Pep Guardiola stood motionless for a few moments at full time. Standing a couple of yards inside the touchline at the Etihad, the Manchester City boss pensively took stock before exiting stage left.

His side had contrived to throw away a lead, miss a penalty, and nearly lose a game by abandoning any defensive shape in the final few moments. As it was, a draw at home to struggling Everton will have brought no Christmas cheer with City's dreadful recent run now standing at one win in 13.

The Blues are seventh ahead of the weekend clash with Leicester City and Guardiola, having spoken about his search for solutions in recent weeks, is still seeking answers. He knew exactly how the Boxing Day game with Everton would pan out. Sean Dyche sets his side out to defend deep and narrow, maximise set pieces and try and find moments to hurt the opposition.

READ MORE: Everton just highlighted growing Etihad Stadium issue that teams will start to use against Man City

READ MORE: Man City already have the gamechanger they want to sign in January

Guardiola knew the space would be out wide and handed starts to Jeremy Doku and Savinho, his two natural wingers who can thrive on the flanks. Their inclusion would also, in theory, bolster the supply line to Erling Haaland who had one goal in six ahead of the game.

He had set the team up to exploit Everton and City started well, taking the lead through Bernardo Silva's deflected strike. The celebration was more a collective sigh of relief from all inside the Etihad. Cue normal service resumed.

Except there is a new normal around City at the moment. One where they can't see out games, where their cloak of invincibility has gone, where confidence is shot and where individual errors are frequent.

Manuel Akanji was sloppy and Rico Lewis perhaps a yard or two out of position as Iliman Ndiaye cleverly equalised. City had plenty of the ball but didn't carry the swagger we are used to, their mentality is not what it was. They are fragile and fearful, their minds are scrambled.

Guardiola can only do so much and he must find more but it is not and should not all be on him. He went through all the emotions on the sidelines, more than once his head went to his hands, often his arms were outstretched, he was down on one knee at one point, perhaps praying for divine intervention.

Even Haaland, the unstoppable force, has stopped. His penalty was meek and comfortably saved while he tried to nod a second half cross down for Bernardo rather than send it goalbound. The Norwegian is a world class finisher but, just as those around him are below not only their sky high standards but any standards a top six club would expect, so Haaland looks laboured and lost.

In the Manchester fog, City couldn't find clarity.