Manchester City 0 Everton 2: Everton striker Ayegbeni Yakubu took his tally for the season to 16 goals to keep the club's Champions League dream alive with a win over Manchester City at Eastlands.

Yakubu made the breakthrough in the 30th minute and Joleon Lescott added a second eight minutes later to allow Everton regain fourth spot from Liverpool after stretching their unbeaten run in the top flight to seven games.

City's misery was complete in stoppage time when Martin Petrov was sent off for kicking out at Leon Osman.

City looked nothing like the side that defeated Manchester United and were bereft of ideas.

Everton had an early penalty claim dismissed by referee Rob Styles when a shot from Tim Cahill came off the elbow of Micah Richards.

They then came close to opening the scoring in the 28th minute when Steven Pienaar latched onto a pass from Cahill and cut inside before steering his effort beyond Hart and on to the post.

Everton's pressure paid off after two minutes later when Yakubu struck. Cahill showed good skill in the area and released the Nigerian, who prodded the ball home.

Everton made it two eight minutes later when Lescott got goal-side of Richard Dunne to head in a cross from Lee Carsley, who deserves enormous credit for chasing a lost cause and delivering a marvellous ball to the back post.

City looked stunned and were heading for a second successive home defeat after losing to Arsenal. Everton were playing fluent football going into half-time and running the midfield.

They started the second period going forward with Phil Neville rifling a shot over the bar in the 47th minute after being set up by Pienaar.

Everton almost made it 3-0 in the 54th minute after some sloppy defending by City. Yakubu got the better of Micah Richards and found Cahill in the six-yard area but his shot was cleared off the line by Dunne.

City had increased the tempo and were playing with more confidence but still finding Everton hard to break down.

Petrov tried his luck after 64 minutes but his powerful effort from 20 yards was blocked by Carsley.

City were growing increasingly anxious and Dunne headed a free-kick from Elano over the bar.

Play broke back down the other end and Everton made another unsuccessful penalty claim four minutes later.

Richards was again involved and clearly handled Lescott's throw-in. However, referee Styles opted to award a free-kick on the edge of the area.

Osman whipped in a vicious shot that Hart did well to beat away before City scrambled the ball clear.

Everton were carving out numerous chances and Hart stood tall to block Johnson's effort in the 84th minute before Petrov was sent off at the death after taking a swipe at Yakubu and then at Osman.