Everton 2-2 Man City: Late leveller
Everton midfielder Li Tie and Manchester City defender Sun Jihai delighted an estimated TV audience of 300 million people in their native China who watched the 2-2 draw at Goodison Park.
Both players had a hand in one of their side's goals.
Li Tie's contribution was the more dramatic as he laid the ball on for Tomasz Radzinski to get the equaliser in stoppage time.
City had gone ahead through Marc-Vivien Foe in the 82nd minute after Nicolas Anelka had cancelled out Steve Watson's opener for the home side.
Striker Kevin Campbell passed a late fitness test on his injured ankle for Everton and partnered 17-year-old Wayne Rooney up front.
Manager David Moyes made one change to the side that drew 0-0 against Bolton on Saturday with Watson replacing Lee Carsley in midfield.
Shaun-Wright Phillips returned to the City starting line-up with Eyal Berkovic sidelined because of a groin injury.
Everton took the lead after six minutes following a clever through ball from Rooney. He split the offside trap and released Watson, who drilled a shot beyond the stranded Peter Schmeichel.
It was Watson's first goal in the league this season and just the start Everton wanted after successive draws against Bolton and Birmingham.
Referee Andy D'Urso became the game's first casualty after 15 minutes. He came off following treatment on a leg injury and was replaced by the fourth official Alan Wiley.
City tried to get back in the game and Anelka got away from David Weir, only to lose his footing.
Then Wright-Phillips latched on to a pass from Anelka and from 25 yards was just inches over the top with his effort.
Wright-Phillips was released by Niclas Jensen as City broke quickly but his pass to Anelka was over-hit.
City drew level after 33 minutes when goalkeeper Richard Wright spilled a delightful chip by Ali Benarbia from the byline.
Anelka was on hand to knock the ball in for his 10th goal of the season.
City were beginning to pose a threat with Anelka and Wright-Phillips showing a lot of good movement.
After such a bright start Everton were finding it difficult to string more than two passes together.
Rooney, however, skipped away from Richard Dunne, only for Schmeichel to race off his line and avert the danger.
Then Rooney headed wide of the target following a corner from the right by Watson.
Everton defender Joseph Yobo, who had taken a knock in the first half, was replaced at the break by Lee Carsley.
Campbell, who had also been struggling with an ankle injury, also came off with Radzinski drafted into the action.
Rooney tried to release Carsley but the move broke down when Jensen read the situation and intercepted.
Benarbia should have put City ahead in the 52nd minute following a clever flick from Wright-Phillips.
But the Algerian playmaker somehow managed to drag his effort across the face of the goal and wide of the target.
Rooney then laid the ball into the path of Thomas Gravesen 30 yards out and his ambitious shot sailed over the bar.
Rooney, sent off on Boxing Day against Birmingham, was booked by referee Wiley in the 58th minute after a clumsy challenge on Foe.
Then Radzinski got away from Schmeichel to have the Everton fans cheering, only to over-run the ball.
The Canadian striker was looking lively up front and Rooney was always a threat.
It was City, however, who were looking the most creative of the two teams with Benarbia pulling the strings in the middle of the park.
Foe's effort found the roof of the net for the visitors after Wright lost possession following a good run by Wright-Phillips.
Anelka flicked a header wide following a good run and cross from Foe in the 76th minute.
Wright-Phillips then played the ball across the face of the area but Foe seemed surprised at the chance and cleared the bar with his effort.
But Foe got his reward in the 82nd minute by putting City in front, heading home a cross from Jihai.
Foe, on a season-long loan deal from Lyon, has now scored six goals in his last six games.
Watson almost pulled Everton level but headed over from a good position following a corner from Mark Pembridge.
Radzinski secured a point for the home side in stoppage time when he headed in a good delivery from Li Tie following a long ball from Watson.
Everton manager David Moyes praised the battling qualities of his side after
they snatched a point against Manchester City.
Substitute Tomasz Radzinski grabbed the equaliser in stoppage time at Goodison
Park today.
City had threatened to go home with the points after goals from Nicolas Anelka
and Marc-Vivien Foe had cancelled out an opener from Steve Watson.
Moyes said after the 2-2 draw: 'There is a sense of relief after getting
something out of a game that seemed to be going away from us.
'There has been a bit of illness about with a bug going through the club.
I've had it and so has Mark Pembridge but he decided he wanted to play today.
'Quite a few players were out of sorts but I thought we had weathered what
Manchester City had thrown at us in the second half.
'I told the players afterwards `Great stuff, you've got something out of the
game'.
'They've kept it going and got a point. We're getting nearer the magical 40
points. The good thing about us is we're not losing.'
However Moyes saw more players go on the injured list. Defenders Joseph Yobo
(knee) and Gary Naysmith (dead arm) and striker Kevin Campbell (ankle) needed
treatment after the game.
Foe looked to have secured the points for City with his sixth goal in six
games, only for Radzinski to have the last word.
City boss Kevin Keegan said: 'We played a lot of good football in the second
half and created a lot of chances.
'We're disappointed to get a draw against a team high in the table. That
shows how far we have come and perhaps tells you how far we could go.
'It was a pretty basic goal that cost us the victory, the kind of goal you
would see in the old fourth division with the ball lumped up the park.'