Everton’s fine run of form has come to an abrupt end at Eastlands. Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring for the away side but Manchester City struck back almost immediately through Alvaro Negredo.

Lukaku was through on goal after Joleon Lescott played him onside and with quick feet, and a finish aided by a weak attempt at a save from Joe Hart, the Belgian had Everton ahead. The lead was brief, however, as almost immediately following the restart Yaya Toure played a perfectly timed and weighted pass through the last line of the Everton defence and Negredo finished past Tim Howard .

Sergio Aguero added the second for City with an inch perfect finish to Tim Howard’s right following a burst of pace that took him past Sylvain Distin.

City’s third came courtesy of a Tim Howard own goal. The Everton keeper was desperately unlucky when he saved an Aguero penalty but the ball bounced off his body and back into the goal.

City had been awarded the penalty following a Seamus Coleman challenge on Pablo Zabaleta.

City move into second with the win, two points behind Arsenal. Everton drop to fifth, on twelve points.