Just being back at the Etihad Stadium again next season for a Premier League fixture will ensure that 2023 is a Happy New Year for Everton, but for all the trials and tribulations of the past 12 months, the Blues ended 2022 on a huge morale-boosting come-from-behind point at Manchester City.
Long-suffering Evertonians could have been forgiven for fearing the worst as they headed to the reigning Premier League champions just five days after their demoralising last-gasp defeat at home to a Wolverhampton Wanderers side who had been propping up the table but a moment of magic from Demarai Gray was worth toasting on any occasion.
There had been an air of inevitability on 24 minutes when having built up a head of steam, Pep Guardiola’s side broke the deadlock with Erling Haaland’s 21st goal of the season with a tap-in following some dazzling footwork from Riyad Mahrez but to their immense credit, Everton dug in.
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There was a feeling of injustice when Haaland showed a darker side to his game and was only booked for nasty challenge on Vitalii Mykolenko just before the break and after a bizarre and prolonged stoppage early in the second half caused by a wardrobe malfunction for an assistant referee, the visitors earned their 64th minute break through Gray, who even had the time and space to stumble before despatching a curling equaliser from the edge of the area.
Back when he was in charge of Everton, long-serving manager David Moyes used to say trips here were akin to taking a knife to a gunfight when it came to trying to compete against City’s riches.
For too long now this fixture has not even been a contest – defeat here would have been Everton’s 10th in a row against City in the Premier League – but they were able to finally stop the rot and were well worth their share of the spoils.
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