Manchester City headed into Monday night's game against Everton knowing that only a win would do with Arsenal opening up a six-point lead at the Premier League summit
Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki look on during a Man City game
Manchester City's title hopes have been dealt a major blow by Everton(Image: Stu Forster)
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Nobody, not even Arsenal, expected Manchester City to go quietly in the title race.
And that may very well still prove to be the case after they somewhat salvaged a second half collapse away at Everton. But this was two points dropped from a City point of view - and it hit like a bolt right out of the blue.
Monday night's game was essentially must-win territory with Arsenal accumulating a rapid six-point buffer at the top of the table since City last played a Premier League game. Not exactly insurmountable, but significant enough with the fixture list now looking sparse.
City have already showcased their powers of recovery in the title race by reeling Arsenal back in once. But suddenly that advantage looks mighty more commanding after a damaging 3-3 draw on Merseyside. The ironic thing is that it had looked like business as usual; everybody knows that Pep Guardiola's side come alive when spring blooms, perhaps nobody more so than Arsenal, who have been been left on the canvas in the championship rounds by this familiar foe before.
It took 43 minutes for the City breakthrough to come, but it had been coming. Jeremy Doku did the honours for City after a half of knocking on the door, briefly halving Arsenal's lead at the summit with one mighty swing of his left boot.
From a Gunners perspective, this was one of the games City were more likely to slip up in on paper. And so it proved. They wobbled in the second half. Badly. Marc Guehi gifted Thierno Barry an equaliser with an almighty lapse of concentration. The type that can cost you a league title.
Marc Guehi was consoled after making a costly error
Marc Guehi was consoled after making a costly error(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA)
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And five minutes later, Jake O'Brien headed home an Everton corner to turn the game - and the trajectory of the Premier League title race - completely on its head. Barry made it three before Erling Haaland reduced the arrears to give City a glimmer of a lifeline before Doku stepped up to plunder another superb strike when his team needed him.
Doku's magic may have saved face, but the damage has still been done. Whether or not it will prove terminal in terms of City's quest for another domestic crown, only time will tell.
Jeremy Doku scores against Everton
Jeremy Doku scored at the death to salvage a draw for Manchester City at Everton(Image: Stu Forster)
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An away trip to Bournemouth in the coming weeks will represent a real test of Guardiola's revamped team and their mettle, but you would expect them to be okay at home to a Crystal Palace side with one eye on a prospective European final. Chelsea away will not daunt as it would have in years past, while Aston Villa are also spluttering yards out from the finish line.
In feast or famine season, we've seen City gobble up a five point deficit in the blink of an eye.
But Arsenal will also fancy their chances of seeing the season out unscathed. And events this weekend mean that they, rather than City, now have their destiny in their own hands.
GAMES REMAINING