Gabriel Jesus at the double as Man City rediscover their groove

Manchester City suffer a scare but avoid another festive setback. Two goals from Gabriel Jesus instead mean the defending Premier League champions have two important wins in two. The ship has steadied. Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton were supposed to provide a stern test, but even after Claudio Bravo’s eccentricities allowed Richarlison to reduce the arrears reduced the arrears deep into the second half, they posed little threat.

This was a good performance by City, three days after a very ordinary display and fortuitous win over Sheffield United. Pep Guardiola responded by changing his system, deploying Rodri in a back three alongside Eric Garcia and Fernandinho, and his players adjusted well. Two much-maligned full-backs - Joao Cancelo and Benjamin Mendy - enjoyed one of their better days in a City shirt.

Everton, meanwhile, will look at this as an opportunity missed. After winning his first two games, Ancelotti suffers his first defeat and a first meek performance that failed to exploit City’s weak spots. At least they will return home happier with their displays than referee Andre Marriner, who made a number of questionable decisions. VAR did not always cover itself in glory, either.

The new technology came to City’s aid in the win on Sunday but this time chalked off a potential opener. Joao Cancelo’s searching low cross was turned in at the far post by Phil Foden, making just his second league start of the campaign. City’s players were already in their own half and awaiting the restart when the Etihad’s big screen announced a VAR check. Riyad Mahrez had strayed offside in the build-up and the goal did not stand.

It was a correct decision but Mahrez was at the centre of another review minutes later and this was somewhat more confusing. Despite being flagged offside he continued a run into the penalty area and was brought down by Lucas Digne. VAR overturned the offside and checked for a possible penalty, only to spot a handball by Mahrez. And after all that, Everton restarted with a free-kick given for the overturned offside. Still with us?

At least the champions were playing with a comfort and assurance not seen against Sheffield United while Everton struggled for fluency in Ancelotti’s new-fangled 3-5-2 system. At the start of the second half, City’s dominance was finally reflected in the scoreline when Jesus latched onto Ilkay Gundogan’s through ball, stepped inside Mason Holgate and curled into the top right-hand corner.

City’s home support ironically cheered when play re-started - certain that this goal would not be retrospectively disallowed - and were revelling again soon after when Jesus added his second. The Brazilian saw the patient build-up play between Kevin De Bruyne, Foden and Mahrez and positioned himself off the shoulder of Yerry Mina. Once played through, he had bought himself the time and space to beat Jordan Pickford at his near post.

Everton might have equalised in the few minutes between Jesus’ goals when Dominic Calvert-Lewin - searching for his sixth goal in as many league games - beat Fernandinho in the air on a corner but turned his header the wrong side of the post. And up to that point, Ancelotti will have been disappointed with his players’ failure to truly test Bravo, deputising in goal after Ederson was struck down by illness.

Predictably, Bravo was found wanting the first time he was put under any sort of sustained scrutiny. The Chilean’s cheeky dummy of Calvert-Lewin inside the penalty area filled him with unwarranted self-confidence and he passed the clearance straight to Moise Kean. Eric Garcia’s attempt to mop up the danger only presented the ball to Theo Walcott, whose deflected shot was turned in at the far post by Richarlison.

It was Everton’s first opportunity of note since a Seamus Coleman shot in the opening minutes and an easily preventable goal. Yet City should have been given a chance to restore their two-goal lead moments later when Djibril Sidibe felled Foden. The wing-back did not appear to make contact with the ball while sliding in and Foden was bearing down on goal, but nor Marriner or VAR saw an offence.

The Etihad crowd fumed again before full time when Calvert-Lewin was only cautioned for an unnecessarily reckless challenge on Fernandinho deep inside City territory but, at the final whistle, they could celebrate. Everton failed to fluster Bravo again and the champions survived the scare. The gap to Liverpool is 11 points, but the leaders’ two games in hand makes any talk of resurgence irrelevant. Guardiola will simply be happy to be playing well and winning again.