My thoughts on the game are here, but below are some of the key numbers in a game that saw City out passed by Fulham, have less possession and Final Third entries, but had a welcome return to their clinical play in front of goal:

Perhaps there is nothing like home comforts to snap yourself out of a sticky spell of form.

There have been plenty of column inches devoted to City's struggles of late and whilst their form since their Christmas period has been sketchy, one consistent factor has been their home form: eleven wins from eleven heading into yesterday, averaging three goals per game and conceding around one every three games.

Yesterday's game - bar the weather - followed the script of the season at The Etihad Stadium; City get a lead against a side that have been unable (whether by design or circumstance) to create much. With their noses in front City then rarely look as though they will relinquish the lead and, as the numbers show, have a tendency to make the victory look very comfortable indeed.

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Some of the numbers ahead of todays game:

• Man City suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Everton in their last Premier League game.
• The absence of Yaya Toure has been blamed for City's faltering form, and the loan signing of Claudio Pizarro from Roma is hoped to cover for the Ivory Coast midfielder while he is at the African Cup of Nations.
• Yaya Toure has completed 689 passes in his opponent's half this season, the fourth highest in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. David Silva tops the index in this with 787 passes completed in his opponent's half.
• In his absence, Samir Nasri covered the most ground for Man City with 6.16 miles• Nasri has completed 633 passes in his opponent's half this season, and has the best minutes per pass completed rate of any player in the league with one every two minutes 8 seconds on the pitch.
• A hat trick hero in the previous game, Clint Dempsey scored for Fulham in their last Barclays Premier League game to earn a point against West Brom. Dempsey has now moved above Wayne Rooney to become the player with the second highest number of shots on target in the league, behind Robin van Persie. Dempsey has now had 54 shots on target this season, scoring ten goals.
• Steve Sidwell covered the most ground for Fulham in that game with 5.85 miles. Sidwell has won 77% of tackles so far this season and contributed 15 interceptions and 10 clearances.
• Brede Hangeland was one of only two players to make five clearances in the last round of games.

There were some interesting numbers coming out of yesterdays defeat that show that in the main, City still had the better of the possession and territory and were able to create chances. However, some profligate finishing and resolute Everton defending ensured City did not get on the scoresheet and saw the home side grab the win:

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Some interesting comments from Roberto Mancini following the defeat to Everton, in which he took the blame for the loss:

"I thought it may be easier," he said. "I didn't prepare us well and it is important for me to know my mistakes because I can't do the same in the next game. I should know here it is never easy - never.

"We had played well against Tottenham in our last game, we had won our last three Premier League games and Everton were missing three or four players. It was a bad night for me. It's going to be impossible for me to sleep tonight."

It is not the first time that Mancini has sought to take responsibility for a defeat: the 3-0 reversal at Liverpool at the tail end of the 2010/11 season saw him bemoan the preperation ahead of the game.

Mancini though did not elaborate last night as to the specifics regarding his perceived failings - although hinted at issues regarding training - but could his motive have been more of an attempt to deflect an increasing focus and attention away from the players (and a fourth defeat from nine in January) than a need for self-assessment?

The more things change, the more they remain the same. The past few seasons have seen City build themselves into genuine title challengers, so much so that they top the Premier League heading into February - a position that the last eight Premier League winners have occupied - yet season after season they have returned from Goodison Park empty handed against a spirited and determined Everton side, where tonight after falling behind they lacked the drive and urgency until too late in the game to be take something from the game.

It was perhaps no surprise that it was goalless at the half. After all, between the two sides they had conceded only ten goals (City four and Everton six) in the first forty-five minutes of games this season. City certainly looked the better side; David Silva and Samir Nasri instrumental in midfield, Nasri in particular continuing a recent spell of good form and the expectation was that after the break City would kick on and make the possession and territorial advantage count. It was Everton who took the lead though and falling behind certainly rattled City, who (not the first time when conceding) lost their composure for a spell, were at times ill-disciplined and lacked the assurance needed to get back into the game.

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