Everton will go into the second leg of their League Cup semi-final with Manchester City holding a slender advantage having run out 2-1 winners in the first leg at Goodison Park this evening.
Romelu Lukaku got the winning goal on the night for Roberto Martinez's side to put them one step closer to a first major trophy since 1995.
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A largely uneventful first half was intermittently punctured with ambitious long-range efforts, while Nicolas Otamendi squandered the first half-chance after 24 minutes when he got too much on his header from a corner.
Everton did have two goals correctly ruled out for offside in the opening 45 minutes, but they nearly found themselves behind as the match began to catch fire in the closing stages of the half, with Sergio Aguero being denied by first Joel Robles and then Ramiro Funes Mori in quick succession.
Funes Mori made an even more important contribution at the other end of the field in stoppage time of the first half, however, opening the scoring right on the stroke of half time when he swept home a rebound after Wilfredo Caballero could only parry Ross Barkley's piledriver into his path.
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The Toffees began the second half brightly too with Muhamed Besic and Gerard Deulofeu both drawing saves from Caballero, but the first big opportunity of the second period fell the way of City when Aguero sliced his effort off target from inside the area.
The chances began to arrive more frequently as the match opened up, with Fernandinho sending a tame header straight at Joel moments before Barkley robbed Otamendi of possession only to be denied from a tight angle by Caballero.
The two keepers were called into action in quick succession again soon after, with Caballero denying Barkley once more before Joel reacted brilliantly to tip a Kevin De Bruyne effort wide of the far post.
City would not be denied for much longer, however, as they restored parity with just under 15 minutes remaining when Aguero led a counter-attack before sliding the ball into the path of Jesus Navas, who duly steered it past the Everton keeper.
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The visitors were only level for two minutes before Martinez's side regained the lead through Lukaku, who nodded home Gareth Barry's cross to continue his fine recent goalscoring form.
The match-winner was forced off with an injury shortly afterwards, and Everton had to see out the closing stages of the match with 10 men when Seamus Coleman also limped off the field after Martinez had made all three of his subs.
The hosts managed to hold out, however, giving them a one-goal advantage at the halfway stage of the tie ahead of the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on January 27, and keeping alive the possibility of an all-Merseyside final against Liverpool.
Barney Corkhill
