Everton 3-3 Manchester City
by James Nalton
at Bramley-Moore Dock

IN THIS grand new stadium, there were always questions as to whether, or how soon, the Grand Old Team could provide it with the grand occasions. 

In recent years, Everton’s aims at the end of a season have been more about avoiding something (relegation) than achieving something, even though those years of escaping the drop were big achievements in themselves for the players, staff, and especially the fans, given how far the previous owners had let the club drift.

But now, under new ownership in a new stadium, things are looking up towards possible European qualification and to a summer of strengthening a squad that already boasts some impressive, entertaining attacking talent.

It meant that this penultimate game of the season was a grand occasion and a big-match atmosphere, not just because of what was on the line for title-challenging Manchester City, but also for an Everton team looking to reach their own goals in the top end of the table.

Throughout this season, Everton have been capable of beating anyone. The creative and attacking talents of James Garner and Iliman Ndiaye have been two of the best performers in the Premier League this season, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has looked like a shrewd signing.

David Moyes has done the rest, getting the team set up according to their strengths and hiding weaknesses from previous seasons.

Only four teams have a better defensive record than Everton this season, and though there is room for improvement in that department, Moyes’ set-up has given Everton a chance in games where they would previously have had none.

And they had more than a chance of beating City. Ndiaye had several opportunities and couldn’t take them, but his work to get into these positions is impressive.

One player who had no such problems taking even the slightest of chances was Jeremy Doku, who produced two outstanding finishes from the edge of the area for the visitors. One with his left foot to open the scoring and another with his right to rescue a point for City, both curled into the corner, keeping his team’s title hopes just about alive.

That they weren’t able to keep the title in their hands was down to an Everton second-half performance that meant the home team would have deserved all three points.

A couple of coolly taken goals, especially in the circumstances, by substitute Thierno Barry, either side of a Jake O’Brien header, put Everton 3-1 up, but Doku’s late strike gave the title race a late lease of life.