Manchester City suffered a potentially decisive setback in the Premier League title race as they were held to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Everton.
City, unbeaten away at Everton since 2017 in Guardiola’s first season in charge, looked to be on course to effectively stay neck and neck with Arsenal when Jeremy Doku gave them the lead in sublime fashion in the 43rd minute.
Yet a disastrous 13-minute spell in the second half turned the game in Everton’s favour.
First Thierno Barry pounced on an awful backpass from Marc Guehi to level matters, before Jake O’Brien completed the turnaround with a near-post header from a corner.
Barry punished more dreadful City defending to make it 3-1, but Erling Haaland provided an immediate response at the other end.
Still, it looked as if Everton had done enough for all three points. However, after conceding 90th-minute winners against Liverpool and West Ham, Doku broke their hearts with almost the last kick of the game as he curled a stunning right-footed strike beyond Jordan Pickford, at least salvaging something from City’s first visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
It means City trail Arsenal by five points having played a game fewer and now require a similar slip-up from the Gunners across their final three games to be in a position to reclaim the title.
More to follow
