Jeremy Doku scored a sublime opening goal for Manchester City against Everton to put them on course to narrow the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to three points.
City, six points behind Arsenal at kick-off having played two games fewer, laboured to find a way through the Everton defence at the Hill Dickinson Stadium despite dominating possession.
City now need Arsenal — who have 76 points after 35 games — to stumble in one of their final three games to keep their chances of lifting the trophy alive.
Guardiola’s men looked to be heading towards defeat, and City’s travelling fans had already streamed toward the exits with their title dreams in tatters when Doku, who also scored City’s opener in the 43rd minute, fired into the top corner from the edge of the box in the 97th minute.
The offside flag originally went up, but since the ball was not passed to Barry by a teammate, the goal was given.
O’Brien headed home a corner to give Everton the lead in the 73rd minute and Barry completed his double in the 81st after another defensive mistake.
But City were not backing down as Erling Haaland pulled one back in the 83rd minute when he broke through the Everton line before lifting the ball over Pickford.
Doku’s late-game heroics stretched City’s unbeaten streak in the league to 12 games.
Everton are 11th in the jam-packed mid-tale fight for European berths next season.
REUTERS
