Doku's double rescues a point for City but hands title advantage to Arsenal

Key facts

• Jeremy Doku scored in the 43rd minute and the 97th minute to earn City a draw.
• Thierno Barry scored twice for Everton (68', 82') after coming on as a substitute.
• Jake O'Brien headed Everton ahead in the 73rd minute from a James Garner corner.
• Erling Haaland scored his 25th Premier League goal of the season in the 83rd minute.
• Arsenal lead City by five points with three matches remaining; City have a game in hand.
• Everton moved into 10th place with 48 points after the draw.
• City have not lost domestically since mid-January but have now drawn twice in their last seven league games.

A night of chaos at the Hill Dickinson Stadium

Jeremy Doku produced two moments of individual brilliance, but it was not enough to keep Manchester City in control of the Premier League title race. The Belgium winger curled a stunning left-footed strike into the top corner just before halftime and repeated the feat with his right foot in the seventh minute of stoppage time to salvage a 3-3 draw against Everton. Between Doku's two goals, the match descended into a frantic, end-to-end spectacle that could have finished with either side winning. Everton substitute Thierno Barry capitalised on a dreadful error from City defender Marc Guehi to equalise in the 68th minute, then Jake O'Brien powered home a header from James Garner's corner five minutes later. Barry struck again in the 81st minute, appearing to seal a famous victory for the hosts.

City's defensive fragility exposed again

Manchester City's defence, which had kept clean sheets in four of their previous six league matches, unravelled in a chaotic second half. Marc Guehi's misjudgement allowed Barry to score the equaliser, and the centre-back was also caught out of position for O'Brien's goal. Gianluigi Donnarumma, the City goalkeeper, made several fine saves but could do little to prevent the three Everton goals. City manager Pep Guardiola watched his team blow a halftime lead for the first time this season. The draw extended City's unbeaten league run to 14 matches, but the nature of the result — surrendering a 1-0 advantage and then a 3-1 deficit — raised questions about their ability to close out games under pressure.

Haaland's response and Doku's late heroics

Erling Haaland reduced the deficit to 3-2 in the 83rd minute, tapping in from close range after a scramble in the Everton box. It was his 25th Premier League goal of the campaign, a tally that leads the division. But City still needed a moment of magic from Doku, who collected the ball on the left flank, cut inside onto his right foot, and curled a shot beyond Jordan Pickford into the far corner. The goal came after the allotted six minutes of stoppage time had elapsed, sparking wild celebrations among the travelling supporters. Doku's brace — his first two goals in a City shirt — made him the standout performer on a night when City's title hopes hung in the balance.

Title race shifts decisively toward Arsenal

The result leaves Arsenal five points clear at the top of the Premier League with three matches to play. City have a game in hand, but they now trail the Gunners by five points, meaning Mikel Arteta's side control their own destiny. Arsenal face West Ham, Burnley, and Crystal Palace in their remaining fixtures — all teams in the bottom half of the table. City's schedule includes Brentford at home, a trip to Wolverhampton, and a home match against Aston Villa, plus their game in hand. Even if City win all their remaining matches, they would finish on 88 points, one point behind Arsenal's current maximum of 89. The Gunners have not lost in the league since January and have kept clean sheets in four of their last five games.

Everton's resurgence under Moyes continues

Everton manager David Moyes praised his team's performance, calling Manchester City "the best team at the moment in the Premier League" in his post-match press conference. The point moved Everton into 10th place with 48 points, their highest position since September. Thierno Barry, a January signing from Basel, scored his first two Premier League goals and has now netted four times in his last six appearances. Jake O'Brien's goal was his second of the season, both from set pieces. The result extended Everton's unbeaten run at home to five matches, a stretch that has included wins over Chelsea and Brighton. Moyes, who previously managed Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta at Everton, said he and Arteta speak occasionally but that Arteta "has his own things to focus on."

What lies ahead for both sides

Everton travel to Crystal Palace on Sunday, three days after Palace play the second leg of their Conference League semi-final. City host Brentford on Saturday afternoon in a match they must win to keep pressure on Arsenal. Guardiola's side have not lost at the Etihad in the league since November, but they have drawn two of their last three home games. For City, the margin for error has vanished. They must hope Arsenal drop points in at least one of their remaining matches, while winning all of their own. The title race, once seemingly in City's grasp, is now Arsenal's to lose.

A title race defined by fine margins

Manchester City could finish the season on a 16-match unbeaten run and still come up short of the title. The draw at Everton will be remembered as the night they let control slip away, but the roots of this predicament run deeper. A scoreless draw at Sunderland in January, a last-minute concession to Gabriel Martinelli at the Emirates in September — these are the moments that may ultimately define City's season. Arsenal, by contrast, have built their campaign on defensive solidity and clinical finishing. They rarely play games that could finish 3-3, and their ability to grind out results has put them on the brink of a first league title in two decades. For City, the path to a fifth consecutive championship now requires not only perfection but also fortune.

The bottom line

• Jeremy Doku's two goals, including a stoppage-time equaliser, gave City a point but not control of the title race.
• Thierno Barry scored twice for Everton, exploiting defensive errors from Marc Guehi and City's back line.
• Arsenal now lead City by five points with three games left; City have a game in hand but trail on points.
• Everton moved into 10th place with 48 points, continuing their strong form under David Moyes.
• City's title hopes depend on Arsenal dropping points in at least one of their final three matches.
• The draw highlighted City's defensive vulnerabilities and their reliance on individual brilliance to salvage results.