The Premier League returns after the international break with title favourites Manchester City hosting Everton at the Etihad in Saturday’s game of the day.
Pep Guardiola and Ronald Koeman know each other well from their Barcelona days as player and assistant manager respectively under Louis Van Gaal.
Both clubs have in-form strikers to call on with Sergio Aguero and Romelu Lukaku leading the way in the Premier League scoring charts.
MANCHESTER CITY
City’s air of invincibility was shattered at Tottenham before the international break and that defeat cut their lead at the top of the table to a single point. The signs were there already when Celtic held them to a 3 – 3 draw in the Champions League.
The question is whether doubts have crept into the players’ minds? Pep Guardiola will have worked on that as much as the gameplan since the squad returned from international duty.
Sergio Aguero is vital to City’s ambitions and is fit despite an injury scare with Argentina. Kevin De Bruyne remains sidelined through his hamstring injury whilst Bacary Sagna is out for three weeks.
There’s an extra twist for John Stones. This is his first meeting with Everton since leaving Goodison Park this summer and will be looking for an impressive performance to justify the move.
EVERTON
Tottenham provided Everton with blueprint on how to beat City. A hard pressing game, with a slice of good fortune. The Toffees will need that if they are to avoid defeat.
Romelu Lukaku, Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines are expected to be fit for the match with Lukaku on fire with five goals in four games. The return of the experienced defenders will steady the Everton backline whilst Barry, Cleverley and Gueye likely to worked hard in midfield.
Yannick Bolasie continues to impress with his form and will test the pace of the City defence as Everton look to hit them on the break. If Everton are to enjoy any sort of success, it will be vital that he and Lukaku receive support from Barkley.
After defeat at at Bournemouth and a turgid 1 – 1 draw with Crystal Palace, The Toffees are looking for a vastly improved performance at City.
FORM (Last five games)
Manchester City - WWWDL
Everton - WWLLD
STATS
- Everton haven’t won at Manchester City since 2010
- Everton scored 6 goals in the final 15 minutes of the 1st half of their last 10 away games
- City have scored 14 2nd half goals in their last ten home games compared to 9 in the 1st
- Raheem Sterling has an assist or goal in all City’s home games this season bar one
- Referee Michael Oliver has shown an average of 4 yellow cards per game this season with no reds.
CURRENT MATCH ODDS [BEST PRICED ODDS]
Manchester City: 1/2 (Bet365) Draw: 19/5 (BetVictor) Everton: 6/10 (Betfred)
HEAD TO HEAD
Last five meetings in this fixture
24.09.2011 Manchester City 2-0 Everton
01.12.2012 Manchester City 1-1 Everton
05.10.2013 Manchester City 3-1 Everton
06.12.2014 Manchester City 1-0 Everton
13.01.2016 Manchester City 0-0 Everton
SUMMING UP!
City are favourites to win this one and will be determined to put the defeat at Spurs firmly behind them. Whilst Everton’s away form is decent, it’s hard to see them taking anything from the match.
With two goalscorers of the calibre of Aguero and Lukaku in the match, a clean sheet for either side seems unlikely. However, this one has home win written all over it with my prediction of City by two or more goals.
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