Pep Guardiola acknowledged that Manchester City have lost control of the Premier League title race after a dramatic 3-3 draw at Everton. The result leaves City five points behind Arsenal, who can secure their first league title since 2004 by winning their remaining three matches.
City led 1-0 at half-time through Jérémy Doku's curled finish, but Everton fought back to lead 3-1 by the 81st minute. Erling Haaland pulled one back immediately after Everton's third goal, and Doku equalised with virtually the last kick of the game to salvage a point.
Guardiola praised his team's refusal to accept defeat, saying: 'Without that emotion you cannot come back. If you give up, you cannot do what we have done tonight.' However, he admitted: 'It was in our hands and in Arsenal's hands, and now it is not in our hands.'
Everton manager David Moyes was frustrated by the late equaliser, which he felt dealt a major blow to his side's European hopes. Moyes was also critical of the decision not to award a penalty when Bernardo Silva appeared to pull Merlin Röhl to the ground, calling it 'an absolute free-for-all' if such challenges go unpunished.
