Manchester City’s grip on the Premier League title race loosened dramatically on Monday night, and Pep Guardiola knows it.
A chaotic 3-3 draw away at Everton has left Manchester City five points behind league leaders Arsenal, even if Guardiola’s side still hold a game in hand.
It was a game City seemed to have under control.
Then suddenly, they did not. And now, for the first time in weeks, Guardiola has openly admitted the title race is no longer fully in City’s hands.
Pep Guardiola concedes Arsenal now control title race
The biggest takeaway from the night was not just the dropped points.
It was Guardiola’s honesty afterwards.
Speaking after the draw, the City manager admitted Arsenal now hold the advantage, both mathematically and psychologically.
“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.” — Pep Guardiola
That is a significant shift. For much of the run-in, City knew perfection would likely be enough. Now, even winning every remaining game may not be.
Arsenal simply need to keep matching them. That changes the pressure.
Manchester City collapse and recover in six-goal thriller
City started like champions. Jérémy Doku opened the scoring and Guardiola’s side looked sharp, controlled and dominant for large spells of the first half.
But the game changed quickly. A defensive mistake involving Marc Guéhi gave Thierno Barry the opening to level, and Everton fed off the momentum.
The second half became chaos. Barry struck again before Jake O'Brien headed Everton into a stunning 3-1 lead, exposing a City defence that suddenly looked fragile.
That forced a response. Erling Haaland pulled one back, and deep into stoppage time Doku rescued a point with a dramatic equaliser. It felt like damage limitation rather than relief.
Based on recent matches we’ve covered, City’s control in games has usually been their biggest weapon. Losing it like this at this stage is unusual.
Guardiola praises performance despite dropped points
Despite the defensive collapse, Guardiola did not criticise his players. Instead, he pointed to the quality of the first-half display and Everton’s ability to change the game physically.
“Really good performance. We played an outstanding first half. It was so difficult with their physicality.
Second half, maybe we were not as much in control, and after we gave away the goal, they came back and made a proper English game.”
— Pep Guardiola
That assessment felt fair. City were excellent for long stretches, but title races are often decided by short spells of disorder. And that is exactly what happened here.
| Match Stats | Manchester City |
|---|---|
| Goals | 3 |
| Shots | 17 |
| Possession | 68% |
| Shots on target | 8 |
source: sofascore match data – 4 May 2026
The numbers show City still controlled most of the match.
But football rarely rewards control alone.
What this means for Arsenal and Manchester City
For Arsenal, this is the ideal scenario. Mikel Arteta’s side now know that matching City’s results could be enough to end their long wait for the Premier League title.
That changes everything. The pressure now moves differently.
Having followed City closely this season, Guardiola’s teams usually thrive when they control the pace of the race. Chasing while relying on others is a different psychological challenge.
However, much will depend on Arsenal’s own consistency. There is still room for movement.
Key Insights
- Manchester City drew 3-3 with Everton after leading early
- Pep Guardiola admitted the title race is no longer in City’s hands
- Arsenal now hold a five-point advantage
- Jeremy Doku scored twice, including a late equaliser
- City still have one game in hand
What’s next?
Manchester City host Brentford next, and the equation is simple. Win. Anything else could push Arsenal even closer to the title, especially with the Gunners preparing for a difficult trip to West Ham United.
City’s margin for error is gone. Now it is about pressure, not control.
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