A “frustrated” Sean Dyche was left to rue a late lapse after seeing Everton slump to a last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth thanks to Seamus Coleman’s own goal.
The visitors looked set for a valuable point when Beto’s 87th-minute goal cancelled out Dominic Solanke’s opener but in the dying moments Adam’s Smith deep cross bounced up and hit Coleman on the chest before dropping agonisingly into the net.
Dyche said: “Obviously I’m frustrated and disappointed with the dying embers of the game.
“For such a simple moment we get confused and they get a goal out of nothing really.
“We find a goal and I’m pleased with that, because it’s an ugly goal and you can’t always score the perfect goal.
“We should go away with a point of course, but we can’t defend like that.”
Both sides were denied by the woodwork, with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo striking the base of a post in the first half and Dwight McNeil hitting the near post as he attempted a cross in the second.
The home side took the lead in the 64th minute when Solanke got between Tarkowski and Ben Godfrey to head home Lloyd Kelly’s cross.
Everton hit back when goalkeeper Neto dropped McNeil’s cross right at the feet of Beto who rolled the ball home from close range, but Dyche’s delight soon turned to despair.
This is a crunch time both on and off the pitch for Everton, with majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri saying he remains confident the protracted takeover of the club by 777 Partners will be completed soon.
The club are also due to find out the verdict of a second charge of breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, with a further points deduction a possibility before the end of the season in addition to the six they have already lost.
Next up for the Toffees is a trip to Newcastle followed by a clash with relegation rivals Burnley at Goodison Park but, even though his side are just three points above the bottom three, Dyche’s belief is not wavering.
“The question marks over this club have been here for two-and-a-half, three years,” he said.
“I believe in the players and I believe in myself.”
The win moved 13th-placed Bournemouth on to 38 points but manager Andoni Iraola is confident they can climb higher.
“Obviously it’s a very good amount of points but we still have nine more chances. We still want to win. Now we are going to take the games one by one,” he said.
“For us it was a very important win. Everton always put you under pressure with the long ball and the set-pieces.
“I think we dealt with it quite well against them and it’s not easy to score against them.”
De Bruyne ranks comeback title triumph among most special moments
Kevin De Bruyne ranks his sixth Premier League title triumph as one of his most special, having fought back from injury to help Manchester City make history.
City became the first team to win four English top-flight titles in a row on Sunday, with Phil Foden scoring twice and Rodri also on target in a 3-1 final-day win over West Ham.
That result ensured they edged out Arsenal by two points at the summit, despite the Gunners fighting back from 1-0 down to beat Everton 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium.
De Bruyne finished with four goals and 10 assists in just 18 Premier League appearances in 2023-24, having suffered a hamstring injury against Burnley on the opening matchday that kept him out until January.
Speaking to Sky Sports in the aftermath of City's trophy presentation, De Bruyne said: "It feels as special as the first one, to do something historic is amazing.
"For me this is one of my most special. I had a tough year, being out for six months, but then to come back in the way I could, to help the team win and be at a good level, it was a great achievement personally."
De Bruyne's comeback came in a 3-2 win at Newcastle United in January, when he came off the bench to score City's equaliser and supply a sensational pass for Oscar Bobb's last-gasp winner.
He believes that game was something of a turning point in the campaign, saying: "I can't speak for the team but for me it was like a perfect kickstart.
"I'm just happy that I came back in a run where I could help the team. They had done a great job in the first half of the season, and we're here again.
"The manager sets the tone but this team… we just enjoy playing with each other. It's not a team with big egos, we run like crazy, we want to perform well and we just enjoy it."
City have now gone unbeaten through their last 35 games in all competitions (29 wins, six draws), the longest run ever by a Premier League team, and they could yet secure a double as they face Manchester United in next week's FA Cup final.
Only Nottingham Forest, who went 40 without defeat between March and November 1978, have ever enjoyed a longer streak in English top-flight history.
Speaking alongside De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva was asked which of his six title triumphs meant the most to him.
"All of them, but the first one is always the most special," he said. "Obviously doing four in a row, something that was never done before, is unbelievable.
"The margins are so small. We beat Liverpool in two seasons by one point, then Arsenal this season by two points, we've been lucky enough to have these small margins.
"Four in a row is such a special achievement. We're so, so proud, and so happy."
Haaland never doubted Man City's title chances after Tottenham triumph
Erling Haaland had no doubts over Manchester City winning the Premier League title after Tuesday's win at Tottenham, with that expectation coming to fruition against West Ham five days later.
Phil Foden scored an early double before Rodri's second-half strike made sure of a fourth straight top-flight crown with Sunday's 3-1 victory over David Moyes' visitors at Etihad Stadium.
City are the first team in English top-flight history to lift the title in four consecutive seasons, having won the league in 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns.
That success appeared somewhat a certainty after Haaland scored twice in the midweek 2-0 victory over Spurs, with the Norway talisman sure City would get over the line and pip Arsenal to glory.
"After we beat Spurs we kind of knew we were going to do it," the City forward told Sky Sports. "I was confident."
City have now gone 35 matches unbeaten in all competitions (W29 D6), the longest run ever by a Premier League team, as Pep Guardiola's title-winning machine continues to power on.
It was a similar story as to the last campaign, when City edged past Arsenal for the top-flight crown once more, as Guardiola's team continue to deliver when the title run-in starts.
"It's like that every year," Haaland said of City's tendency to click into gear when the decisive part of the season arrives.
"It's like we add on a little bit extra because that's when it really matters. I'm happy and I can't complain."
Haaland managed 27 goals from 31 appearances this season, finishing five goals ahead of Chelsea attacking midfielder Cole Palmer, to secure consecutive Golden Boot awards in the Premier League.
On winning his second successive individual award, he added: "It's not bad. There's not much to say, it's better to just play football and don't speak too much. Let other people do the speaking and that's better.
"It's been harder than I expected [playing in the Premier League]. Every game, the way every game is not like a final but it's not far away.
"You come away somewhere or even at home you can't relax. Every game is so intense and tough."
As for working under Guardiola, Haaland is thankful for partnering with the Spaniard, whose six English top-flight titles can only be matched by Alex Ferguson (13), George Ramsay and Bob Paisley (both six).
"It's a bit demanding at times, it's tough but look what he's done," Haaland said of City's manager.
"He demands a lot every single day. If you don't live up to what he expects you have a big problem. He's demanding and he's a lovely guy and I love him to pieces."
Foden has 'cemented himself as one of Man City's greats', says Ferdinand
Phil Foden "cemented his place as a Manchester City great" after his two goals helped the club to a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League title, according to former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand.
Pep Guardiola's side made history as they maintained their grip on the Premier League trophy following a 3-1 victory over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the season.
Foden - recently named the division's Player of the Year - played another starring role for the Citizens with a brace, including a 25-yard thunderbolt after just 78 seconds, while Rodri's second-half strike completed the victory.
Ferdinand, who won three consecutive Premier League titles with United between 2007 and 2009, believes the attacking midfielder has joined a pantheon of club legends as he saluted City's resilience and determination to keep on winning.
"It's hard to explain how difficult that is - to continually reboot and go again," the former defender told TNT Sports. "The daily pressure to get up and go every day is a relentless pursuit of elite performance.
"You have to respect it - the individuals there are fantastic. The top players have moments where you cement yourself as one of the club's greats - I'm not going to go too early, but Foden has done that today."
Still only 23 years old, Foden is the youngest player in history to win six Premier League titles with his home club.
Gary Neville - an eight-time champion with United who also won three on the bounce between 1999 and 2001 - also paid tribute to the England international.
"Phil Foden is a local hero. What a player!" he told Sky Sports. "Pep Guardiola has designed a style of football that is being copied not just around this country, but all around Europe.
"Most of all, he is a winning machine that instils that in everybody who works with him."
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