Everton 2, Manchester City 1: Much about Everton's season has been unexpected though, every now and again, normality returns to these parts. The hosts' latest dogged victory was overshadowed by Robbie Fowler's enduring ability to rile the locals, his celebrations after scoring here prompting complaints from home fans to ensure the repercussions from this match drag into the new year

Fowler should know better, though few would expect anything else. It is five years since the former Liverpool striker responded to visiting supporters' abuse by infamously snorting the chalk along the goal-line at Anfield after netting against Everton.

He had been baited throughout here with chants of "smack head" and, having buried his sixth goal against these opponents two minutes from the interval, responded by tearing down the perimeter slapping his forehead.

The 29-year-old was booked for leaving the playing area, though some fans alleged he had also sworn at them en route to a celebratory huddle with his team-mates in front of the visiting supporters in the lower Bullens Road stand.

His manager, Kevin Keegan, was approached by police officers after the game regarding the forward's conduct. "I've just had a conversation with them and they've said they'll take no action," he said, but though Merseyside police may be appeased, the Football Association may not be.

A misconduct charge is likely to be forthcoming, for all that Fowler had been provoked from the outset.

"They give him stick; he reacts," said an exasperated Keegan.

"He got his goal, which he enjoyed, and he was booked for leaving the field, but if you've got no emotion in football, if you can't enjoy scoring a goal, then what's the point?"

Ill discipline has dogged City over the festive period with Joey Barton - fined six weeks' wages last week for stubbing a cigar out on a reserve-team player's eye - shivering on the bench here.

Once the visitors had fallen behind, they duly self-destructed yet again. Christian Negouai, a £1.5m signing from Charleroi notable only for escaping a ban for missing a drug test, trotted on with nine minutes to go charged with salvaging a point, only to be dismissed within 120 seconds for an ugly shin-high lunge at Marcus Bent.

The Frenchman was making only his sixth league appearance in his three years at the club and took almost as long trudging from the turf as he had featured on it.

"It knocked the wind out of our sails," admitted Keegan, for all that he fiercely disputed the decision.

"He didn't get the ball, but the other lad was going in the same sort of way. I think the referee got it wrong, I really do, but he'd got to the stage where the next player who did anything would be sent off and that's bad refereeing."

The contest had turned niggly by then. Danny Mills's crunching challenge on Thomas Gravesen infuriated the Dane - he was booked for his protests - and the former England full-back was later withdrawn as tempers rose.

Amid the furore near the end, the fact that Everton had moved eight points clear of fifth place to embed them in a Champions League qualification place went almost unnoticed.

It rings remarkable that, back in August, the team aspired only to 40 points and the safety from relegation that would surely provide. Those fears have long been banished and they warranted this latest victory.

Tim Cahill nodded them in front, his run on to Gravesen's free-kick totally unchecked by Mills, to register his first goal in 13 matches and his third of the season.

City had succumbed in similar fashion at Eastlands to the Australian midfielder to lose 1-0 back in September, but at least they mustered a riposte this time.

Nicolas Anelka and Shaun Wright-Phillips had shots blocked, the loose ball ricocheted out to Jonathan Macken on the right flank and the former Preston striker's cross was headed emphatically in by Fowler, scoring on St Stephen's Day for the fourth year in succession.

But Everton are not easily shrugged aside. Midway through the second period Gravesen collected Sylvain Distin's attempted clearance in the corner of the area and, with City anticipating a shot, chipped delicately for Bent to nod down and across David James and in for his first goal since October.

"We're delighted to have reached 40 points already," said the assistant manager Alan Irvine. "Now, hopefully, we can build."

Irvine added: "It's a great start to the holiday period, they are a very good side with attacking players that can cause you problems and we did very well against them.

"Everyone can see how confident the players are and they are very strong mentally, with a great spirit.

"We felt we were the better team in the first half. But they can handle a few setbacks now and continue to show they can recover from difficult situations."

Guardian Service