Doku's Late Equaliser Rescues City, but Arsenal Take Control

Manchester City salvaged a point in the 97th minute at Everton, but the draw may have done more damage than good in the Premier League title race. Jeremy Doku scored twice, including the stoppage-time equaliser, yet City’s collapse from a 3-1 lead handed Arsenal the initiative.

City had looked in command when Doku opened the scoring before half-time, but Everton stunned them with three second-half goals as Thierno Barry struck twice and Jake O’Brien added another. Erling Haaland pulled one back, and Doku’s final kick rescued a point, but Pep Guardiola admitted afterward that City no longer fully control their fate.

The result leaves Arsenal five points clear with three matches remaining, while City have only one game in hand. That means the Gunners now need three wins to secure their first league title in 22 years, and City’s margin for error has all but disappeared.

Guardiola praised his side’s first-half performance and insisted the point was still better than a defeat. He also acknowledged that Everton’s physical approach and second-half pressure made the match far harder than it had looked at the break.

For Everton, though, the result was another painful late setback. It was their third straight Premier League match to feature stoppage-time points dropped, leaving David Moyes frustrated even as his side pushed one of the league’s strongest teams to the limit. Moyes also felt Everton should have had a penalty when Bernardo Silva appeared to grapple Merlin Rohl to the ground.

There was also debate over a first-half challenge by Michael Keane on Doku, which earned a yellow card after a VAR check. Some pundits thought it could have gone the other way, but the key story remained City’s failure to protect a winning position.

The title race is now firmly in Arsenal’s hands. City are still alive, but the pressure has shifted.