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Paul Tait’s Everton Under-18s have once again proven to be too much for their opposition with a convincing 3-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday thereby maintaining an unbeaten start the Premier League North season.
It proved to be a strong performance from the Academy prospects as they showed an ability to control the game from start to finish never allowing City a chance to capitalise offensively.
As has been the story throughout the season, Blue’s skipper Kieran Phillips put in a strong individual performance, and led from the front throughout. Phillips was Everton’s lone scorer and proved to be a nightmare for the Sky Blue’s defence as he piled on a hat trick with two of those goals within the first ten minutes which allowed his teammates the ability to set the rhythm for the remainder of the match.
| FT: @ManCityAcademy 0-3 #EFCU18.
— Everton Academy (@EvertonAcademy) September 22, 2018
Six wins from six now for the league leaders, thanks to Kieran Phillips’ hat-trick. #U18PL pic.twitter.com/zoPzMziM2Y
After a blistering start the Toffees put the brakes on and were able to keep Gareth Taylor’s Manchester City from scoring or even maintaining possession in Everton’s attacking third for any prolonged period of time thereby showing a defensive quality which has come to be a staple throughout the year so far.
In the end it was yet another quality showing by the league leaders at the Etihad Campus and it would be wrong of me to only single Phillips out amongst his peers as both Ellis Simms and Anthony Gordon also proved dangerous as they toyed with the opposition and nearly get on the score board themselves.
| How about this for a hat-trick?!
— Everton Academy (@EvertonAcademy) September 24, 2018
Kieran Phillips hit all three goals as #EFCU18 continued their perfect start to the #U18PL season with a 3-0 win at Man City. pic.twitter.com/Vg3eiOhPY4
With this win, Tait’s squad maintain a 3-point lead over the placed Liverpool and will look to maintain this unbeaten run against 11th placed West Bromwich Albion on Saturday with the Baggies coming into the match having only 3 points after six fixtures.