Everton will host Manchester City at Goodison Park on Saturday, with both sides eager to grind out a positive result this weekend.
Everton have been difficult to beat since the arrival of David Moyes, and they will aim to continue that vs Manchester City this weekend. The Toffees have lost just once in their last six Premier League matches, even though they have picked up just one win in that time.
However, the Merseyside outfit have a dreadful record against Manchester City, and it remains to be seen whether the visitors can get a good result here. Speaking of, Manchester City are pushing for UEFA Champions League qualification, and they cannot afford to drop points here.
The Premier League champions have won their last eight away matches against Everton, and they are unbeaten in their six most recent meetings against the Toffees. On paper, the visitors have a better team, and they will be the favourite to get a positive result here.
Manchester City are coming into this game vs Everton on the back of three wins and two draws from the last six Premier League games. It remains to be seen whether they can grind out all three points. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Everton
David Moyes does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is out with a thigh injury, Orel Mangala has a knee injury, and Jesper Lindstrom is out with a knock.
Everton will shape up in a 4-4-1-1 formation vs Manchester City, with Jordan Pickford in goal. Jake O’Brien and Vitaliy Mykolenko will start as the full-backs. They will look to keep things tight at the back and hit Manchester City on the break. James Tarkowski will form the central defensive partnership alongside Jarrad Branthwaite.
Jack Harrison and Dwight McNeil will start in the wide areas. They will look to add pace and flair to the side. James Garner and Idrissa Gueye will add defensive cover and physicality to the side from the middle of the park. Finally, Carlos Alcaraz will start as the attacking midfielder here, with Beto leading the Everton attack vs Manchester City on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-4-1-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Garner, Gueye, McNeil; Alcaraz; Beto
Manchester City
Manchester City will be without Rodri due to his long-term knee injury. John Stones and Manuel Akanji will miss out with thigh and groin injuries, respectively, while Nathan Ake has an ankle issue, and Erling Haaland is still recovering from the injury he picked up against Bournemouth. Ederson picked up a knock against Crystal Palace, and he is likely to be sidelined as well.
Manchester City will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Everton, with Stefan Ortega in goal. Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol will start as the full-backs, and they will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Ruben Dias will pair up with Abdukodir Khusanov at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, llkay Gundogan will add control and composure to the side alongside Nico Gonzalez, who will add creativity. Kevin De Bruyne will start as the attacking midfielder, and he will look to create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates.
Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden will start in the wide areas, and they will add pace and flair to the side. Finally, Omar Marmoush is set to lead the line for Manchester City vs Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Ortega; Lewis, Dias, Khusanov, Gvardiol; Gundogan, Gonzalez; Foden, De Bruyne, Doku; Marmoush
Key Stats
- Manchester City have won their last eight away matches vs Everton across all competitions.
- Manchester City have scored at least two goals in seven of their last eight away matches against Everton in all competitions.
- Everton are unbeaten in five of the last six Premier League matches.
- Manchester City are unbeaten in five of their last six Premier League matches.
- Manchester City are unbeaten in the last six matches vs Everton.
Player to Watch
Omar Marmoush
Everton have been quite disciplined defensively, and Manchester City will have to work hard to break them down. Marmoush has been outstanding this season, and he will look to add to his goal tally for the season.
Manchester City will need him to step up and deliver in the final third. He could cause problems with his movement, finishing ability, and flair. The Egyptian international is our key player to watch out for, and he needs to perform at a high level if the visitors are to grind out all three points.
Prediction
Everton 1-2 Manchester City
Manchester City are certainly the better team, and they will look to grind out a positive result here. This is likely to be a close contest. Everton will want to make life difficult for the visitors, and Manchester City will have to perform at a high level in order to get the job done.
Both teams are likely to get on the score sheet here, but Manchester City have enough depth and quality in the final third to edge this contest. A narrow away win is on the cards for the defending champions. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Pep Guardiola and his charges.
