Jeremy Doku scored two stunning goals – including a 97th-minute equaliser – to salvage a draw for Manchester City in a six-goal thriller at Everton, but the result dealt a blow to the Premier League title hopes of Pep Guardiola’s side.
The breathtaking encounter at Hill Dickinson Stadium means City trail leaders Arsenal by five points with a game in hand, but Mikel Arteta’s Gunners now have their destiny in their own hands.
In a sensational Monday night match, City were left frustrated by Everton soaking up pressure and were in need of inspiration – Doku provided it three minutes before half-time with an unstoppable curler into the top corner.
But the Toffees improved markedly in the second half and got their reward with a deserved equaliser in the 68th minute.
Thierno Barry reacted quickest to a backpass from Marc Guehi, which sold Gianluigi Donnarumma short, and, although the strike was initially ruled out for offside, the goal stood after a check.
David Moyes’ side were well on top and took the lead five minutes later courtesy of Jake O’Brien’s towering header from James Garner’s corner, before Barry slotted in his second from the excellent Merlin Rohl’s square pass.
Erling Haaland pulled a goal back with seven minutes remaining and, with time running out, Doku had the final say – cutting in from the left before unleashing another unstoppable finish into the far corner to leave Everton heartbroken.
Man City analysis: Guardiola’s side lose ground
With five league games remaining before their trip to Merseyside, this contest was deemed as one of the trickiest matches City needed to negotiate.
They were unable to do so as they would have wanted, despite Doku’s late leveller.
A madcap second-half performance riddled with anxiety and errors leaves Arsenal as the big winners of the day, knowing three wins will guarantee them a first title in more than two decades.
City did take the lead through Doku’s first stunning strike but could not cope with the intensity of Everton’s players and the sheer volume of noise from the home supporters.
England defender Guehi has often been cool under pressure for the national team and at former club Crystal Palace, but was jittery in large parts here and the inexplicable error in trying to pass the ball back to Donnarumma gave the hosts the boost they needed.
City rescued a draw to extend their unbeaten run to 12 games in the league, collecting more points (25) than any other side during that period, but will head home filled with regret.
Though they showed battling spirit by fighting until the end and grabbing a goal with almost the last kick of the game, a point in these circumstances cannot be classed as being good enough.
Everton analysis: Toffees have huge say in title race
Everton had staged a superb second-half comeback through substitute Barry and O’Brien as they eyed a famous victory.
But they could not hold on as Moyes’ long wait to secure a league victory over Guardiola continued – he has now gone 17 meetings against the Spaniard without claiming three points and with just three draws in that run.
The Scot’s side were all over City in the second half and with better finishing could have been out of sight, before they conceded to Doku’s stunning last-gasp equaliser.
Iliman Ndiaye ran the City backline ragged and forced Donnarumma into a full-stretch save low down – then the Senegal winger had an even better chance four minutes later when Guehi and Matheus Nunes got in each other’s way, but he was denied by the Italy keeper again.
Barry’s equaliser was awarded as the offside had been reset by Guehi deemed to be in controlled possession of the ball with no pressure from the Everton striker, who took full advantage of the error to equalise.
The Frenchman scored again after O’Brien’s thumping header and Everton looked set for all three points until they conceded a goal past the 90th minute for a third consecutive game.
But Arteta and Arsenal will surely not mind that too much – as this result still puts them firmly in the driver’s seat for the title before their final three games.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com