Pep Guardiola has surprisingly offered an upbeat review of Manchester City's thrilling 3-3 draw against Everton, a result that leaves his side trailing Arsenal by five points in the Premier League title race—though they hold a crucial game in hand as the season enters its final fortnight.

The match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium was a rollercoaster of emotions. City dominated the first half, with Jeremy Doku curling in a sublime opener just before the break. But the second half turned into a nightmare: a misplaced back-pass from Marc Guéhi allowed Thierno Barry to equalize, and Everton's physical approach paid off as Jake O'Brien and Barry again found the net to put the hosts 3-1 up.

Just when City's title hopes seemed to be slipping away, Erling Haaland notched his 25th league goal of the season to reduce the deficit. Then, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Doku emerged as the savior, netting a sensational equalizer to prevent a total collapse.

Despite the dropped points, Guardiola refused to criticize his players. "Really good, we played outstanding first-half, really, really good," he told broadcasters. "We created a lot when it's so tight, difficult physically. Second-half they made a step up, we were maybe not as much aggressive in control, and after we gave away the goal..."

The result means Arsenal can now win their first league title in 22 years by winning their remaining fixtures, piling pressure on Guardiola's squad ahead of their final domestic sprint and a looming FA Cup Final against Chelsea. For City fans, the fight isn't over—but every point now feels like gold.