Manchester City’s recent run of late drama continued on Monday night, but this time Pep Guardiola’s side had to settle for a point after a breathless 3-3 Premier League draw with Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
For long spells, City controlled the ball exactly as expected, finishing with 75.2 percent possession and nine corners, yet Everton showed the kind of direct, defiant edge that made every attack feel dangerous. In the end, the hosts were seconds away from a statement win before Jérémy Doku’s second goal of the night in the 90’+7′ minute denied them.
City had looked the more polished side in the first half and finally found the breakthrough in the 43rd minute. Doku, lively throughout, opened the scoring at 43′ to give the visitors a deserved 1-0 lead at the interval.
Everton emerged with far more aggression after the break. Michael Keane had already gone into the book at 45′, while Beto was cautioned at 48′ and James Tarkowski followed at 53′ as the hosts fought to disrupt City’s rhythm. That intensity eventually translated into goals.
Thierno Barry changed the mood of the fixture in the 68th minute, levelling for Everton at 68′ and lifting the crowd. Just five minutes later, Jake O’Brien powered home a header at 73′ to turn the match on its head and put Everton 2-1 in front. City were suddenly rattled, and even Gianluigi Donnarumma’s yellow card at 74′ hinted at the visitors losing their composure.
When Barry struck again at 81′, grabbing his second goal of the evening, Everton appeared to have one hand on a famous victory. With only 24.8 percent possession, David Moyes’ side had made their moments count, registering six shots on target from 14 attempts and punishing City whenever space opened up.
But this Manchester City side, with the title race pressure mounting and a growing habit of late salvages, refused to disappear. Erling Haaland pulled one back at 83′, reducing the deficit to 3-2 and setting up a frantic finale. Everton tried to dig in, but City kept pushing, pinning the home side deep inside their own half.
The equaliser finally arrived deep into stoppage time. Doku struck again at 90’+7′, rescuing a point for City and silencing a home crowd that had been on the verge of celebration. It was a cruel ending for Everton, who had defended with grit and countered with conviction, but the draw was a fair reflection of a fixture that swung wildly between control and chaos.
For Everton, there was still plenty to admire. Barry’s brace at 68′ and 81′ underlined his impact, while O’Brien’s 73′ header was a major moment in what had looked like an upset in the making. For City, Doku’s double at 43′ and 90’+7′, along with Haaland’s 83′ finish, ensured the visitors extended their unbeaten momentum even if they could not complete another comeback win.
In a season full of twists, this felt like another reminder that Manchester City are never out of a match, and another sign that Everton remain a difficult side to put away on their own pitch.
