Manchester City continued to struggle in the Premier League with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Everton on Thursday in the opening match of Round 18.
City took an early lead through Bernardo Silva in the 14th minute, but Everton equalized with a goal from Senegalese forward Eliamine Ndiaye in the 36th minute. The draw left City with 28 points in sixth place, while Everton stayed in 15th with 17 points.
City started the game aggressively and came close to scoring within the first five minutes. A header from Gvardiol hit the post, and Savinho had a shot saved by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Bernardo Silva eventually broke the deadlock with a goal after a well-placed pass from Jeremy Doku.
Despite City’s dominance, Everton’s defense held firm, frustrating attempts from Foden, Savinho, and Doku. Erling Haaland managed to break through twice, but Pickford stopped him the first time, and Everton’s defense cleared the ball after he dribbled past the keeper.
Everton, on the other hand, had limited opportunities in the first half, with only two weak shots from Mangala and Idrissa Gueye. Bernardo Silva had a clear chance to double City’s lead in the 33rd minute but sent his shot wide. Moments later, City paid the price when Ndiaye scored for Everton after a cross caused confusion in the City defense. The first half ended with the score tied.
Second half struggles for City
The second half began with City pressing hard in the first 10 minutes. Pickford made a crucial save against Savinho, and Kovacic’s shot went narrowly wide. In the 53rd minute, Haaland missed a penalty, which Pickford managed to save, leaving the game evenly poised.
As the match wore on, Guardiola introduced Kevin De Bruyne in the final 15 minutes to add creativity. Everton nearly snatched a winner in the 83rd minute when Mangala’s deflected shot went just wide. In stoppage time, Rico Lewis had a chance but sent his shot over the bar. Despite six added minutes, City could not find a winner and had to settle for a point.
Man of the match
Savinho, Manchester City’s Brazilian winger, was rated the best player of the match with a score of 8.2/10 by Sofa Score. He impressed with two key passes, four shots (three on target), and by winning seven of his 12 duels. Phil Foden also shared the spotlight for his efforts.
Key stats from the match
- Manchester City have failed to win 12 of their last 13 matches in all competitions.
- Erling Haaland has now missed four penalties for City, including two this season.
- Everton have drawn more matches than any other team in the Premier League this season.
