Man City player ratings vs Everton: Jeremy Doku at the death! Belgian’s brilliance bails out Marc Guehi & Co. – but Pep Guardiola’s men hand Arsenal huge title advantage
Jeremy Doku’s sublime last-gasp equaliser salvaged a point for Manchester City in a dramatic 3-3 draw with Everton on Monday night, but a second-half capitulation means Pep Guardiola’s side have still handed Arsenal a huge advantage in the Premier League title race. City had led 1-0 at half-time, before imploding after the break and finding themselves two goals down with nine minutes to play.
Despite putting their hosts under relentless pressure from the first whistle, it took City 43 minutes to break the deadlock, and they had to survive a huge scare of their own as Gianluigi Donnarumma crucially intercepted a cross to deny Beto a tap-in after half an hour. The effervescent Doku put them in front, sweeping a wonderful finish into the top corner from Rayan Cherki’s simple pass.
However, Pep Guardiola’s side completely capitulated after the break, losing all semblance of composure as Everton turned the game on its head in the space of 13 minutes. Donnarumma had already been forced into two good saves from Iliman Ndiaye before Marc Guehi inexplicably passed the ball straight to Toffees substitute Thierno Barry, who buried the equaliser gleefully. After some confusion, the striker was adjudged to have been onside.
A little over five minutes later, the home team were ahead as Erling Haaland missed a header from a corner to allow Jake O’Brien to power home behind him. David Moyes’ side soon dramatically doubled their shock advantage, as Merlin Rohl’s misplaced shot was diverted into the back of the net by Barry with just nine minutes left on the clock. City, though, went straight down the other end to pull one back as Haaland raced through to lift a cool finish over Jordan Pickford.
Just as it looked like the game, and indeed the title race, was slipping away from the visitors, Doku produced another moment of magic in the 97th minute to salvage a point. A mirror image of his first curling effort but this time off his right foot, he bent an unstoppable strike beyond Pickford. The last-gasp draw leaves City five points behind Arsenal, with four still to play for Guardiola’s men.
GOAL rates Man City’s players from the Hill Dickinson Stadium…
