MANCHESTER, England - In a nail-biting Boxing Day clash, Manchester City managed only a disappointing 1-1 draw against Everton, leaving supporters stunned yet again. After an exhilarating opening, where Bernardo Silva found the net early, the champions faced a series of unfortunate events, including a missed penalty by star striker Erling Haaland.

The match kicked off with hope for City fans as Silva scored just 14 minutes in, converting a cleverly played ball from Jeremy Doku that deflected off Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. Guardiola could be seen celebrating with joy as City ended Everton's streak of three consecutive clean sheets. However, the situation quickly soured as Everton's Iliman Ndiaye equalized in the 36th minute, taking advantage of a defensive error from Manuel Akanji. Ndiaye's powerful shot from the center of the box left goalkeeper Ederson with no chance.

As the second half commenced, the Etihad Stadium felt the pressure with City pushing for a decisive victory. The opportunity arose when Haaland was awarded a penalty after Seamus Coleman's foul on Savinho. But just like the team's recent form, the Norwegian's shot was saved by Everton’s Jordan Pickford, leading to a subsequent disallowed goal from Haaland due to offside—a moment that epitomized City’s struggles this season.

Despite dominating the match with 24 shots compared to Everton's eight, City couldn't find the back of the net again. Silva missed a prime opportunity to double the lead, while defender Rico Lewis wasted a crucial chance in injury time, blasting over the crossbar.

This latest result means Manchester City has won only once in their last 13 outings across all competitions, including just one victory in their last nine Premier League games. Currently, they sit sixth in the league with a mere 28 points—11 points off the top of the table, where Liverpool sits comfortably with two games in hand. If results don’t improve, City could drop to eighth by the end of the day.

Meanwhile, Everton finds themselves in a precarious position but safe for the moment, sitting in 15th place, five points above the relegation zone.

City’s fans exited the stadium in silence, feeling as though they had lost, while Everton supporters celebrated Jordan Pickford's heroics, chanting, "England’s number one!" The keeper even made a young fan's day by gifting his match shirt after the final whistle.

As the pressure mounts on Pep Guardiola and his squad, fans are left wondering: can Manchester City turn their fortunes around before it’s too late?