“The police approached me after the game to make me aware of what happened,” Pearce said. “I didn’t see it, but if anything has happened then we will deal with it.”

Pearce’s counterpart, David Moyes, was bitterly disappointed after a game dominated by Everton. But he must take his share of the blame for the way his side spurned two points. After he substituted both his strikers towards the end, Everton dropped deeper, encouraging City to fire balls into the box. And with the last attack of the game Sylvian Distin’s long punt was headed down by substitute Bernado Corradi, and Richards struck an excellent volley that hit the crossbar and bounced over the line. It was an unlikely piece of drama in a scrappy game.

Given their record of 10 defeats in their past 11 away games, City had packed five in midfield. There were few goalmouth incidents in the first half although on 43 minutes Johnson, a blur of speed and movement, left the City defence for dead and pulled back a perfect low cross from the dead ball line. Beattie fluffed his effort on goal.

Johnson was soon rewarded for his hard work. Phil Neville took the throw in and, after receiving the ball back from Mikel Arteta, delivered a cross to the six-yard box from the right that would have done his brother Gary proud. Johnson pounced with a volley off the side of his right boot which took a deflection off the back of Distin and flew past Weaver.

It was no less than Everton deserved. For all Pearce’s cajoling from the edge of the technical area and beyond, it was Everton who seemed to have the greater stomach for the battle and they nearly went two goals up due to the industry of Nuno Valente, who left Trevor Sinclair horizontal with a heavy tackle and then crossed for Osman to go close after the ball had been deflected.

On 63 minutes, Johnson’s pass sent in Arteta on the right hand side of the City box. The midfielder’s low shot was well saved by Weaver, but fell nicely into the path of Johnson inside the six yard box. His second goal looked inevitable, but Dunne flung himself to the ground on his own goalline and the ball cannoned off his upper body. The crowd howled for handball, but the immediate replays were inconclusive and City remained in the game.

Everton should have been out of sight but as the game entered its final quarter, City began to show some urgency. Their cause was helped largely by the introduction of American winger DaMarcus Beasley for the ineffective Ishmael Miller. Beasley could have won a penalty when he made a dangerous break into the box only to be hauled down by Cahill, and while Cahill was booked, all City won was a free-kick on the edge of the area.

Hamann then blasted the set-piece against the feet of Yobo, to roars from the home crowd. But Everton continued to drop ever deeper, inviting crosses from the flanks. It seemed they had weathered the City storm when Samaras hit the post after being set up by Beasley. Then Richards had the crucial last word.

Star Man: Andy Johnson (Everton)

Player ratings. Everton: Howard 6; Neville 6, Yobo 6, Lescott 7, Valente 7; Arteta 7 (Davies 77 min, 6), Carsley 6, Cahill 6, Osman 5; Beattie 5 (Anichibe 81min, 5), Johnson 8 (Weir 90min, 5)

Manchester City: Weaver 7, Richards 8, Dunne 6, Distin 6, Jordan 6, Sinclair 5, Hamann 5 (Reyna 77min, 6), Barton 6, Ireland 5 (Corradi 57 mins, 7), Miller 7 (Beasley 66min, 6), Samaras 6

Scorers: Everton: Johnson 44 Manchester City: Richards 90

Referee: A Marriner Attendance: 38,250