For so long Erling Haaland has given the impression of being impervious to outside noise. Roy Keane once even likened his general play to that of a League Two player but it made little difference: Manchester City’s prolific No 9 just kept on scoring.

More recently, though, even the most fearsome plunderer of goals in Europe is showing he is not immune to the anxieties that now plague Pep Guardiola’s fragile Premier League champions and this game brought all of those insecurities into clearer view.

This is not the first time Haaland has missed a penalty for City but it arrived in a moment when the team and their star centre-forward feel particularly vulnerable and, when Jordan Pickford saved, that unease and uncertainty seemed to deepen the sense of foreboding in the stands where you could almost hear the home fans thinking: “Here we go again”.

Everton might even have nicked all three points in stoppage time but could not make more of a couple of inviting breakaways, but this game turned in that instance in the 53rd minute when Haaland was denied from 12 yards by Pickford. All credit to Pickford for the save but it was still a penalty lacking conviction and accuracy and symptomatic of a team for whom everything seems to be hard going of late. Haaland did eventually get the ball in the net but from an offside position after Josko Gvardiol headed the rebound from Pickford’s save into his team-mate’s path.

It is difficult to know to what extent Seamus Coleman was able to get inside Haaland’s head before Everton’s captain was pushed away by the striker and booked by referee Simon Hooper for his gamesmanship after chattering away in his opponent’s ear.

More likely is Haaland is simply feeling the weight of responsibility and suffering under the wider loss of confidence in a squad that look more mortal and susceptible than at any stage of Guardiola’s reign, his transitional first season included. Individually and collectively, City are struggling to respond to setbacks and this was another case in point. “We have to bounce back mentally,” a solemn Guardiola said. “Life is not easy and sport is not easy. We still had a lot of minutes to play and chances afterwards, except the uncontrolled game in the last minutes when anything could have happened.”

With Haaland, it was not just the penalty miss. There were a couple of crosses against Everton that Haaland attempted to head back across goal that the confident version would doubtless have looked to be scoring from.

Haaland has one goal now in his last seven Premier League outings – his worst run since joining City two-and-a-half years ago – and since the champions embarked on this dire run now compassing a solitary victory in 13 matches the Scandinavian has gone from averaging a goal every 81 minutes to one every 270 minutes.

There had been a worrying over-reliance on Haaland for goals even before City’s form fell off a cliff but those concerns have become even more pronounced now the big man is in the midst of his own personal drought.

Against Everton, there were signs of Phil Foden nudging his way towards better form and regaining a little zest but there is nothing particularly fluid about City’s attack at present. Jeremy Doku teed up Bernardo’s opening goal with a clever pass in behind and Savinho won the penalty after drawing a foul from Vitaliy Mykolenko but there is not nearly enough end product from either winger. Doku threatens to deliver plenty but seldom follows through on that sense of anticipation and Savinho always seems to want to take that extra touch before shooting. Everton, having levelled through a fine half volley from Iliman Ndiaye, never felt unduly stretched, although Bernardo should have done better with a chance from Foden’s tee-up and Pickford also denied Savinho.

Five points from the last 27 available in the league puts City – yes, the club that has won five of the last six titles – bottom of the form table. Persistent injury problems are not helping, of course. City were without eight senior players here and named five academy graduates on their bench plus James McAtee, who cannot get a game despite the troubles. It meant players like Nathan Ake being forced into action when the Dutchman would not have been risked had Guardiola had a full complement to choose from, but City’s issues run deeper than personnel problems.

Everton, you sensed, picked up on the anxieties in City’s team – and a flat, nervy crowd – and with some better decision-making and perhaps more quality in attack they should have scored at least one more. Akanji knew little about a block from a shot from Orel Mangala that cannoned wide and Rico Lewis also got in the way of a shot from Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Their best chance came with a three-on-one breakaway in stoppage time but substitute Armando Broja picked the wrong pass, playing the ball out to Jack Harrison whose shot was blocked, rather than the free man, Doucoure, on his inside.

As beautifully taken as Everton’s equaliser by Ndiaye was earlier in the game, it highlighted City’s defensive frailties. Doku lost the ball and then City, to a man, stood off Doucoure. Even with time and space to pick his cross, the Everton midfielder’s delivery was not the best but Manuel Akanji misjudged his clearance and the ball skipped through to Ndiaye on the far side. Cushioning the ball with a lovely first touch, he then arrowed a half volley into the corner with minimal backlift.

Everton had failed to score in six of their previous seven league games but this point followed battling goalless draws against Arsenal and Chelsea and underlined what a hard team they remain to break down. For Haaland and City, the challenges persist.

03:06 PM GMT

Pep Guardiola post-match reaction

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, speaking to Amazon Prime Video post-match, said: “We played really good, but we are that period right now. We create, we concede, but yeah [we] keep going.”

“Confidence will be with the results. but the performance against that team was really good offensively and defensively.   But unfortunately, we could not get the results that we wanted.”

When asked whether any of the injured Man City players will be available for Sunday’s match vs. Leicester, he said: “Right now, I don’t know.”

02:58 PM GMT

Haaland’s haymakers are in short supply

Erling Haaland has notably struggled in front of goal for Manchester City lately, and the Norwegian saw his penalty saved in the 53rd minute after Jordan Pickford’s antics.

Haaland has now scored just two Premier League goals from his last nine top-flight games, after 11 goals from his first nine matches.

02:51 PM GMT

Man City’s title hopes sliding away

02:50 PM GMT

Seamus Coleman post-match interview

Here’s Everton captain Seamus Coleman, speaking to Amazon Prime Video after his team’s 1-1 draw today.

The Irishman gives a rather light hearted recap of his spot kick shenanigans before Haaland’s penalty miss in the second half.

02:44 PM GMT

Manuel Akanji post-match reaction

Manchester City Manuel Akanji, speaking to Amazon Prime Video after the match, said: “We did way more in this game. We had lots of chances, and we conceded one goal basically out of nothing.

“It was a game where we were able to score 3/4, but it can’t happen that we nearly lose the game in the last few stages, because there was something like a 6 on 2. Luckily, I was able to block the shot but things like this can’t happen.”

Speaking on whether winning the Premier League is still possible for Manchester City: “The season is not finished, but it is not our target at the moment.

“We defended well, we attacked well, we just weren’t able to finish the actions.”

02:36 PM GMT

Man City’s rearguard needs rebuilding

Manchester City have now conceded 62 goals across all competitions in 2024, their most in a single calendar year since 2016 (67).

02:30 PM GMT

Dyche doing the business in December

02:28 PM GMT

Man City escape last-gasp Everton hammer blow

02:26 PM GMT

Full time: Man City 1 Everton 1

One win in 13 matches now for Manchester City, as Everton gain another precious point against one of the Premier League’s ‘big-six’ sides.

02:25 PM GMT

95 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Everton have a 4 on 2 in the dying stages of this match, but they somehow cannot move the ball quickly enough to dislodge City and create an opening.

And Harrison’s eventual tame shot is blocked and cleared away.

02:23 PM GMT

93 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Everton almost make a fantastic opportunity to get the winner, with Harrison feeding Gueye on the right hand side, and the Senegalese’s low cross is blocked and goes out for a goal kick.

But had he found his teammate Lindstrom, on the left hand side of the box, the away side may have snatched all three points in this match.

02:20 PM GMT

91 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Six minutes of added time announced at the Etihad, as the home fans urge their team on to find a winner.

Yet Rico Lewis blazes a shot well over the bar, after Savinho rolls the ball across the penalty area 10 yards from goal.

02:18 PM GMT

87 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Some majestic defending from Mykolenko has prevented Man City creating an opening, with the Ukrainian throwing his body to block a shot and then blocking Savinho from putting in a cross in quick succession.

02:13 PM GMT

84 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Ilkay Gundogan and Jamal Simpson-Pusey have both come on for Man City, as Ake and Kovacic depart the game.

02:12 PM GMT

83 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Hearts in mouths across the Etihad, as Mangala’s deflected long range strike almost wrongfoots goalkeeper Ortega, but the ball bounces outside the right hand post as the home side breathe a huge sigh of relief.

02:10 PM GMT

79 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Man City have a free kick around 40 yards from goal after de Bruyne is brought down by Mangala, but the ball is routinely cleared away.

Haaland, moments before had a great opportunity to threaten Pickford’s goal, but opts to head the ball across goal for a free kick rather than go for goal, which proves ill-fated.

02:06 PM GMT

76 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Jarrad Branthwaite is down on the turf, receiving treatment from the physios, after making a sliding tackle to prevent Haaland running through on goal.

The 22 year old is back on his feet and gingerly returns to the action .

02:04 PM GMT

75 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

De Bruyne now makes it onto the pitch, warmly appreciated by the home crowd, as Doku makes way for his countryman.

02:02 PM GMT

74 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Kevin De Bruyne is lurking on the touchline for Man City, as the Belgian prepares to enter the fray for what may be a fraught final 15 minutes or so.

01:59 PM GMT

70 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Everton are definitely buoyed for these final 20 minutes, and earn a corner after Jack Harrison’s cross to the back post is met by a Doucoure volley, which is blocked and goes into the side netting.

The corner amounts to nothing and Calvert-Lewin is replaced by Armando Broja.

01:56 PM GMT

Some extra spot kick shenanigans from Everton

01:54 PM GMT

64 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

This match is slightly opening up now, with Everton keen on springing forward to launch counter-attacks after defending deep in their half.

Calvert-Lewin attempts to set off behind City’s backline, but is eventually shepherded off the ball by Nathan Aké, but only because of the striker’s disappointing touch while carrying the ball.

01:51 PM GMT

Verdict from the Etihad

01:50 PM GMT

Pickford’s penalty save

01:49 PM GMT

57 minutes: Man City 1 Everton 1

Manchester City look considerably edgy after missing the chance to go back in front.

But they have just earned a corner with Savinho beating Mykolenko once again down the right.

It doesn’t amount to anything in the end, with Gvardiol’s flick on at the near post sailing high over the bar.

01:43 PM GMT

Penalty save!

Pickford has saved Haaland’s penalty!

The England number one leaps down to his right to save the striker’s spot kick after some antics on the goal line.

Haaland has the ball in the net seconds later with a header when the ball is flicked onto him.... But the Norwegian is offside!

01:40 PM GMT

Penalty to Manchester City!

The home side’s bright start to this second half has paid off, with Mykolenko conceding a penalty for a late challenge on Savinho.

Just over a minute earlier, Kovacic has gone very close for Man City, with the Croatian’s half-volley from 20 yards just whistling wide of the post.

01:38 PM GMT

49 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

A fantastic slide tackle from Mykolenko prevents Savinho from advancing on the right flank of the penalty area.

From the resulting corner, Gvardiol manages to get a header at the near post, but doesn’t connect properly and the ball is cleared away.

Moments later, Savinho bursts into the box and floats a cross across the box but Haaland can’t direct his header towards goal.

01:34 PM GMT

Second half begins

The second half begins. Can Manchester City pick themselves up to get a much--needed win?

01:32 PM GMT

Ndiaye brilliance brings Everton their equaliser

01:29 PM GMT

Silva missed chance

If Man City fail to get a much-needed win this afternoon, Bernardo Silva’s missed chance here may become a significant contributing factor to yet another set of dropped points.

01:27 PM GMT

Silva opening goal

01:24 PM GMT

A word on the Etihad atmosphere this afternoon.

01:20 PM GMT

Half time: Man City 1 Everton 1

Familiar woes for this fragile Man City team, who were seemingly cruising after taking the lead after 14 minutes.

But Everton’s well-taken equaliser has created some major uncertainty in this contest, going into the break.

Calvert-Lewin had the half’s final chance, when the Everton striker rose highest from a corner to head the ball towards goal, but his header ended up behind the stands before the half time whistle was blown.

01:18 PM GMT

44 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Seamus Coleman has had an interesting few minutes.

First, the 36 year old expertly dispossesses Doku in the box but his bizarre clearance nearly gifts City with an opening.

Moments later, the Irishman produces a terrific block to deny City threatening Pickford’s goal.

01:15 PM GMT

42 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

Man City have a free kick, with Doku being brought down by Mykolenko at the edge of the box.

However, Foden can only fire his set piece into the Everton wall.

01:13 PM GMT

40 mins: Man City 1 Everton 1

The nerves of the home crowd are being shredded once again, with Everton growing in confidence after their leveller.

Ndiaye threatens City’s defence once again, driving down the left and punching a dangerous cross across the box but no teammate can connect with the delivery.

01:11 PM GMT

GOAL! Man City 1 Everton 1 - Ndiaye

Uh-oh, Manchester City supporters: Take a deep breath, it’s happening again...

Everton have equalised with their first real chance in this match, and it’s a tremendous goal from Iliman Ndiaye that has earned them an equaliser.

Abdoulaye Doucouré is afforded far too much room to put in a wonderful ball into Ndiaye at the far post, who cushions the ball with his right foot, before showing Silva how to strike the ball with the outside of his boot, firing the ball brilliantly past Ortega.

01:06 PM GMT

32 minutes: Man City 1 Everton 0

Man City have had a huge chance to double their lead, and Bernardo Silva should have done better.

Foden lays the ball nicely into Silva’s path after combining with Haaland, but the Portuguese opts to strike the ball with the outside of his right foot, and the ball harmlessly flies wide of the goal.

01:00 PM GMT

28 minutes: Man City 1 Everton 0

Everton have a corner, which is headed out by City, but finds its way into Gueye just outside the edge of the box.

The Senegalese fires a half-volley that has quite a bit of pace on it, but is ably collected by goalkeeper Ortega.

12:58 PM GMT

25 minutes: Man City 1 Everton 0

That goal looks like it has settled a few nerves in this City team, as they move the ball with assurance, in an attempt to coax Everton from their deep defensive shape.

Yet Erling Haaland has had a few opportunities running in behind Everton’s defence, but the Norwegian marksman has been unable to get onto the ball and direct a shot onto goal.

12:55 PM GMT

Verdict from the Etihad

12:46 PM GMT

GOAL! Man City 1 Everton 0 - Bernardo Silva

The home side have the lead, and it’s captain Bernardo Silva who has given City the breakthrough!

City have deserved it, and they work the ball to winger Jeremy Doku on the left hand side, who plays a through ball behind Everton’s backline for Silva to run onto.

The Portuguese slides for the ball to direct it towards goal, and his low shot is deflected onto the leg of Jarrad Branthwaite, and the ricochet finds its way past Pickford to give City the lead.

12:45 PM GMT

12 minutes: Man City 0 Everton 0

Man City are showing some signs of life so far in this encounter, and Savinho nearly forges an opening when the Brazilian jinks in from the right hand side but takes one touch too many before he can pull off a shot.

12:40 PM GMT

6 minutes: Man City 0 Everton 0

Everton have ventured into Man City’s half for the first time, after soaking up some early pressure from the home side.

Gueye collects the ball in midfield after Tarkowski wins his challenge, before the ball is worked out to Harrison on the right flank whose inswinging cross just misses the outstretched boot of Calvert-Lewin.

12:36 PM GMT

3 minutes: Man City 0 Everton 0

Manchester City have dominated these opening stages, and have come very close to getting an early opener.

A well-worked short corner sees Phil Foden sling a dangerous cross into Josko Gvardiol, and the Croatian defender’s header crashes onto the post and bounces out before being hurriedly cleared away by Everton.

12:32 PM GMT

And we’re off!

The game is now underway at the Etihad.

12:31 PM GMT

Kick off is approaching.

The teams have filtered out onto the pitch at the Etihad, with ‘Hey Jude’ playing from the stadium’s speakers.

The atmosphere is not sounding raucous at all in Manchester, but perhaps both sets of supporters are still feeling weary after Christmas Day.

Although, there is a touching pre-match minute’s tribute by the club, commemorating all the notable footballing figures who passed away in 2024, followed by an impeccably observed minute’s silence.

12:25 PM GMT

Sean Dyche pre match comments

Everton manager Sean Dyche was in a very bullish mood before today’s match, stating that his team can inflict more damage upon a ‘wounded’ Manchester City side.

The 53 year old, who joined the club in January 2023, spoke earlier this week about how  City’s recent troubles resembled Manchester United’s lapse in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, noting there was a period when sides felt beaten before they arrived at Old Trafford or the Etihad.

Dyche said: “That’s how powerful the Premier League is. Man City with their strength and depth and their amazing manager are still finding it tough against everyone. They haven’t done so for years but they do now and that is because the Premier League is a powerful league. They are amazing at what they do but one or two injuries, one or two awkward results, and it suddenly looks and feels different.

“You go there to win anyway. But when the facts and stats start changing they add belief. That’s just the way sport works. If a team starts suffering a little bit, then it adds belief to whoever is going there. Remember under Sir Alex when people went to Old Trafford? Even when they were down you would think they’d score in Fergie-time.

But once that started to break down a little bit people started to believe they could have a go. It’s not down to one team or one result, it’s down to that feel. That is what changes. If we can capitalise on that then great, but it’s not that easy. They are still a top class bunch of players.”

12:14 PM GMT

Lineups in full

Just a reminder of the starting line-ups for both teams if you haven’t seen them yet.

12:06 PM GMT

Some stats to whet your appetite...

• Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 13 home Premier League matches against Everton, with eight victories and five draws in this period.

• Everton have won just one of their last 22 Premier League matches against Manchester City, enduring a defeat in 12 of the last 13 times the two sides have met in the top-flight.

• Manchester City have won six of their last seven Premier League Boxing Day games, barring a 2-1 loss at Leicester in December 2018. They have won all seven of their Boxing Day home games since 2002.

• Everton are undefeated in their last eight Boxing Day away games (W5 D3) since a 4-0 loss at Aston Villa in 2005, managing five wins and three draws in these fixtures.

• Five of the nine 0-0 draws in the Premier League this season have featured Everton (56%). 2008-09 was the last time they racked up this many 0-0 draws in a single season (also 5), while they last had more in 1998-99 (8).

• Manchester City have let in the opening goal in nine different Premier League games this season – only teams currently in the bottom four have done so more often this term (Leicester 13, Wolves 12, Southampton 12).

11:57 AM GMT

Jordan Pickford: Everton’s gleeful goalkeeper battling for the Golden Gloves.

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has given his supporters a lot to smile about so far this season.

The 30 year old’s excellent interventions were vital in helping his team keep clean sheets in the 0-0 draws against Arsenal and Chelsea this month.

No goalkeeper has kept more Premier League clean sheets than Pickford this season, with the England number one’s total standing at seven so far this season.

11:45 AM GMT

No Pep in Guardiola’s step in recent weeks.

Many people may have had this look of post-Christmas exhaustion waking up this morning.

And who could blame Pep Guardiola if he woke up like this too earlier today, given the fact no Premier League side has gained fewer points since the start of November than his Manchester City team. (4)

They have also conceded 2+ goals in seven of the eight matches in this run, as many times as they had in their previous 40 games.

11:38 AM GMT

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11:35 AM GMT

Everton lineup

Everton have made only one change from their 0-0 home draw against Chelsea on Sunday, with captain Seamus Coleman replacing the suspended Ashley Young in the starting XI.

11:32 AM GMT

Manchester City lineup

Manchester City have made three changes from their 2-1 defeat versus Aston Villa last Saturday.

Nathan Ake, Jeremy Doku and Savinho all have made it into the starting XI with John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish all coming out of the team.

11:27 AM GMT

Preview: Will Manchester City miss out on the top four?

Good morning and welcome to the Telegraph’s live coverage of the first of eight Premier League fixtures taking place today on Boxing Day, as Manchester City take on Everton at the Etihad Stadium, which kicks off at 12:30pm.

Manchester City’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League this season are in serious danger. This would have sounded like an absurd proposition this time last year when the club were challenging for an eventual fourth consecutive Premier League title. However, this was the pre match gambit of manager Pep Guardiola before his team’s fixture against Everton this afternoon.

The Spaniard, speaking at his pre-match press conference earlier this week, said: “When I said before, people laughed. They said, ‘qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success’.

“But I know it because it happens with clubs in this country. They were dominant for many years and after they were many years not qualifying for the Champions League.

“The one team that has been in the Champions League for the past years has been Manchester City. Now we are at risk, of course we are. Definitely.

“There are a lot of contenders. For every club it is so important and if we are not winning games, we will be out.

“If we don’t qualify it is because we don’t deserve it, because we were not prepared and because we had a lot of problems and didn’t solve them.”

After nine losses from their last 12 matches in all competitions, and with the club sitting seventh in the Premier League, three places and seven points worse off than last season, not qualifying for the Champions League appears to be less of a laughing matter for a club that has made it into the competition for the past 14 years.

Can Manchester City return to winning ways against Everton, and get their nosediving campaign back on track?

Or will Everton, on the back of shout outs against Arsenal and Chelsea in recent league matches frustrate another top-six side and leave the Etihad with at least a point?

Team news to follow shortly.