Man City v Everton: Rooney scored the opener but Sterling (left) levelled
Rooney, so often Manchester City’s scourge in his Old Trafford days, looked as if he would do it again.
He passed another notable career milestone with his 200th Premier League goal, joining Alan Shearer in a select club, to give Ronald Koeman’s team a first-half lead.
It looked an even more uphill struggle for City when Kyle Walker was controversially red-carded a minute before half-time for a second caution.
But forward Sterling, a half-time substitute for Gabriel Jesus, came up with the equaliser towards the end of a frantic, incident-packed game.
And an acrimonious encounter ended with Morgan Schneiderlin sent off for a second booking after a sliding challenge on Sergio Aguero.
And Rooney’s goal would also have given the watching Gareth Southgate some food for thought as the national manager considers his England squad, to be announced on Thursday.
It is two goals in two Premier League games for Rooney but Sterling’s strike – his first in 10 appearances against Everton – ended the Merseyside club’s run of four consecutive shut-outs.
Just to underline the multi-national state of the Premier League, City had more Brazilians (three) in their starting XI than Englishmen (two). But for all their spending, Everton were a bit of a throwback with eight English players in their starting line-up.
EPA
Wayne Rooney cups his ears to the Man City fans after scoring
PA
Raheem Sterling scores the leveller for Manchester City
Fireworks greeted the teams and it was a lively first half full of incident, with City adopting a shoot-on sight policy while Everton defended well and Jordan Pickford was kept busy.
Pickford spared Rooney’s blushes early on with a smart reaction save after the ex-United man diverted Kevin De Bruyne’s free-kick goalwards.
It was mainly one-way traffic with City pressing forward.
Aguero fired one shot wide, had another blocked by Phil Jagielka who then made a timely block when the Argentinian delayed his shot after De Bruyne had set him up with a great chance. Aguero made amends with a superb lofted pass to David Silva, whose shot came back off the post.
Jesus and Nicolas Otamendi also tried their luck but it was Everton who took a surprise lead in the 35th minute – and it came from that man Rooney.
Leroy Sane lost possession out on the left touchline and Everton’s Mason Holgate and Dominic Calvert-Lewin launched a swift counter-attack.
It saw Calvert-Lewin square the ball across the penalty area for Rooney whose left-foot effort went through Ederson’s legs and into the net off the post.
Rooney scores STUNNING goal in first match back at Everton
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It got worse for City when Walker was dismissed a minute before half-time. He had just been cautioned for a foul on Leighton Baines when he made contact with Calvert-Lewin who went down in a heap.
It looked no more than a free-kick but referee Robert Madley decided it merited a yellow and Walker’s home debut ended with the proverbial early bath.
Guardiola had a long discussion with fourth official Michael Oliver in the tunnel as they came out for the second half, clearly indicating that he felt Walker had merely nudged into Calvert-Lewin, who had then made a meal of it by going down and holding his face.
Oliver looked sympathetic but the damage had been done. Guardiola sent on Sterling for Jesus and City, as they had to, went on the offensive despite being a man down.
City fans, already riled by the Walker decision, were angered further when it looked as if Pickford had picked up Baines’ back pass. Then there were claims for handball when Schneiderlin blocked a shot but it clearly hit him in the midriff.
It was shaping up to be one of those nights for City. Koeman introduced fresh legs with Davy Klaassen and new boy Gylfi Sigurdsson coming on for Ashley Williams and Tom Davies after an hour.
Calvert-Lewin enhanced his status as the villain of the piece when he threw out a flailing arm and caught Otamendi in the face with Madley deciding it was an accident.
Sterling then pounced on a poor headed clearance from Holgate to lash in a right-footed shot with eight minutes left, before Schneiderlin’s late dismissal for Everton.
Man City (3-5-2): Ederson 6; Kompany 6, Stones 6 (Danilo 65), Otamendi 7; Walker 5, Fernandinho 6, De Bruyne 7, D Silva 7, Sane 6 (B Silva 69); Aguero 6, Jesus 5 (Sterling 46, 8).
Booked: Walker, Kompany. Sent off: Walker 44. Goal: Sterling 82.
