December 26, (THEWILL) – Manchester City’s English Premier League title defence encountered another setback on Boxing Day as they recorded a 1-1 draw against Everton at the Etihad Stadium. The result marks their 10th match without a victory in the 2024/2025 season, with Erling Haaland’s missed penalty proving costly.
Bernardo Silva provided the opening goal for the hosts in the 14th minute, benefiting from a deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite that wrong-footed Jordan Pickford. The Portuguese midfielder’s strike represented his fourth League goal against Everton, with only his record against Watford superior.
The visitors equalised through Iliman Ndiaye in the 36th minute, following Silva’s missed opportunity to double City’s advantage moments earlier. Ndiaye found the top corner with precision, recording his third goal of the current campaign and his first since October.
The match’s pivotal moment arrived five minutes into the second half when Savinho earned a penalty after being fouled by Vitalii Mykolenko. Haaland stepped up but saw his spot-kick saved by Pickford, before having a rebound effort disallowed for offside.
City’s inability to break through Everton’s defensive structure continued throughout the second period, managing limited clear opportunities. The result means Pep Guardiola’s team have won just eight of their 18 EPL matches this season, placing additional pressure on their championship retention hopes.
Sean Dyche’s Everton demonstrated strong defensive organisation, limiting City to minimal chances after the interval. The visitors recorded only four shots in the second half but earned a valuable point away from home, strengthening their position in the league table.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
