Manchester City’s disappointing form continued as they drew 1-1 with Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day, leaving the Premier League champions with just one win from their last 13 outings across all competitions. Despite taking the lead through Bernardo Silva's early goal, City squandered the chance to secure all three points when Erling Haaland missed from the penalty spot.
The first half saw City start brightly, with Silva scoring the opener just 15 minutes in. After receiving a deft pass from Jeremy Doku, Silva’s shot took a deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite, wrong-footing Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and settling in the far corner. It was the kind of start City needed to lift their spirits after recent struggles, but the lead didn’t last long.
Everton, who found themselves under pressure for much of the first half, equalized against the run of play at the 37-minute mark. Iliman Ndiaye found space and converted with a stunning half-volley, putting the ball deftly past City’s Stefan Ortega. This goal was pivotal, highlighting City’s defensive vulnerabilities and lack of confidence.
The second half presented City with yet another opportunity to regain the lead when they were awarded a penalty just after half-time. Mykolenko had brought down Savinho, leading to Haaland stepping up to take the spot-kick. It was a moment full of pressure for the Norwegian striker, who has struggled for form recently. Unfortunately for City, Pickford dove correctly to his right, saving the penalty, and Haaland's subsequent attempt to head the rebound home was ruled offside.
Commenting on the performance, City defender Manuel Akanji expressed frustration, stating, “We created lots of chances... Unfortunately, we only scored one goal and we conceded one out of basically nothing. This was a game today where we were able to score two, three, four goals, but it didn’t want to go in.” Akanji added, “It can’t happen, nearly losing the game at the last minute,” highlighting the precarious nature of City’s position as Everton pushed forward late.
Despite dominating possession and throwing everything forward, City struggled to find the net again, continuing the recent trend of profligacy. The season is rapidly spiraling for Pep Guardiola's side, which now finds itself sitting outside the top-four fight.
Guardiola, reflecting on the game, shared his thoughts with Amazon Prime, saying, “We played really good but they are in the period right now where it happens. We create, we concede the first time they arrive... Confidence will come with the results.” The manager's tone was somber, indicative of the pressure mounting with each passing match.
Meanwhile, Everton was content to walk away with another hard-earned point against one of the league’s traditional top teams. Jordan Pickford’s performance was key to securing the draw, marking his fifth clean sheet out of the last six league matches.
The result leaves City stuck at sixth place on the Premier League table, 11 points off the leaders and continuing their search for form amid rising concerns over their ability to retain their championship status this season. They sit closely ranked under the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal, who seem to have no such issues.
Next up, City will look to turn their fortunes around with their upcoming match against Leicester, as they desperately need to regain momentum. Akanji remains optimistic, stating, “We did lots of things great... If we are able to finish them, I think there would have been three or four goals for us.” The question now is whether City can rediscover their scoring touch amid the mounting pressures.
