Why Man City weren't ready to win the Premier League this season
[BBC] [Getty Images] The dream of bringing the Premier League title back to Etihad Stadium may not be mathematically over for Pep Guardiola's squad, but Monday night's chaotic 3-3 draw at Everton felt like the moment when the cold, hard reality of squad transition finally caught up with us. For all of Manchester City's brilliance at various points this season, they were never quite ready to win the league. The blueprint of their undoing was laid bare in a 13-minute second-half period when those on Merseyside entirely lost their heads.
Under the suffocating intensity of Hill Dickinson Stadium, Guardiola's men showed a clear inability to compose themselves. Forced mistakes - highlighted by Marc Guehi's costly backpass error - led to a flurry of Everton goals that perhaps a peak, battle-hardened and experienced City side of years gone by would have comfortably blocked out. But was this defensive collapse just inevitable at some stage?
Over the past 18 months, the squad has changed a lot, with a lack of experience in key positions. Expecting flawless game management in a hostile Merseyside environment was always a big ask. There is a strong argument to suggest City might have actually overachieved this season.
That might sound far-fetched when looking at the money spent on the squad, but pushing a settled, meticulously built Arsenal side this deep into May is a commendable feat, especially when contrasted with their long-standing, work-in-progress project under Mikel Arteta. City are rebuilding - and yet they are still competing for the biggest prize in England right until the bitter end. If anything, a wild night against Everton was another hugely promising pointer towards a bright future, and the very shining light was Jeremy Doku.
The Belgian's performance felt like a true coming-of-age moment. As usual, he dazzled with his one-v-one traits, but he added that end product when the pressure couldn't have been greater. This season may belong to Arsenal but, with talents like Doku evolving before our eyes, City's transitional phase will be incredibly short-lived.