Demarai Gray’s second-half equaliser sees Pep Guardiola’s champions drop two vital points

Everton’s last trophy team back in 1995 were affectionately known as the Dogs of War. They’d have been proud of the way Frank Lampard’s relegation battlers took a point off the champions.

Manchester City, and particularly Erling Haaland, were left frustrated by some Evertonian tactics; in your faces, leaving a foot in, nullifying City’s beautiful football with some timewasting.

But the visitors did score a fantastic equaliser through Damarai Gray and defended heroically for all 101 minutes – a significant part of the over-time due to referee Andy Madley’s headset not working.

Demarai Gray scored a stunning equaliser as Everton earned an unexpected point against title-chasing Manchester City

Gray surged into the City half from deep before cutting back onto his right foot and curling home despite slipping over

The goal earned relegation-threatened Everton a precious point and eased the pressure on their manager Frank Lampard

‘Against City, it’s about character,’ said proud Everton manager Frank Lampard. ‘We can’t go toe-for-toe with them in our position.

‘The idea was not to give spaces between the back four. It wasn’t a complicated gameplan but to do it consistently is tough. I didn’t want our heads to go down at any stage.’

Lampard has been written off in his career as tactically naïve but his back-five worked well yesterday. Ben Godfrey didn’t give Haaland a moment’s peace even though the Norwegian still managed to get his 27th City goal in only 21 games.

Haaland spent most of the game seething after being caught by Godfrey in the first minute. His reckless lunge at Vitality Mykolenko was one of seven yellow cards shown by referee Andrew Madley, but could have been red.

Erling Haaland opened the scoring for City in the first-half with his 27th goal of the season from Riyad Mahrez’s cross

Leaning back, the Norwegian striker turned the ball home with his usual clinical touch for his 21st Premier League strike

At that point, it looked as though City would go on to record a comfortable victory but they allowed Everton back into it

He later caught James Tarkowski with a flailing arm as the Everton defender came to challenge him from behind.

While Guardiola made it clear he didn’t want to publicly criticise Mr Madley, he cut a frustrated figure on the touchline.

‘I know what happened,’ he said with a glare. ‘Erling was a bit angry about the first action of the game on his ankle but he deserved the yellow card. I told him to be careful because we can’t play 10 against 11.

‘I don’t want a relationship with the referees. I don’t want to be in the meetings with them – I don’t care. They do their job, it is fine. We made a fantastic game. I would love to create a million chances but it’s not possible when there are so many defenders.

‘It is the strategy of the opponent and up to the referee to decide.’

It was frustration for Haaland and City throughout the second half despite several good chances and 12 minutes added time

The big Norwegian can’t steer a header on target as City struggled to break Everton down during the second period 

In terms of the future, a point apiece isn’t going to define where the teams finish in May. Pep Guardiola never believed the puff that his team would be champions by 15 points and it’s clear they are really going to have to fight with Arsenal to complete a hat-trick of titles with tough fixtures ahead starting with Chelsea.

A point means Everton aren’t going to end the calendar year in the bottom three which would have put immediate pressure on the manager.

The die was cast in the opening minute when Godfrey landed on Haaland and the striker needed lengthy treatment before continuing.

It lit the touchpaper as City were suckered into a physical confrontation that suited the visitors. De Bruyne’s challenge on Belgian team-mate Amadou Onana was late and high. 

Haaland was impatient with the close marking he received. When he was finally awarded a free-kick for a challenge by Godfrey, he sarcastically raised his arms in the air as if acclaiming a goal.

The Norwegian’s temper finally snapped after John Stones had headed against the post from De Bruyne’s free-kick.

Haaland chased the loose ball like a man possessed and recklessly lunged at the back of Vitaliy Mykolenko’s leg. Lampard agreed a yellow was just about right – ‘a but lungey but not massive force’ – but it was living dangerously. Bernardo Silva was also booked for a dive when he wriggled by Nathan Patterson.

Briefly escaping Everton’s frantic clutches, City scored a goal of beauty to lead after 24 minutes.

Rodri broke up an Everton move and Jack Grealish and De Bruyne combined to get the ball to Riyad Mahrez on the right.

He beat Vitaliy Mykolenko and once inside the penalty area pulled back to Haaland who inevitably scored albeit with a slice of fortune as Jordan Pickford’s touch took the ball away from Conor Coady on the goal-line.

The north-west derby remained spiky and Everton doubled down on making things awkward.

The second half was stop-start and affected City’s rhythm. Madley’s communications gear broke down and took six minutes to be fixed. Jack Grealish, Nathan Patterson and Rodri all needed treatment as the tackles reined in and Everton capitalised on the disruptions in spectacular style.

Haaland argued with the referee Andrew Madley after receiving a yellow card for a frustrated tackle just before half-time

Everton manager Frank Lampard and his players salute the travelling supporters at the Etihad Stadium after taking a point

Rodri played an uncharacteristically loose pass to Idrissa Gueye who fed Demarai Gray. He initially slipped but showed great resourcefulness to regain balance, cut inside and rifle into the top corner for his first Premier League goal since August.

It was the visitor’s only shot on target all and Guardiola’s reaction was to scratch his fingers on the top of his bald head in anguish. ‘The shot was unstoppable – Damarai has that in him,’ said Lampard.

The bad blood continued when Haaland caught Tarkowski and Belgian team-mates De Bruyne and Onana continued hostilities.

City pushed on and Jordan Pickford made a brilliant save to deny Riyad Mahrez before Guardiola sent on lkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez for the closing minutes.

Eleven minutes of injury-time failed to produce a winner with Rodri missing contact with Mahrez’s cross.

RE-LIVE ALL THE ACTION AS IT UNFOLDED WITH ADAM SHERGOLD BELOW