Everton v Man City LIVE: Haaland’s two-word response as visitors collapse to hand Arsenal advantage in Premier League title race – UK Times

Two goals in four minutes and three in 12 means City need favours from West Ham, Burnley or Crystal Palace, Arsenal’s last three opponents. Their destiny is out of their hands now. When this seemed it would be a comfortable, professional win, it turned into an anarchic draw. And if City showed their spirit in a frantic finale, it was nevertheless them, rather than Arsenal, who lost their nerve in the run-in.

The turning point was an awful error from a player who had been almost impeccable in his City career. Everton’s equaliser could be attributed to a Moyes change, bringing on Thierno Barry for Beto, but it owed more to a horribly under-hit back-pass by Marc Guehi. The substitute advanced to beat Gianluigi Donnarumma. The striker had been flagged offside when Merlin Rohl tried to find him; but Guehi’s deliberate, if misjudged, intervention meant the goal stood. It was a gift.

Everton have conceded a goal after the 90th minute for the third Premier League game in a row, after conceding winners against Liverpool and West Ham and now an equaliser against Manchester City.

David Moyes’s side could have been in the race for Champions League without those dropped points. Mixed feeling for the Everton manager, speaking to Sky Sports:

“We let ourselves down because we defended the second goal so poorly. That was probably the main reason for it.

“But at half-time we would have taken this result because we were hugely outplayed in the first half.

“Getting a point against City is not a bad result, but when you’re 3-1 up you think you’re in with a great chance of winning.”

Erling Haaland told his Manchester City team-mates that the title is “still there” despite his side’s dropped points at Everton in a dramatic encounter.

After Everton stunned the visitors with three goals in 12 minutes, Haaland sparked City’s late comeback with a goal straight from kick-off.

Jeremy Doku’s equaliser keeps City in the race, but only just: Arsenal will win the title if they win their next three games, starting with a trip to West Ham on Sunday.

Jeremy Doku’s late goal means Manchester City took at least a point from their collapse against Everton, even if it’s a huge blow to their title chances.

Guardiola told Sky Sports: “It’s better than a loss. We played to win. It just shows what the team are. We tried and we have done it. It’s not in our hands. Before it was in our hands. Now, no.

“We have to do it in our four games that we have in the Premier League. It will be quite similar against Brentford. We will see what happens.”

Pep Guardiola, speaking to Sky Sports, praises Manchester City’s performance but says his side lost control of the second half. He says they will take the point and “continue”. He’s not giving up just yet.

“Really good performance. We played an outstanding first half. It was so difficult with their physicality.

“Second half, they made a step up. We didn’t have as much control and we gave away the goal. After that they come back and make a proper English game, so aggressive in the duels.

“We take the point and until it’s over, we’re going to continue.”

Manchester City refused to accept defeat and yet, in the final reckoning, it may be the game that means they are beaten. There were seconds remaining when Jeremy Doku curled in his second spectacular goal of an extraordinary evening. City still have not lost in the Premier League since January, but it may have been the night the title slipped from their grasp.

The winners were not Everton, though they were seconds away from their biggest scalp at Hill Dickinson, but an old Evertonian. If Mikel Arteta makes Arsenal champions, his debt to David Moyes and Everton will be still greater. It is definitively advantage Arsenal after in the title race after a stunning spell and a City collapse. Even their subsequent comeback, with two late goals, only reduced the damage done in the second half on Merseyside.

As the dust settles, the simple fact is this: Arsenal are three wins from glory. Sunday’s trip to West Ham could be their toughest of the remaining fixtures, followed by relegated Burnley and a Crystal Palace side who may have a European final to prepare for.

How will the Arsenal team have followed that as they prepare for a Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid tomorrow?

A silly, silly second half of football. Game of the season, with huge consequences!

• 68’ Barry punishes Guehi to equalise for Everton
• 73’ O’Brien heads in from corner as Everton take lead
• 81’ Barry capitalises on another error as Man City crumble
• 83’ Haaland then responds straight from kick-off
• 90+7’ Doku whips in stunning strike deep into stoppage time

Played: 35 | Points: 76 | GD: 41

• 10 May – West Ham (A)
• 17 May – Burnley (H)
• 24 May – Crystal Palace (A)

Played: 34 | Points: 71 | GD: 37

• 9 May – Brentford (H)
• 13 May – Crystal Palace (H)
• 17 May – Bournemouth (A)
• 22 May – Aston Villa (H)

Guys, who knows. But if Arsenal win their next three games they will be champions.

Premier League title race

1) Arsenal | Played: 35 | Points: 76 | GD: 41

2) Man City | Played: 34 | Points: 71 | GD: 37