Late Doku Strike Rescues Manchester City in Six-Goal Thriller, But Title Hopes Fade

Manchester City’s pursuit of the Premier League crown suffered a major setback on Monday after a dramatic 3-3 draw against Everton left their fate hanging by a thread. Despite a last-gasp equaliser from Jérémy Doku, Pep Guardiola’s side dropped crucial points in a chaotic contest that could prove decisive in the title race.

City now sits on 71 points from 34 matches, trailing league leaders Arsenal by five points, albeit with a game in hand. However, with only a handful of fixtures remaining, the reigning champions are no longer in control of their own destiny.

“It’s better than losing. (But) it’s not in our hands,” said manager Pep Guardiola. “Before it was, now it’s not. We have games left. We will see what happens.”

The match itself was nothing short of extraordinary. City appeared comfortable in the first half, taking the lead through Doku, who curled a stunning effort into the top corner just before the break, leaving goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with no chance.

But the second half saw a dramatic shift. Everton capitalised on defensive lapses, beginning with a costly error from Marc Guehi. His misplaced pass was intercepted by Thierno Barry, who levelled the score in the 68th minute. After a brief offside check, the goal stood.

Momentum swung firmly in Everton’s favour. Jake O’Brien headed in from a corner to make it 2-1, and Barry struck again in the 81st minute following another defensive breakdown.

City, staring at defeat, responded quickly. Erling Haaland reduced the deficit in the 83rd minute with a composed finish over Pickford. Then, deep into stoppage time, Doku struck again—his powerful effort from the edge of the box sealing a dramatic equaliser.

The late goal extended City’s unbeaten league run to 12 matches, but it did little to ease concerns over their title chances.

On the Everton side, manager David Moyes reflected on a result that could influence their European ambitions. “I think it’s going to be tough,” he said. “In the last couple of games we’ve lost games late on and today we’ve drawn. It could and probably will have an impact on our final position.”

Everton remains 10th, locked in a tight mid-table battle, while City must now hope for a slip from Arsenal to keep their title dreams alive.