Erling Haaland and Manchester City’s miserable predicament was encapsulated when the Norwegian squandered a penalty and was then caught offside as Pep Guardiola’s side’s awful run of form continued with a 1-1 draw at home to Everton on Boxing Day. The result left City with just one win in their last 13 games in all competitions and still outside the Premier League’s top five.
City made a comfortable start and took the lead when Bernardo Silva’s shot deflected off Jarrad Branthwaite and into the far corner. Phil Foden was spraying passes like Andrea Pirlo but two bad touches by Haaland and a wayward shot from Bernardo ruined the promising moves he had created.
Everton levelled with a breakaway goal made possible by a Jeremy Doku giveaway and from then on City began to lose their nerve. The quick feet of Savinho won them a penalty but in farcical circumstances Haaland had his kick saved by Pickford, scored from the second phase of play but then saw his effort flagged offside.
Guardiola threw on Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan in search of a winner but it was City that were left clinging on for a point deep in injury time and it took some disciplined defending to prevent the Toffees grabbing a first victory at the Etihad Stadium since 2010.
GOAL rates Man City’s players from the Etihad Stadium…