Manchester City close the gap on Chelsea to just three points after seeing off Everton

Joe Hart hugs Martin Demichelis after grabbing all three points against Everton

Yaya Toure's penalty, after Phil Jagielka was controversially adjudged to have fouled James Milner, secured a fourth straight league win.But the victory came at a cost as key striker as Sergio Aguero made a tearful exit due to a knee injury just some minutes into the game.

Sergio Aguero clutches his knee after going down injured

Everton had their chances, with Romelu Lukaku denied brilliantly by Joe Hart.City's fourth straight league win leaves Manuel Pellegrini's men breathing down Chelsea's neck five weeks after finding themselves 11 points behind the Premier League leaders.

Yaya Toure scores from the penalty spot to hand Manchester City the much needed victory after Chelsea had lost

They will already be without suspended midfielder Toure for Wednesday's crucial Champions League tie at Roma, while captain Vincent Kompany is struggling with a hamstring injury and David Silva is recovering from a knee problem.

Aguero had managed to get to his feet following a Seamus Coleman tackle but, moments later, his knee appeared to jar as he stretched for the ball while under pressure from Muhamed Besic.The 26-year-old was in tears on the sidelines as he was replaced by 18-year-old midfielder Jose Pozo, who has yet to start a senior game for City.

Andre Marriner left Everton incensed as he pointed to the spot after the City midfielder went down in the area under Jagielka's challenge.With Aguero off the pitch, it was left to Toure to convert the penalty.That put City ahead but they were far from their fluent best against an Everton side who have won once in six league games and amassed 10 points fewer than after 15 matches last season.It might have been different had Hart not produced a brilliant one-handed stop to deny Lukaku after the Belgian found himself behind the City defence.Kevin Mirallas also had a goal-bound half-volley deflected behind, but City could have won by a more handsome margin.Tim Howard used a shin to deny Pozo his first Premier League goal before the teenage substitute was replaced himself by Edin Dzeko.

In his reaction, Manuel Pellegrini said: "It is important to know how to win just 1-0 in some moments."December is a very difficult month where we have to play seven Premier League games."It's not a month where you win the title but it's a key month to try and we want to start the next year leading or at least trying to be near the top."

 Roberto Matinez wasn’t pleased with the penalty awarded to Manchester City and this was evident in his verdict after the match."It's not a penalty in a million years. Jagielka cannot disappear. It's a natural action to get to the ball."Football is a contact sport, if you look at the reaction of James he's trying to get up and fight for the ball."But putting aside the referee's performance, our first-half performance on the ball was not as good as it could be."