Troubled City held by lowly Everton, Chelsea title bid rocked

Erling Haaland had a second-half penalty saved as crisis-torn Manchester City failed to end their dismal run with a 1-1 draw against lowly Everton, while title contenders Chelsea suffered a first home defeat against Fulham since 1979 on Thursday.

Champions City have just one victory in their last 13 games in all competitions as their Christmas schedule started in disappointing fashion.

Bernardo Silva put City in front early on before Iliman Ndiaye salvaged a point for Everton.

City are languishing in seventh place and sit five points adrift of the top four, with their astonishing decline showing no sign of ending.

City boss Pep Guardiola conceded ahead of the game that his troubled side are at risk of failing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 15 years and their latest setback was another blow to that target.

“Of course we need results and we didn’t get it. The team played really good again in all departments and unfortunately could not win,” Guardiola said.

“We accept it. It is life. We did not expect it to not win games many times. But what do you have to do? Continue.”

Everton had kept five clean sheets in their last six games but were breached after just 14 minutes.

Jeremy Doku fed Silva and his effort across goal deflected off Jarrad Branthwaite and looped beyond the helpless Jordan Pickford.

Everton levelled when Manuel Akanji sliced an attempted clearance into the path of Ndiaye, who fired into the top corner for Everton’s first away goal in over two months.

Seven minutes into the second half, Haaland had the chance to end his longest goal drought at the Etihad but Pickford dived low to his right to make the save.

At Stamford Bridge, second-placed Chelsea were stunned by Fulham’s late fightback for a 2-1 win in a dramatic west London derby.

Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead after 16 minutes, the England forward drilling home from the edge of the area after weaving through the Fulham defence in dazzling style.

Forest on the rise: But Fulham levelled with eight minutes left when Antonee Robinson’s cross was headed down by Timothy Castagne and Harry Wilson nodded in from close range.

Chelsea were furious, claiming Alex Iwobi had fouled Pedro Neto in the build-up to the goal.

But there was worse to come for the Blues in stoppage-time when Rodrigo Muniz converted Sasa Lukic’s pass with a clinical strike.

Chelsea are four points behind leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand and host Leicester later on Thursday.

Nottingham Forest climbed to third place after a 1-0 win against spluttering Tottenham at the City Ground.

Forest went ahead in the 28th minute when Anthony Elanga raced onto Morgan Gibbs-White’s pass and stroke a composed finish past Fraser Forster.

Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo had just 17 games in charge of Tottenham before being sacked in 2021.

But Forest’s fourth successive win was sweet revenge for Nuno, whose former club had Djed Spence sent off in the closing moments for a second booking.

Tottenham are stuck in 11th place as the pressure mounts on boss Ange Postecoglou.

Newcastle swatted aside 10-man Aston Villa 3-0, moving up to fifth place after winning three consecutive league games for the first time since 2023.

Anthony Gordon struck with a superb curling strike after just two minutes at St James’ Park.

Villa’s Jhon Duran was sent off in the 32nd minute for violent conduct after stamping on Newcastle’s Fabian Schar.

Alexander Isak made Newcastle’s numerical advantage count in the 59th minute as the Swedish striker tapped in his seventh goal in his last six appearances.

Joelinton wrapped up the points in stoppage-time with a curler from 18 yards.

Jarrod Bowen’s 59th-minute goal gave West Ham a 1-0 win at bottom of the table Southampton after the visitors saw Guido Rodriguez’s red card overturned by VAR.

It was a frustrating start for new Saints boss Ivan Juric, who has replaced the sacked Russell Martin.

Agence France-Presse