Manchester City 3 Everton 3: City player ratings as City wilt at the Hill Dickinson Stadium

First half.

Manchester City began the game brightly in possession in the opening five minutes. However, slips by Matheus Nunes and another from Nico allowed Everton early opportunities to counter in the second and fourth minutes. The City defence dealt with both breaks from David Moyes’ side. However, both slips were warnings to Pep Guardiola’s side as the match began.

As the game approached the 15th minute, the pattern of the match seemed set. Manchester City were dominating possession and at one point had 97% of possession. Everton were defending deep with basically ten men in their own penalty area. Despite dominating possession, City were failing to create any real openings, as their only shot of note in the opening 15 minutes came via Rayan Cherki in the 6th minute. But the French international’s strike from outside the area went well over the crossbar.

Everton keeper Jordan Pickford made his first save in the 18th minute. Manchester City worked a short corner from the left, which created an opening for Cherki on the right. Cherki fired a powerful shot from eight yards out straight at Pickford, who punched the ball away. The rebound was gathered by Antoine Semenyo, who worked himself into the Everton area with some sublime footwork. Semenyo played a teasing ball across the six-yard box, but no City player was on hand for a tap-in at the back post.

Antoine Semenyo would fire a volley over at the back post three minutes later. Jeremy Doku, who was by far and away Manchester City’s most dangerous attacking player, beat Everton right-back Jake O’Brien with some great feet and pace to stand a cross up to the back post. However, Semenyo blasted his right-footed volley high over the bar.

Everton had their first shot on goal in the 25th minute. A poor touch from Nico allowed Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye to seize the ball. Ndiaye played the ball to his left to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who hit a low left-footed shot on goal from just outside the City area. Abdukodir Khusanov blocked Dewsbury-Hall’s shot, which did seem to be on target.

Manchester City’s early dominance fades as Everton gain a foot hold.

Everton would create arguably the best opening of the match in the 32nd minute. A ball from Jake O’Brien in behind Marc Guehi set Everton winger Merlin Röhl clear on the right. Röhl drove into a great position and played a teasing low ball across the City six-yard box. The ball seemed destined to find Beto unmarked at the back post for a tap-in. However, Gianluigi Donnarumma got a vital touch on the ball to take it away from Beto. Beto seized on the rebound and fired a shot on goal that was blocked by Abdukodir Khusanov.

Rayan Cherki would spoon a good chance over the bar in 39th minute. Once again, Jeremy Doku skinned Jake O’Brien on the left and played a great low ball into the Everton area. Cherki got on the end of Doku’s cross but his left-footed shot flew well over the crossbar.

Jeremy Doku fires Manchester City into the lead!!!!

Just as it seemed like the match would enter halftime at nil-all, Jeremy Doku gave Manchester City the lead. Rúben Dias received a cross-field pass from Bernardo Silva on the right wing. Dias played the ball to Jeremy Doku, who received possession just inside the Everton area. Doku cut onto his left foot, and the Belgian winger curled a magnificent strike into the top corner that gave Jordan Pickford no chance of making a save. Doku’s goal was a fine reward for his first-half performance, and Pep Guardiola’s side had a precious lead.

Manchester City would enter the interval with a 1-0 lead. Pep Guardiola’s side deserved their lead, although Everton did grow into the match after City’s early dominance. Doku’s goal came at the right time, but City had it all to do in the second half to ensure that they left the Hill Dickinson Stadium with all three points.

Second half.

Everton began the second half brightly. Two long balls were played to Beto immediately after halftime. The first saw Beto get into the City area. The Everton striker fired a shot on goal that Marc Guehi blocked. Everton tried to repeat the dose, but Beto was offside.

As ten minutes of the second half had elapsed, it was clear that Everton were intent on putting more pressure on Manchester City when Pep Guardiola’s side had possession. City couldn’t get into their groove in the opening stages of the second half.

Gianluigi Donnarumma made his first save of the night on the hour mark. Rayan Cherki was dispossessed on the edge of the Everton area by James Garner, which led to an Everton counterattack. Eventually, Iliman Ndiaye was found on the edge of the City penalty area, and his low shot was well saved by Donnarumma, low down to his right. The game was being played at Everton’s tempo in the second half, and the Hill Dickinson Stadium lifted the atmosphere as their team pushed for an equalizer.

Iliman Ndiaye should have equalized for Everton in the 65th minute. A simple long ball over the top of the City defence created confusion at the back for Pep Guardiola’s side. Abdukodir Khusanov didn’t deal with the bouncing ball that played in Ndiaye. With only Donnarumma to beat, Ndiaye hit his shot too close to the Italian goalkeeper, who made another quality save. Manchester City had to lift as Everton were pushing for an equalizer.

Everton equalize, which had been coming.

David Moyes’ side found their equalizer that their second-half play deserved in the 68th minute. Another ball over the top of the City defence, played toward Thierno Barry, was initially delayed by the City defence. The ball fell to Marc Guehi, who attempted to play a back pass to Gianluigi Donnarumma. Guehi’s back pass was too short, and Thierno Barry seized on the ball to beat Donnarumma with a simple finish. Initially, Barry was flagged offside when the first ball was played. However, Marc Guehi’s back pass was a second phase of play, and the goal was correctly allowed to stand.

Manchester City’s title charge was wilting as Everton take the lead.

Everton would take the lead in the 73rd minute. A simple corner to the near post was played in which Jake O’Brien got his head to to give Everton a 2-1 lead. It was a powerful header from O’Brien and in truth, Everton deserved their lead. City were wilting and somehow needed to respond as the game entered the final 15 minutes.

Rayan Cherki fired a free kick from 20 yards out in the 79th minute. Phil Foden was fouled by James Garner on the edge of the Everton area, which earned City the free kick. Cherki tried to beat Jordan Pickford at his near post, but his free kick went inches wide.

Thierno Barry makes it 3-1 to Everton as City’s collapse continues.

Everton would make it 3-1 in the 81st minute. A long throw-in found Merlin Röhl and Röhl surged down the right-hand side. Merlin Röhl played a ball to the back post and Thierno Barry tapped in at the back post to make it 3-1 and leave City with a mountain to climb.

Erling Haaland responds to give Manchester City hope.

Manchester City would make it 3-2 immediately from the restart after Thierno Barry’s second goal of the night. From kickoff, the ball was played to Mateo Kovacic. Kovacic played a great through ball to Erling Haaland who beat the oncoming Jordan Pickford with a superb chipped finish. A crazy game became even crazier following Haaland’s goal.

As the game entered second half stoppage time, somehow Manchester City needed to find two goals to maintain the pressure on Arsenal. The issue was, that Pep Guardiola’s side didn’t seem capable of breaking down Everton’s defence without exposing themselves at the back.

Jeremy Doku makes it 3-3 with a stunning strike.

Manchester City would make it 3-3 in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time. A City corner was cleared by the Everton defense, and the ball fell to Jeremy Doku outside the Everton area. Doku curled in a 25-yard shot into the top corner, leaving Jordan Pickford no chance of making a save. It was a superb goal from Doku to rescue a point for his team.

Jeremy Doku’s goal would be the final moment of a breathless match. Everton had forced City to collapse in the second half, but to Manchester City’s credit, they fought back to somehow leave the Hill Dickinson Stadium with a point. The result sees Arsenal take control of the title race, but hope isn’t lost for Manchester City, although they did drop two valuable points.

City player ratings.

Gianluigi Donnarumma-7/10: Did his job in goal and couldn’t do anything about any of Everton’s goals.

Matheus Nunes-6/10: Not at his best as he slipped on too many occasions throughout the night. He wasn’t alone as City’s defence wilted in the second half. 

Abdukodir Khusanov-5.5/10: Not Khusanov’s best display. He was great in the first half but he struggled in the second half as Everton pressed.

Marc Guehi-5/10: It was Marc Guehi’s poor back pass that gifted Everton an equalizer. Unfortunately, that summed up Manchester City’s second half performance. 

**Nico O’Reilly-6/10:**O’Reilly’s link up play with Jeremy Doku was superb in the first half. But like so many of his teammates he faded completely out of the game when Everton lifted.

**Nico-6/10:**The Spanish midfielder was good in the first half, but he was bypassed in the second half. Replaced by Mateo Kovacic after City fell behind.

Bernardo Silva-6/10: Manchester City’s captain’s performance typified his teams. He was good in the first half but faded away after halftime. 

Rayan Cherki-6/10: Grabbed an assist but was largely ineffectual throughout the match.

**Antoine Semenyo-6/10:**The Ghana international had moments but he couldn’t influence the match as he would’ve liked.

**Jeremy Doku-9/10:**The Belgian winger was easily Manchester City’s best player on the night. He bagged a brace and was a constant threat to the Everton defence.

**Erling Haaland-7/10:**Haaland gave City a lifeline with a composed finish. He did lack service up against a packed Everton defence.

Substitutes.

Phil Foden-6/10: Foden was lively after coming off the bench

**Mateo Kovacic-7/10:**The Croatian midfielder set up Erling Haaland’s goal which set the scene for City’s fight back.

Omar Marmoush-N/A: Not on long enough to mark.