Manchester City have missed the chance to close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal after playing out a 1-1 with Everton at the Etihad Stadium on New Year's Eve.
Goal machine Erling Braut Haaland had given the Citizens a first-half lead, but a wonder strike from Demarai Gray just after the hour mark restored parity for the Toffees who eventually held on to earn a hard-fought point from a feisty encounter.
Pep Guardiola's side remain second in the Premier League table, but they could end the year seven points behind Arsenal at the summit if Mikel Arteta's side beat Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium in the evening kickoff.
Everton, meanwhile, ended a three-game losing run by claiming a point at the Etihad and Frank Lampard's men now sit in 16th place, two points and two places clear of the relegation zone.
Guardiola is known to tinker with his starting lineup, but he decided to make just the one change to his side following their 3-1 win away at Leeds United on Wednesday, with Bernardo Silva replacing captain Ilkay Gundogan.
As for Lampard, he made four changes to his first XI after suffering a 2-1 home defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday, and the Toffees switched to a back five in an attempt to nullify the attacking threat of the Citizens.
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There was an early moment of concern for Haaland, who stayed down holding his foot following a challenge from Ben Godfrey, but the Norwegian was able to continue after receiving treatment.
City gradually cranked up the pressure, pushing Everton's deep defensive line further back in their own half and they eventually broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, courtesy of yet another strike from Haaland.
After receiving the ball on the right from Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez skillfully shifted the ball past Vitalii Mykolenko before picking out Haaland on the edge of the six-yard box to place a right-footed strike beyond Jordan Pickford.
Haaland has now increased his goal tally in the Premier League to 21 after just 15 matches, scoring more goals before the turn of the year than any other player in the competition's history.
A feisty atmosphere then emerged on the pitch, as the first half – which included five bookings – came to a close, with both sides unhappy with a number of decisions from referee Andy Madley.
City came close to doubling their lead on the stroke of half time when John Stones flicked a header onto the face of the near post following a Kevin De Bruyne free kick from the right.
Shortly after Stones hit the woodwork, tempers flared after Haaland fouled Mykolenko with a lunging left-footed tackle out wide on the right touchline. The challenge from City's No.9 was briefly looked at by VAR on whether he deserved a red card, but the Norwegian was instead booked for his late tackle.
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City made a bright start to the second half but a stoppage in play to replace one of the linesmen's radio battery packs killed the momentum that the hosts had built in the early exchanges.
The stoppage seemed to benefit Everton and they managed to restore parity in 64th minute when Gray carried the ball down the left before cutting inside and curling a delightful strike into the top-right corner, beating Ederson all ends up.
Everton's equaliser elevated their confidence levels and they enjoyed a spell of possession inside City's half, with Lampard's men attempting to catch the hosts out on the break.
City managed to regain a foothold in the game heading into the final quarter of the contest, though, and they came close to netting a winner in the 82nd minute when De Bruyne saw two strikes blocked before Mahrez was denied by a brilliant reaction save from Pickford.
As City's frustrations grew, Guardiola rang the changes with Gundogan, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez all coming on to provide a much-needed spark, before 11 minutes of stoppage time were added on.
Everton were penned back inside their own half as City threw bodies forward, but the Toffees defended resiliently, retained possession well in the closing stages and held on for a crucial point at the Etihad.
Man City will look to return to winning way when they travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on January 5, while Everton begin 2023 with a home encounter against Brighton two days earlier.
Oliver Thomas
