Everton 2 Man City 0: Is this the moment Mancini's title dreams were left in tatters? Fellaini handles in the area but ref awards free-kick as Osman and Jelavic seal win
By ROB DRAPER
There is never one moment when you lose your title, more a series of setbacks that culminate in failure.
When Manchester City look back at the 2012-13 season, they will be able to identify several games in which that trophy, won so dramatically on a sunny spring day back in May, slipped away.
But Saturday afternoon was the final surrender, a limp raising of the white flag at Goodison Park with a 2-0 defeat playing against a side with 10 men for 30 minutes indicating extensive surgery may be required in the summer.
Foul: But referee Lee Probert adjudged Marouane Fellaini to have handled the ball outside of the are
End of the road: Manchester City remain 12 points adrift of Manchester United with just nine games left
MATCH FACTS
Everton: Mucha, Coleman, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Mirallas (Naismith 70), Gibson, Osman, Pienaar, Fellaini, Anichebe (Jelavic 90). Subs Not Used: Springthorpe, Oviedo, Neville, Barkley, Duffy. Sent Off: Pienaar (61). Booked: Fellaini, Pienaar, Osman, Jelavic. Goals: Osman 32, Jelavic 90.
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Toure (Sinclair 83), Nastasic, Kolarov, Javi Garcia, Barry (Nasri 70), Milner (Clichy 83), Tevez, Silva, Dzeko. Subs Not Used: Pantilimon, Lescott, Razak, Lopes. Booked: Kolarov, Dzeko, Silva.
Attendance: 36,519
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
They had a degree of misfortune, notably the 86th-minute penalty call when Carlos Tevez shot and Marouane Fellaini handled inside the box but referee Lee Probert capped a miserable afternoon by giving a free-kick outside the area.
The only mitigation was that Leon Osman might have handled the ball marginally before, but it seemed unlikely Probert had given the decision for that.
At the end, City assistant manager David Platt made all the right noises about their 'obligation' to try to win matches from now until the end of the season.
But, as he pointed out: 'Nobody was shouting from the rooftops that we were chasing them (leaders Manchester United) even before today.'
Even less so, now; it took 34 years to win back the title but it has been removed from their grasp rather more quickly.
Roberto Mancini was said to be too angry to speak, not just with the Fellaini decision but 'everything in general', including his team's performance.
All over: Everton celebrate but Roberto Mancini reflects as City are left to rue another defeat at Goodison Park
Platt admitted: 'I'm not too sure we did deserve to win in terms of performance. I don't think we were ever dominant throughout the game. They worked us but we've got to score goals, and if you don't, you're not going to change the game.'
Indeed, from the moment Edin Dzeko had a spat with referee Probert in the opening minutes, City seemed to be having a bad day at the office.
In an ugly opening, they failed to get their passing going, were out-battled in midfield and later, even with a man extra, they never looked superior.
In reality, this was Everton's day. Their players lingered at the end as the strains of 'It's a grand old team to play for' echoed round the ground, enjoying the moment, none more so than Osman, an outstanding midfield presence.
Getting shirty: Nikica Jelavic celebrates his injury-time goal in front of the delighted Everton faithful
There were other heroes in Seamus Coleman, Jan Mucha and Victor Anichebe, especially in those last 30 minutes.
But they all played their part, even Fellaini, booed last week for his performance.
For beating the champions is always a cause for celebration but the added impetus was the context, the victory coming a week after one of the most depressing days in David Moyes's reign, that 3-0 home FA Cup defeat by Wigan.
On Saturday the real Everton turned up.
'I'd have been disappointed if we didn't have a reaction,' said Moyes.
'The players did great, playing the champions of England. And if you watch Everton regularly, you would have to say that what you saw today is what Everton do.
'I understand why people are focusing on last week, because we've given this club a bit more hope and we let everyone down last Saturday.
On target: Leon Osman struck for Everton in the 32nd minute of today's lunchtime kick-off at Goodison Park
Hitting the heights: Darron Gibson hauls Osman up by the collar after the diminutive midfielder gave Everton the lead
Over the blue moon: Osman celebrates his strike at Goodison Park
'We were rubbish last Saturday but I tell you what - we've been very good all season. Sometimes you should be careful because you're actually watching a really good Everton side and the best Everton team I've had. We've not gone away; we're still here.'
Everton were unfortunate not to take an earlier lead, when Kevin Mirallas showed a superb touch and stunning finish in the 13th minute as he controlled a headed ball as the City defence advanced. The call was tight but Mirallas had timed his dart back onside just right.
No matter. In the 32nd minute they were ahead with a goal of equal quality.
Early bath: Steven Pienaar received a red card after picking up two bookings - the second for a foul on Javi Garcia
Coleman could not find a way past Pablo Zabaleta but did find Osman, who unleashed a delightful curling shot that left Joe Hart standing.
Goodison was reverberating with positivity and Mirallas might have headed a second in the 44th minute when Hart's palm away
presented him with a clear chance. Dzeko was close to equalising in the 55th minute but City had created little before Pienaar received his second yellow card in the 61st minute, coming in with his knee high and studs up on Javi Garcia.
Moyes felt it was a 'terrible decision' but it was a poor challenge.
Star men: Sylvain Distin celebrates with stand-in stopper Jan Mucha and (right) referee Lee Probert
No-way back: It's looking increasingly unlikely that Manchester City will retain their Premier League crown
And so we waited for City to rally. When they finally did, keeper Jan Mucha was equal to the task, blocking Carlos Tevez in the 68th minute and then scrambling to his feet to deny James Milner from the rebound. He was there again, rushing out to smother a Zabaleta shot in the 79th minute.
Then came the penalty-that-never-was, the one occasion on which City could claim they were unfortunate.
Arrest: BBC comedian Lee Nelson is escorted away after trying to get on to the Goodison Park playing surface
By now, Goodison was in a state of fervour. So when Fellaini broke away and fed substitute Nikica Jelavic, who cut inside Gael Clichy and saw his deflected shot beat Hart, there was something close to rapture.
Jelavic ripped off his shirt and raced to a corner of the Gwladys Road End to be figuratively embraced by thousands, while Moyes himself punched the air and danced a jig.
They had not gone away, Everton; they were just hiding last weekend.
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