Manchester City’s pursuit of the Premier League title suffered a significant blow on Monday evening, as they were forced to settle for a dramatic 3-3 draw against Everton away from home.

The dropped points have now propelled Arsenal into “pole position” in the championship race, according to reports from Ritzau.

The encounter at Goodison Park saw City battle back from a precarious position after conceding three goals in what was described as a “terrible quarter” of the second half. Everton exploited defensive frailties, with Thierno Barry finding the net twice and Jake O’Brien adding a third from a corner kick.

City’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was beaten three times, while defender Marc Guehi was notably involved in a mistake that led to one of Everton’s goals.

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Despite an earlier strike from star forward Erling Haaland, City looked destined for a damaging defeat until Jeremy Doku emerged as their saviour.

The winger unleashed a long-range shot in the seventh minute of injury time, securing a crucial equalizer and salvaging a single point for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Arsenal’s commanding lead

While Doku’s late heroics prevented a complete collapse, the draw has reshaped the landscape of the Premier League title race. Arsenal now holds a five-point advantage over Manchester City, a lead that could prove decisive in the season’s final weeks.

Adding to City’s challenge, Arsenal also appears to have a “more advantageous” remaining fixture list on paper. The Gunners have just three games left to play, compared to Manchester City’s four.

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This combination of a points cushion and a seemingly kinder run-in puts Mikel Arteta’s side firmly in control of their destiny as the season heads towards its climax.

Manchester City now faces an uphill battle to overturn Arsenal’s significant lead and secure another Premier League crown, with their performance against Everton highlighting the fine margins in this fiercely contested title race.

Sources: sport.tv2.dk

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