EVERTON 3, MAN CITY 3
Thirteen minutes of defensive madness and mayhem may have cost Manchester City the chance to win the Premier League title.
Everton scored three times in that period of time to overturn a deficit after Jeremy Doku had given them the lead shortly before half time.
But a blunder by City defender Marc Guehi gifted Toffees’ substitute Thierno Barry an equaliser which they had been threatened.
City capitulated as Jake O’Brien and Barry put Everton 3-1 ahead in the 81st minute – there was enough noise to lift the roof off at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
It looked as though David Moyes was finally going to get the better of Pep Guardiola at the 16th attempt.
Everton were also seeking a first win against City in the league since 2016, a sequence spanning 17 games.
Alas, it was not to be as City hit back with strikes from Erling Haaland and Doku – his in the seventh of six added minutes – as they snatched a point from the jaws of defeat and leaving the hosts still searching for that elusive victory..
City had won their last nine visits to Everton, though they were all at Goodison Park and this was their first visit to their new stadium.
It was an explosive finish to a match which had meandered along for the best part of 70 minutes.
Everton, by Moyes’ own admission, had barely laid a glove on City in the opening half.
They took the game to City in the second period and exposed City’s frailties at the back as the point leaves Arsenal five points clear having played one more game than Guardiola’s side.
If Arsenal win their final three games, they will land their first title since 2004.
Guardiola, whose side extended its unbeaten run in the league to 12 matches, said: “Really good performance. We played outstanding in the first half. Really, really good.
“Second half, they made a step up and we maybe weren’t as aggressive and after, of course, we gave away the goal. After they came back, they make a proper English game – so aggressive, so, so aggressive in the duels. But in general, we made a really good performance.”
On the first half, Guardiola added: “It was more difficult for them to break us down than it was for us to break them down. We were outstanding.
“We arrived at the byline a lot, shot and had chances and it’s not easy because they play very well defensively, with 10 players behind the ball and then transition with Beto and Dewsbury-Hall. We take the point and until it’s over, we will continue.”
On the second half, he continued: “In general we were good in our process. We arrived on the left side and Doku was outstanding. Unfortunately, we could not capitalise, especially like we did in the first half. Everton away is always difficult.
Embed from Getty Images“It’s better than losing, It shows what type of team they are.”
And on the title race, Guardiola said:: “It’s not in our hands. Before it was, now it’s not. We have games left. We will see what happens.”
City last played nine days ago when they edged past Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final and Guardiola reverted to his full-strength side.
There were eight changes with only Wembley matchwinner Nico Gonzalez, Matheus Nunes and Rayan Cherki keeping their places in the side.
Rodri was not involved as he continues to recover from a groin injury, but former Toffee John Stones was on the bench against his old club.
Everton made two changes following their last-gasp defeat against West Ham last weekend.
On-loan German midfielder Merlin Rohl was handed a start as was Tim Iroegbunam with Dwight McNeil dropping out and Idrissa Gueye not involved in the squad through injury.
It was clear from the start that Everton were content to defend en masse and try and hit City on the break.
The visitors camped in the Toffees’ half throughout without creating a clear-cut chance.
Antoine Semenyo hit an inviting ball low across the face of goal, but nobody was able to get remotely near to converting.
Jeremy Doku made a dangerous burst down the left and his cross was volleyed well over by Semenyo.
Everton’s first chance of note came on the break when Rohl fired across the face of goal with City keeper Gianluigi Donnaruma getting a touch before Beto’s angled shot was blocked by Abdukodir Khusanov.
Doku opened up Everton’s defence again down the left. He cut the ball back, but Rayan Cherki blazed over.
With City becoming increasingly frustrated, they finally broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute.
Cherki, lurking on the right side of the box, found Doku who, from 18 yards, bent an exquisite shot high into the top corner of the net, his sixth goal of the season.
Referee Michael Oliver allowed play on after a City foul as Everton made a rapid break ending with Iliman Ndiaye forcing the first save of the match from Donnarumma low to his right on the hour.
Ndiaye broke clear again five minutes later and looked certain to score, but Donnarumma pulled off a potential match-winning stop.
Everton suddenly began playing with belief and were rewarded with a 68th minute equaliser.
Their pressure paid off when Guehi was forced into a weak back pass and Barry, who had only come off the bench moments earlier, slotted he ball past Donnarumma for his seventh goal of the season.
And it got even better for the Toffees who were ahead five minutes later.
Ndiaye was through on goal again only to be crowded out for a corner and from Garner’s delivery O’Brien headed home at the near post as the roof almost lifted off the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
City were stunned as Ndiaye broke through again only to shoot straight at Donnarumma.
Guardiola responded by taking off Gonzales and Semenyo for Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden.
City were opened up again with nine minutes left when Rohl played in Barry who steered a low shot wide of Donnarumma. It was 3-1 and home fans were in dreamland as they looked to secure the biggest win at their new home.
Everton were still celebrating when Kovacic put Haaland through on goal and he lofted the ball over keeper Jordan Pickford to hand City a lifeline.
Guardiola three caution to the wind replacing Bernardo Silva with Omar Marmoush with three minutes left.
Everton looked to the managing the final stages well until Doku struck with almost the last kick of the match.
He was not picked up just outside the box and given time to bend another fabulous effort past Pickford as there was stunned silence from home fans as they had seen their side blow a two-goal lead.