EVERTON 4 CITY 0
League Division 1
11th February 1986
attendance 30,006
Scorers Lineker(5, 46, 57), Sharp(77)
Ref D Phillips
City Nixon, Reid, Power, Redmond, McCarthy, Phillips, Lillis, McNab, Davies, Baker, Simpson – sub May(21)
Everton Southall, Stevens, Pointon, Ratcliffe, Van Den Hauwe, Reid, Steven, Lineker, Sharp, Bracewell, Sheedy – sub Richardson(45)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
STEPHEN BIERLEY WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 12TH FEBRUARY 1986
A hat-trick by Gary Lineker and a fourth goal from Graeme Sharp lifted Everton three points clear of Manchester United at the top of the table last night, emphasising that Howard Kendall’s team have every intention of retaining their title. Manchester City, whose defence developed a death wish against Watford last week, found Everton too quick and themselves dead.
This was, as manager Billy McNeill said, City‘s biggest test this year while Manchester United were looking for neighbourly act‘ from them. Everton had won only one of their last four home League matches against City, but the champions quickly asserted themselves.
After Phillips and Liliis had combined neatly to give Davies an early half-chance. Everton promptly took the lead. Power, under pressure, aimed a pass back to Nixon. Sharp intercepted, and from his precise pass Lineker finished with international aplomb.
McNab, returning to the side after missing last Saturday’s match against QPR, tried to steady his side.
In climbing from the lower reaches of the First Division City had collected 19 points from the last 21, and had won all five of their League games this year. but Everton clearly cared little for such statistics, and went after goals with the diligence of an accountant on sequestration duty. Whatever defence assets City possessed, the home side were out not so much to freeze as to roast them.
Sheedy’s free klcks on the edge of theboat caused violent twitching in the City wall, and the visitor’s hopes of retaliation were hardly helped when Baker limped off. He has suffered three dislocations ot the shoulder, a broken leg., and a serious ankle injury within the past 12 months.
Substitute May slotted into his regular midfield duties as City struggled to cut off the service to Lineker and Sharp. Redmond, the Liverpool-born teenager, who made such an impressive debut at Maine Road last Saturday, found matters at Goodison a shade more demanding. Indeed there were moments of high anxiety in the back four, not helped.as Nixon frequently opted to punch instead of catch, and did so with little conviction.
But City looked to catch Everton with quick darting breaks, and almost succeeded at times, notably when Simpson and Lillis left Davies with a clear chance a few yards out. However, the striker was thwarted by his Welsh colleague, Southall, whose spreading dive stifled his shot for the danger to pass.
Lineker’s second goal came immediately after half-time when Reid, the City full-back, tried to move the ball out of his own area, trod on it and stumbled. With Nixon stranded, Lineker duly scored and then completed his hat-trick by putting home his 28th goal of the season a few minutes later.