3. Gareth Barry And Muhamed Besic Work Well Together In Midfield
Martinez opted for a defensive-minded pairing in the middle of the park tonight, with veteran Barry lining up alongside Muhamed Besic, and the duo forged a solid partnership. Ex-City man Barry held the ball well, using his in-depth knowledge of former teammate Toure to all but eliminate the Sky Blues skipper from the contest, while the hard-tackling Besic added some bite to the middle of the park. As City favour multiple playmakers, this was a shrewd move on Martinezs part. The Barry-Besic combo restricted the visitors flow in midfield and bolstered Evertons defence when the opposition forced them onto the back foot.