Jeremy Doku saves Manchester City with two goals and postpones defeat for Guardiola’s team

Jeremy Doku scored twice and prevented a catastrophic defeat for Manchester City against Everton this Monday. The Belgian opened the scoring in the 43rd minute and equalized in stoppage time, in the 97th minute, in a 3-3 that leaves City five points behind Arsenal in the race for the Premier League title.

City led 1-0 at half-time thanks to Doku’s first goal, but completely collapsed after the restart. Everton went viral just 13 minutes into the second half, with Thierno Barry scoring after a disastrous pass from Marc Guehi. Jake O’Brien expanded, and Barry scored again to leave the team 3-1.

Colapso from City after the break

Erling Haaland approached City almost immediately with a subtle kick that fooled Jordan Pickford. The impasse on the field began to dissipate when Pep Guardiola saw his team on the verge of final collapse. Doku, however, had other plans. Num moment of absolute brilliance, he equalized in the 97th minute with an unstoppable shot from the right side of the edge of the box, identical to his first goal, but this time with the ball on his right foot.

Desempenho individual players

• Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10): Fez made crucial interceptions in the 30th minute and two incredible saves from shots by Iliman Ndiaye, but he wasn’t paying attention on the corner that resulted in Everton’s first goal.
• Marc Guehi (3/10): Cometeu made a blunder when passing the ball to Thierno Barry, resulting in the hosts’ equalizer. Sua’s performance was disastrous in the second half.
• Matheus Nunes (5/10): Abriu the scorer with a masterful pass, but collapsed against Ndiaye after the break, leaving dangerous spaces.
• Rayan Cherki (7/10): Conquistou his 11th assist on Premier League in just his debut season, setting up Doku’s opening goal and creating constant danger.
• Jeremy Doku (8/10): Absolutamente electrifying, causing problems on every play. Seus two goals were spectacular, with precise shots that shaped the match.

Situação in the title race

The draw leaves Manchester City in a delicate situation in the competition. Restam has just four points up for grabs for Guardiola’s team, while Arsenal remains in the lead with a sizeable five-point lead. The team from the English capital can widen its gap in the next round.

Everton, in turn, accumulated a point that was achieved after a brilliant offensive performance in the second half of the game. City’s defense was unable to maintain the concentration it had in the first half, allowing the hosts to repeatedly create dangerous situations. Beto, despite wasting a clear chance in the 30th minute when Donnarumma intercepted his header, remained a constant threat.

Doku’s first goal came after a precise pass from Cherki, who found space on the right. The Belgian received it freely and finished with precision, placing the ball in the top corner of Pickford’s goal. Seu’s second goal was virtually identical in execution but different in dramatic context.

Quando Erling Haaland missed the header on the corner that led to Everton’s third goal, it was clear that City had lost its defensive structure. Nico O’Reilly, who started well in the game’s progression, also suffered from the tactical collapse. Bernardo Silva, tireless in the first half, became less effective as the game progressed.

Análise from the match

Apesar pressed from the opening whistle, the visitors took until the 43rd minute to open the scoring. City had the opportunity to increase the advantage in the first stage, but Cherki did not finish accurately with one of his shots. The team would appear safe in the locker room, only to witness an unprecedented collapse.

Nico Gonzalez’s performance was typical of a pressured midfielder. Ele kept City moving, but was lost in the chaos as the game slipped away. Abdukodir Khusanov was physical in defense, enjoying the duel with Beto, but he also lost composure after the break.

O’Brien’s goal was ruled legitimate upon review, while Barry’s second goal resulted from a deflected shot by Merlin Rohl. City responded with the reduction of Haaland, who took advantage of a corner to finish cleverly. Doku, however, left his mark in stoppage time with a shot that Pickford didn’t see leave his feet, preserving a point that keeps City’s hopes alive in the title race.