Manchester City will host Everton knowing a win would take them to the top of the table. Two days earlier, the Toffees grabbed a point in a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur. The Citizens overcame a deficit to win 3-1 at Brentford on Monday.
Preview (Manchester City vs Everton)
Man City was on the verge of another possible loss against Brentford after losing both of their home and away matches against them the previous season. However, Mark Flekken’s heroics in goal kept the visitors at bay as Neil Maupay’s breakaway goal midway through the first half stunned the visitors. But Phil Foden’s equalizer at the end of the first half turned the tide in Man City’s favor. The academy product scored his second goal eight minutes into the second half. He finished with an incredible hat trick on the 70th to help the Citizens. They are vying for a record-tying fourth Premier League title, and keep pushing back towards the top.
At a crucial point in the season, Pep Guardiola’s team is enjoying another of their signature winning runs. They have won their last nine games overall by an aggregate score of 27-6. It moved them to within two points of table-toppers Liverpool and having a game in hand over the Reds. In the opening stages of this run, Man City defeated Everton 3-1 at Goodison Park. The Citizens, who have won 11 and drawn 2 of their previous 13 top-flight encounters with the Toffees. They will be optimistic about more success on Saturday.
The defending champions are looking forward to a stretch of three straight Premier League home games. They have won 29, drawn five, and losing just one of their previous 35 such games. Additionally, they have not dropped any of their previous 23 home league games against relegation-threatened teams. It is encouraging ahead of their most recent matchup with Everton. Everton has dropped into the bottom three after winning four straight Premier League games. Everton has now lost all six of their top-flight games.
Team News
With Manuel Akanji and Engel Haaland, who were both included in the matchday squad against Brentford, being the most recent pair to return from injury, Man City enters this weekend with perfect health. Guardiola may consider making one or two changes to his backline after seeing his Citizens team only manage one clean sheet in their last 12 league games. Akanji, John Stones, and Rico Lewis are all looking to reclaim their spots in the starting lineup. If Guardiola chooses to pair a midfield player with lynchpin Rodri, either Mateo Kovacic or Matheus Nunes might be called up, while Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, and Oscar Bobb will need to replace any of Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, Julian Alvarez, or Bernardo.
Arnaut Danjuma, who plays for Everton, was forced to miss the team’s match against Spurs last weekend because of an ankle injury. The winger is still in the treatment room along with André Gomes (calf) and Dele Alli (groin). The return of dynamic midfield pairing Adama Onana (knee) and Abdoulaye Doucoure (hamstring) should help the Toffees, though Ben Godfrey should be able to play after experiencing cramps in the last moments against Spurs. Godfrey will have to fight off opposition from both Nathan Patterson and Seamus Coleman to start at right-back. Dominic Calvert-Lewin might be selected to start ahead of Beto once more, with Harrison and Dwight McNeil supporting him on the wings.
Manchester City 3-1 Everton
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