Manchester City’s struggles continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton at the Etihad Stadium, with Erling Haaland’s missed penalty epitomizing the defending champions’ recent form. Bernardo Silva opened the scoring early on, but Iliman Ndiaye’s stunning equalizer secured a vital point for the Toffees.
The result leaves City in sixth place, with the prospect of falling further behind the top four by the end of Matchday 18. Everton, meanwhile, moved five points clear of the relegation zone, climbing to 15th. City’s ongoing slump, with just one win in their last 13 matches across all competitions, raises the specter of missing out on Champions League qualification for the first time in 15 years.
Pep Guardiola admitted pre-match that his team’s place in Europe’s premier competition is under threat, despite fifth place potentially being enough to qualify due to England’s strong performances in European tournaments. City’s vulnerability was evident once again as early chances went unconverted. Josko Gvardiol hit the post within three minutes, and Silva’s deflected effort gave City an early lead in the 14th minute. However, missed opportunities, including Silva’s squandered one-on-one against Jordan Pickford, proved costly.
Everton struck back through Ndiaye’s brilliant strike after a defensive lapse by Manuel Akanji. Despite dominating possession and creating further opportunities in the second half, City faltered. Haaland’s poorly taken penalty, saved by Pickford, highlighted his ongoing goal drought, with just one goal in his last seven matches.
Late drama unfolded as Everton came close to a stoppage-time winner, but Jack Harrison’s effort was blocked, ensuring the points were shared. City’s overreliance on Haaland and their inability to capitalize on early momentum continue to undermine their campaign, leaving Guardiola with significant challenges to address as the season progresses.
