Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has acknowledged that they are no longer in control of their own fate in the race for the Premier League title.
This comes after a 3-3 draw at Everton on Monday night.
The outcome puts the title contenders five points behind leaders Arsenal, who now have a sizable psychological and mathematical advantage, despite a late comeback from Jeremy Doku.
After Doku’s first-half goal, City looked at ease, but Marc Guehi’s defensive error gave Thierno Barry the opportunity to equalize and start a chaotic second half.
With a second Barry goal and a header from Jake O’Brien, the Toffees shocked the visitors by jumping out to a 3-1 lead.
Although Erling Haaland and a 97th-minute Doku leveller salvaged a point, the draw hands the title initiative back to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, even though City do still have a game in hand.
Reflecting on the state of the race, Pep Guardiola said: “It depends. [The title] is not in our hands. Before that game it was, and Arsenal’s as well. But now, in our hands, no.”
Looking ahead to a crucial run of fixtures, he added: “We have four games in the Premier League, next is Brentford, and it will be quite similar because the competitors are good, and we will see what happens. Of course, [we go into those games with belief], like we came here.”
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