Doku's 97th-Minute Equalizer Rescues Point for Man City but Hands Title Advantage to Arsenal

Key facts

• Jeremy Doku scored twice, including a 97th-minute equalizer, for Manchester City.
• Everton led 3-1 after goals from Thierno Barry (2) and a set-piece goal from a corner.
• Manchester City took a 1-0 lead in the first half but conceded three goals in 13 second-half minutes.
• Arsenal now lead the Premier League by five points with three matches remaining; City have a game in hand.
• Arsenal's goal difference is four higher than City's, with fixtures against Burnley (H) and Crystal Palace (A) left.
• Seven of Manchester City's starting XI have never won the Premier League.
• Everton's Tim Iroegbunam and Thierno Barry were standout performers in the second half.

A Rollercoaster at Hill Dickinson Stadium

An extraordinary match at Hill Dickinson Stadium produced six goals, two comebacks, and a seismic shift in the Premier League title race. It goes down as an instant classic. Jeremy Doku's sensational late equaliser, his second goal of the game, was the final twist of a wild contest in which Manchester City took the lead against Everton, went 3-1 down, and then came back to salvage a point that could yet prove pivotal. The upshot is that Arsenal are now in control of their own destiny — win each of their final three matches and the Premier League crown is theirs. Even if they draw at West Ham United on Sunday, they could go on and win the title on goal difference. Their goal difference is currently four higher than Man City's, and their final two fixtures are Burnley (H) and Crystal Palace (A), the latter of which is just a few days before Palace could be playing in the UEFA Conference League final.

Guardiola's Men Blow Lead in 13 Minutes of Chaos

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spent much of the second half on Monday night in stunned silence, and you can understand why. A controlled 1-0 lead evaporated following a mistake from Marc Guehi, a corner goal that followed an error by Abdukodir Khusanov, and finally the second goal of the game for Thierno Barry after Mateo Kovacic was too easily beaten. Barry, along with the brilliant Tim Iroegbunam, ran the show for Everton in the second half. It was a reminder that for all the pressure on Arsenal — riding the anxiety in search of a first title in over 20 years — this is a new-look Man City side facing the same tension and, arguably, the same level of inexperience: seven of the starting XI on Monday night have never won the Premier League.

Doku's Double and a Point Gained, Two Lost

Jeremy Doku's late equaliser came after he fired us into the lead just before the break with another impressive strike. After a strong first half, Guardiola felt that his side lost momentum but praised the never-say-die attitude of the players. “When you score and have the momentum, you have to win the game given the situation and how many games we have left,” he added. “It’s better to have a point than no point. It would be better to win the game than have the point,” Guardiola said after the match. “Many things happened. We know the difficulty of the opponent, they are incredibly aggressive. We were there in the first half and exceptional, then in the second half they make a step up. We played with good process but maybe not the intention we had in the first half. We gave away the first goal then from the corner they are so good, David Moyes always is with set-pieces. It was open to transition and we had chances. We had momentum and two goals, the third was outstanding. We take a point.”

Title Race Shift: Arsenal Now Hold the Cards

It was only a fortnight ago that Declan Rice sat on the turf at the Etihad Stadium, mouthing "it’s not done" to his fellow Arsenal players. Now it’s the turn of Man City’s senior stars — and the manager — to lift spirits and rise to the occasion. Guardiola told Sky Sports: "[Drawing] is better than losing, it just shows what the team are. We take the point, and until it’s over, it’s not over. It was in our hands before this game but now it’s not. Prepare for Brentford. We will continue and see what happens." Whether the two dropped points will cost Man City the title remains to be seen, but whatever the final outcome this season, their 3-3 draw at Everton will go down in Premier League folklore. It will either be remembered as the moment Arsenal were given the telling advantage or the moment Doku's wonder-goal brought Man City's title hopes back from the brink.

Everton's Resurgence and the Relegation Battle

In late March, five Premier League Matchweeks ago, Chelsea were 19 points clear of Nottingham Forest. Now, they are separated by only six points, following a run of six successive league defeats for Chelsea while Forest have won four of their last five matches. Few would have predicted Forest’s comfortable 3-1 victory at Stamford Bridge after Vitor Pereira made eight changes to his starting XI in anticipation of their Europa League semi-final second leg at Aston Villa on Thursday. Pereira took a risk that paid off spectacularly. Forest have taken a major step towards safety, moving six points clear of the bottom three with 42 points, a total that has proved enough to avoid relegation in all bar one of the Premier League's 30 seasons played over 38 rounds of matches.

What Comes Next: Brentford and the Run-In

Manchester City's next fixture is against Brentford, a match they must win to keep pressure on Arsenal. Guardiola's side still have a game in hand, but their fate is no longer solely in their hands. Arsenal, meanwhile, travel to West Ham United on Sunday, knowing that a win would put them on the brink of a first title in over two decades. The title race has already seen many twists and turns, and with three matches remaining, further drama is almost certain. As Guardiola said, "We will continue and see what happens."

The bottom line

• Manchester City's 3-3 draw with Everton, featuring a 97th-minute equalizer from Jeremy Doku, has handed Arsenal control of the Premier League title race.
• Arsenal lead by five points with three matches left; City have a game in hand but trail on goal difference by four.
• Seven of City's starting XI have never won the Premier League, highlighting inexperience in the title run-in.
• Everton's Thierno Barry and Tim Iroegbunam were instrumental in the second-half comeback, exposing City's defensive frailties.
• Pep Guardiola admitted the title is no longer in City's hands, saying 'it was in our hands before this game but now it’s not.'
• The draw will be remembered as a turning point in the title race, either as Arsenal's advantage or City's great escape.