Everton 3-3 Manchester City: Barry 68, 81, O’Brien 73; Doku 43, 90+7
Well, well, well, so this is how empires crumble. Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi were supposed to breathe new life into Manchester City in the winter window, wildcards to give Pep Guardiola a boost as he went in search of the Premier League title once more in what could be his final season at the Etihad. To prove that the old guy you thought was an old guy is not actually an old guy.
But here at the Hill Dickinson Stadium against Everton Semenyo was ineffectual, and Guehi committed a big blunder to stir the fire in the Toffees as they threatened to burn down the visitors’ title ambitions.
City had reprieve after Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku scored late, the latter’s goal coming in the 97th-minute, to at least salvage a point, but Arsenal have all the advantage now and the title is Mikel Arteta’s to lose with only three games left to play.
Doku had opened the scoring in the first half with a sublime, left-footed, curling finish amid City dominance, and that was it, the power we have been used to in the last ten years, Guardiola’s forces surging to another title win, the Dark Lord at his peak.
But Everton roared back after the break with three goals in 14 minutes. Substitute Thierno Barry scored twice, either side of a Jake O’Brien header, to put David Moyes’ side 3-1 up.
FT. We’re cruelly denied all three points at the death after a brilliant second-half effort from the Blues.
[3-3] #EVEMCI pic.twitter.com/QN4NEHrgit
— Everton (@Everton) May 4, 2026
Guehi was at fault for Everton’s first goal, playing a back pass straight to Barry, who scored from close range and defied a subsequent VAR review, much to the approval of the roaring home crowd. O’Brien then headed Everton ahead from a corner, before Barry tapped in after a deflection fell into his path.
These are the moments that provide evidence, if evidence were needed, that Guardiola’s team are simply not that team anymore. In the old days, at the height of the Spaniard’s power, City would win every game, right down to the end.
But here they looked beaten. If there was joy on Merseyside it surely paled in comparison to the triumphant feeling that would have blown through North London.
Haaland’s clipped finish reintroduced some tension and in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Doku collected a Phil Foden corner outside the box and curled another exquisite shot past Jordan Pickford to snatch a point, arguing perhaps that this giant was not quite dead yet. But it’s in its death throes.
