Manchester City continues to find itself mired in disappointing results after struggling against Everton at home, managing only to secure a draw. On December 26, 2024, the defending champions faced Everton at the Etihad Stadium for the 18th round of the 2024-2025 English Premier League (EPL) season, settling for a 1-1 tie. After this match, City remains stuck at sixth place, having accumulated only 28 points from 18 matches with 8 wins, 4 draws, and 6 losses.
For City, the recent run has been bleak, recording just one victory (alongside two draws and nine losses) across their last 12 matches. Meanwhile, Everton, with their draw against City, moved to 15th place with 17 points, with 3 wins, 8 draws, and 6 losses from 17 matches.
Manager Pep Guardiola's side employed a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Erling Haaland leading the line, supported by Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and Sabinyu. Matteo Kovacic anchored the midfield, flanked by defenders Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Aké, Manuel Akanji, and Rico Lewis, with Stefan Ortega stationed between the sticks.
Everton countered with a 4-5-1 formation, featuring Dominic Calvert-Lewin as the lone striker. Iliman Ndiaye, Abdoulaye Doucouré, Idrissa Gueye, Orel Mangala, and Jack Harrison formed the midfield, with Vitali Mykolenko, Jared Branthwaite, James Tarkowski, and Seamus Coleman providing the defensive structure, manned by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
The match started brightly for City, who found the net first. Bernardo Silva scored the opening goal just 14 minutes in after receiving a slick through-ball from Doku and slotting home with his left foot. Unfortunately for the home team, their lead was short-lived. Everton equalized at the 36-minute mark when Ndiaye unleashed a powerful shot from near the penalty spot, rendering goalkeeper Ortega helpless as the ball found the corner of the net.
The first half concluded at 1-1, with both teams appearing ready to battle for victory. City had a golden opportunity to regain the lead early in the second half when Sabinyu drew a foul inside the box after being challenged by Mykolenko. Haaland stepped up to take the penalty but saw his shot saved by Pickford, who read the attempt perfectly to keep his team level. Following the penalty miss, Haaland had another chance to score, but his header was ruled out for offside.
Guardiola's first substitution came very late at the 75th minute, when he replaced Doku with Kevin De Bruyne, indicating desperation as the match progressed. Everton, emboldened by their resilience, pushed hard as they sought to exploit City's defensive weaknesses.
With time running out, City made additional changes, bringing on İlkay Gündoğan and Jamai Simpson Phyuzi for Aké and Kovacic as they tried to break the deadlock. The match lingered on, with Everton sitting back and absorbing pressure, aiming to leave the Etihad with at least one point. City's frustration deepened as they failed to convert any of their late chances, culminating with the match finishing 1-1.
The surprising result continues to reflect City's turbulent form as they sit outside the Champions League qualification spots and piles more pressure on Guardiola's management as calls for improvement ring through the fan base. With champions mentality from the previous season, supporters now find themselves wondering what has gone wrong as performances mediate through instances of missed opportunities, mainly highlighted by the failed penalty from their star striker.
The match proves Everton’s slow ascent, showing their fight against relegation, boosted by recent solid performances. Keeper Pickford's exemplary display against City's relentless attacks was particularly noteworthy as he helped secure the point with timely interventions.
City's ambitions for another title run now face scrutiny as they will need to bounce back quickly and find their winning formula before it slips beyond reach and seriously compromises their aspirations.
Overall, this match added another chapter to the gripping narrative of the Premier League, with both teams left with much to contemplate as they prepare for the busy period of fixtures upcoming.
