Former Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson boosted his old club’s title chances by firing Everton to a stunning win over Manchester City tonight.
The Republic of Ireland international lashed home his first goal since quitting Old Trafford earlier this month as the 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.
Stracqualursi, who scored his first Everton goal in last Friday’s FA Cup win over Fulham, went close to doubling his club tally when he forced Joleon Lescott to head off the line with five minutes gone.
Stracqualursi pleaded with the assistant referee to award a goal after beating Joe Hart with a powerful header from a Leighton Baines corner but replays showed former Everton man Lescott had cleared.
City threatened after a good run by James Milner down the left but his low ball into the box was missed by Edin Dzeko and Gael Clichy sliced wide.
Referee Peter Walton ignored Royston Drenthe’s appeals for a free-kick after the Dutchman lost control of the ball and fell over in attempting to beat Vincent Kompany.
Serio Aguero brilliantly controlled a long David Silva pass to create an opportunity on the edge of the Everton box but dragged his shot wide.
Everton were awarded a free-kick 30 yards out after Gareth Barry clattered into Tim Cahill but Kompany headed away Landon Donovan’s ball into the box.
Hart was incensed after being bundled over by Stracqualursi but Walton had awarded him a free-kick before Donovan blazed over.
In a scrappy few minutes, Kompany was booked for pushing over Cahill and Marouane Fellaini’s header from the resulting corner was deflected over.
Stracqualursi then nodded down a Baines cross for Fellaini but the Belgian missed the target.
City responded with a swift counter-attack and almost opened the scoring as Nasri struck the bar with a crisp 30-yard shot. Aguero raced in for the rebound but was flagged offside.
Play was held up just before the interval when a man ran into Hart’s goalmouth at the Park End and handcuffed himself to one of the posts.
He was removed by police and led away after a short struggle but Walton played five minutes of stoppage time.
City started the second half well with Nasri whipping in a low cross which just evaded Dzeko before the Bosnian then headed straight at Tim Howard.
Aguero then had a shot deflected behind but Lescott was penalised for a foul on Howard at the resulting corner.
Aguero looked to play in Dzeko as City broke again but the striker failed to control in the box, then Everton made City pay for their failure to take advantage of their possession as they grabbed the lead just before the hour.
Drenthe forced the visitors back before Baines found Donovan in space with a cross into the box.
The American calmly laid off the ball for the inrushing Gibson, who lashed home his first goal for the club from the edge of the box, via an apparent deflection off Barry.
City tried to respond as Nasri got to the byline but his ball in bounced onto the bar and behind.
Gibson gave City another demonstration of his shooting ability moments later as he volleyed narrowly wide from 20 yards.
City appealed for a penalty for handball after Aleksandar Kolarov hit the ball at Phil Neville but Walton saw nothing untoward.
City were almost caught on the break as they protested but Micah Richards got back to deny Donovan.
Roberto Mancini’s men poured forward as time ran out but were unable to find a way through as Nasri tried his luck again but his shot was deflected into Howard’s arms.