Manchester City 1-1 Everton: Haaland penalty saved as City struggles continue on Boxing Day

Erling Haaland was denied from the penalty spot in the second half of Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Everton on Boxing Day, as Pep Guardiola’s side continue their worrying run of form in the Premier League.

Now with just one win from their past 13 games in all competitions, Bernardo Silva looked to breathe life back into this Cityzens side as he opened the scoring in the 14th minute – but Iliman Ndiaye converted Everton’s first chance of the game a little over 20 minutes later to restore parity.

With Liverpool still yet to play, Manchester City find themselves in sixth and 11 points adrift of Arne Slot’s side at the top of the league table.

As it happened

A little over six months ago, Manchester City laid hands on the Premier League title for the sixth time in 7 years. Now, as 2024 comes to a close, Pep Guardiola’s side find themselves enduring relegation form – and there’s seemingly no quick fix.

Against an Everton side lingering just a few points above the drop zone, City started well and were perhaps unfortunate not to seize the lead inside five minutes as Joško Gvardiol saw his headed effort denied by the woodwork.

But a little over ten minutes later, Guardiola’s men did find the lead through Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese maestro was on the receiving end of a Jérémy Dock pass; a deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite aiding him as his strike nestled in the far corner.

The hosts were unlucky not to double their lead soon after as Phil Foden teed up Silva, though his shot flew wide of the post – and it would quickly come back to bite the Cityzens as Iliman Ndiaye rippled the back of the net in the 36th minute as an Abdoulaye Doucoure cross created Everton’s first real chance of note.

Manchester City could have restored their lead early on in the second half as Savinho was felled by Vitalii Mykolenko inside the area, but Erling Haaland – who has been critical of his own performances in recent weeks – was denied from the spot as Jordan Pickford dived the right way to deny the Norwegian.

A draw at home ensures that the 3-0 triumph over high-flying Nottingham Forest on December 4 remains City’s only win since the start of November. The Cityzens are back in action on December 29 as they travel to Leicester City’s King Power Stadium.

The lineups

MCI: Ortega; Gvardiol, Aké, Akanji, Lewis; Kovačić; Doku, Silva, Foden, Savinho; Haaland

EVE: Pickford; Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Coleman; Doucoure, Gueye, Mangala; Ndiaye, Calvert-Lewin, Harrison

_{FEATURED IMAGE: Bardhok Ndoji}