Manchester City managed to leave the Hill Dickinson Stadium with a draw but they were also full of regret at what had happened
As the second half progressed, Manchester City fans could be forgiven for watching through their fingers as it got more and more tense. After Pep Guardiola’s side threw away a lead and two points at Everton, it may take a while for some to remove their hands from their head.
That will go for the players too, especially after a first half in which they could and should have had more of an advantage – in terms of goals or men – than they did. But a horrible unforced error from Marc Guehi opened the floodgates for Everton to drive a stake through the heart of City’s title hopes.
In the end, two late goals from Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku gave City a point that could be priceless in the final reckoning. But the lack of celebration for the goals, and the desolation that greeted the final whistle, said far more about how the point and the game feels to the Blues right now.
Click here to find out the latest Manchester City news in our daily newsletter
Guardiola had said there would be more twists along the way, and he now has to hope that they concern an Arsenal side who have recovered impressively from their defeat at the Etihad last month. If City don’t get a favour in a match they cannot control, there is a chance they will not top the table again this season.
The most galling part for City was that this was all so avoidable. They racked up nearly 90 per cent of possession in the opening 20 minutes and bossed the half but were unable to have anything to show for it until Doku curled in just before the break; the failure to send Michael Keane off for a wild lunge on the Belgian may not have made a difference but still irked the Blues.
City have not lost at Everton since 2016 and the Hill Dickinson is far less intimidating than Goodison Park to visit. The Blues had nothing to worry about and got themselves into a winning position.
Yet even before the second half, signs of a wobble had been there. Donnarumma had already come to City’s rescue once when Iliman Ndiaye raced through with the ball on the back of three separate errors from City defenders and it felt like Son Heung-min versus Stefan Ortega all again.
The Italian made the save but that still wasn’t enough to snap City out of their slump. Guehi’s awful backpass was slapped into the net and was the first of three goals scored in 14 minutes by the rampant hosts.
Just as City looked out, Haaland pounced to get them back into the game. And with one of the last actions, Doku stepped up again to rescue a point.
That gives them something, but the looks at full-time revealed that the feeling is it could leave them with nothing to lift at the end of the Premier League season.


You must be logged in to post a comment Login