elaborate on his mistakes, Mancini referred to the team's recent training sessions.
"The players put everything on the pitch but I made some mistakes during the last three days preparing for this game," the Italian coach said.
Everton manager David Moyes felt his side's victory was one of the best he had been involved with in his near 10 years at the club.
"That is as good as it has been at Everton for a long time," he said. "With the team we had out, the players we had missing, it says a lot about the club and how we always seem to come back to do it."
"We might have played smoother football and been better, but against the side we were playing against tonight, the players deserve a lot of credit. Man City are a terrific team. We had to defend for long periods, especially in the second half."
The match was interrupted for several minutes late in the first half when a supporter handcuffed himself to a goal-post. Police officers took several minutes to release the supporter.
The supporter invaded the Goodison Park pitch about five minutes before half-time and handcuffed himself to City goalkeeper Joe Hart's left post. Police officers took about three minutes to uncut him from the post before the Premier League match could resume, with the score still at 0-0.
However, Gibson's finely struck effort, which found its way past Hart albeit through a deflection, ensured the headlines will remain focused on events on the field.
The first chance of the half fell to Everton just after five minutes, as Denis Stracqualursi's header following Royston Drenthe's corner beat Joe Hart but was blocked by Joleon Lescott on the line.
It took half an hour before another chance was created, with the home side again getting a sight on goal. A deep ball in from Leighton Baines found Stracqualursi, who headed down for Marouane Fellaini, but the Belgian fired the shot wide.
Just two minutes later, Manchester City had their first real chance of the match as Samir Nasri fired a shot from 25 yards, beating Tim Howard but hitting the bar, before Sergio Aguero's shot from the rebound was well saved, even though the Argentine was offside.
Midway through the opening 45 minutes, Nikica Jelavic's transfer to the club from Rangers in a 7-million-Pound deal was confirmed, with the Croatian striker being introduced to the crowd at half-time.
The second half resumed at a similar pace until the hour mark, when Drenthe broke into the opposition half before releasing Baines. The full-back's cross found Landon Donovan, who teed up Gibson after an initial mis-control, with the ex-Manchester United man firing past Hart via a slight deflection to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
Roberto Mancini's side looked to change it around with two substitutions, as Adam Johnson and Aleksandar Kolarov entered the game, but it was Everton who continued to press.
Stracqualursi took the ball down the left-hand side and crossed. The City backline easily cleared but only as far as Gibson, who wound up another volley, this time with his left foot, that went just a yard wide of the goalmouth.
There was controversy with 20 minutes remaining, as City had a penalty shout turned down when Kolarov claimed Phil Neville had handled in the box, but the visitors' complaints were waived away.
City continued to push for equaliser but just couldn’t find a way past the solid home side, who hung on for a deserved three points at Goodison Park.
After the match, Everton managed to re-resign midfielder Steven Pienaar on loan from Tottenham until the end of the season a year after leaving, while striker Louis Saha moved in the opposition direction on a permanent deal.
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