Manchester City will look to temporarily take the top spot in the Premier League when they welcome Everton to the Etihad on Saturday.
The 2023/24 Premier League season continues this weekend, with Gameweek 24 kicking off on Saturday. Defending champions Manchester City will get us underway on the day in the latest round of fixtures when they host Everton at the Etihad.
Manchester City will not complete the elusive quadruple after bowing out early from the EFL Cup. But they have added the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup to their trophy haul while remaining alive in every competition they won last season. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s men are currently on a nine-game winning streak, while their most recent defeat came in December. Such a run has helped them cut the gap to the table-topping Liverpool to two points.
As for Everton, the Toffees were once on an imperious run, stitching together a four-game winning streak. While Sean Dyche’s men are currently on a three-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League and have lost only once in their last six in all competitions, their most recent top-flight victory came midway through December.
The reverse fixture saw Manchester City come from a goal down to beat Everton 3-1, with Bernardo Silva clinching the victory in the 86th minute. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. So, against Everton on Saturday, the Manchester City manager will have a full-strength squad at his disposal.
Erling Haaland is fully fit and gaining sharpness. The Norwegian international will spearhead the Manchester City attack against Everton, with Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez providing him support in the final third.
Manchester City will have fluid midfield and attacking setups, with Bernardo Silva alternating between both roles. Kevin De Bruyne will also drop deep when the situation demands it. The two playmakers will support Rodri during the defensive phases.
As for the defensive quartet, there is no looking past Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, and Josko Gvardiol. Finally, Ederson Moraes will take his usual spot between the sticks for the home side.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Rodri; Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Foden; Haaland
Everton
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester City dugout, Sean Dyche has a few pressing issues to deal with ahead of the trip to the Etihad. The Everton manager will be bereft of the services of four first-team players.
There is some good news, as Amadou Onana should be fit and available, although he faces a late fitness test to determine his availability. In addition, Ben Godfrey should be in the matchday squad on Saturday. So, Dele Alli (groin), Andre Gomes (calf), Abdoulaye Doucoure (hamstring), and Arnaut Danjuma (ankle) remain on the sidelines.
Onana should feature in the midfield unit, with the Belgian international being one of two advanced midfielders, the other being James Garner. Meanwhile, Idrissa Gueye will look to hold the fort in the middle of the park, with Onana and Garner providing defensive support.
Jordan Pickford will take his spot between the sticks, with Everton lining up in a 4-1-4-1 formation in front of him against Manchester City. Nathan Patterson, James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, and Vitaliy Mykolenko should form the defensive quarter. Meanwhile, Dominic Calvert-Lewin will lead the line, with Jack Harrison and Dwight McNeil completing the numbers in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye; Harrison, Garner, Onana, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin
Key Stats
- Manchester City are unbeaten in 13 Premier League matches against Everton since losing 4-0 at Goodison Park in January 2017 (W11 D2). The Toffees recorded four consecutive league victories at the Etihad between 2008 and 2010 but are winless in 12 subsequent top-flight visits, although they earned a 1-1 draw at the stadium last season.
- Manchester City are unbeaten in 21 home league fixtures (W17 D4), with their only loss in the most recent 35 top-flight matches at the Etihad coming against Brentford in November 2022. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s men are undefeated in 23 Premier League games against sides in the relegation zone since losing 3-2 at Norwich City in September 2019 (W21 D2).
- Everton are winless in six league matches, drawing each of the most recent three.
- Manchester City have gained 17 points from losing positions this season, three short of their highest figure in a Premier League campaign, which they set in 1993/94.
- Sean Dyche has won only one of his 19 games as a manager against Manchester City in all competitions (D2 L16), Burnley’s 1-0 victory at Turf Moor in March 2015.
Player to Watch
Erling Haaland
Pep Guardiola will be glad to see Erling Haaland return as we approach the business end of the 2023/24 season. The Norwegian international missed several weeks due to a stress injury, with the Manchester City manager taking no chances with his fitness.
Meanwhile, Haaland is still getting up to speed, although he provided an assist for one of Phil Foden’s three goals last week against Brentford. But he has gone four successive league appearances without a goal for the first time since a five-match streak for Borussia Dortmund between March and April 2022. So, the 23-year-old will be eager to
Prediction
Manchester City 3-1 Everton
Everton might not have lost many games in the last few weeks, but they have struggled to blow opponents away for nearly two months. With Manchester City up next, the task gets even tougher for the Toffees, who will unlikely end their winless run in the Premier League.
But the home side’s vulnerable backline means Sean Dyche’s men will be in business for much of the proceedings. However, they will unlikely come close to springing a surprise, with Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez, and Phil Foden finding the back of the net for the hosts. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Pep Guardiola and his charges.
