Everton v Manchester City preview: team news, head-to-head, stats and prediction – BBC

TEAM NEWS

Everton have reported no new injury concerns ahead of Manchester City’s visit, with five players unavailable.

Manchester City defender Nathan Ake is still being assessed for the hamstring injury he sustained against Leeds United last weekend.

City will rotate, with Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez battling to start.

CHRIS SUTTONS FORECAST

How this game plays out depends on which Manchester City team we see – my concern for them here is how much they rotate their squad for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid next week.

Everton boss Sean Dyche played a tactical blinder in his side’s big win over Brighton by the way they were in it, playing very narrow, and then thrashing them with swift counter-attacks.

I can see Dyche doing the same this time as they are a real threat during the break. Dominic Calvert-Lewin now looks stronger – that game in Brighton was his fourth start in a row after an injured season – while Dwight McNeil had a stormer against the Seagulls.

It’s pretty obvious to say, but I think the first goal will be absolutely crucial. City should still have enough quality to win, even with one eye on Real’s draw, but Everton could make it extremely difficult for them.

My choice of who goes down with Southampton changes every week, but that victory at the Amex Stadium was huge for the Toffees.

They finish their season at Wolves and then at home to Bournemouth. Even if they lose to City, I think they can win one of those games and 35 points can be enough.

Prediction: 1-2

Sutton’s full predictions against Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott

MATCH FACTS

Head to head

• Everton have won just one of their last 19 Premier League games against Manchester City, a 4-0 win at Goodison Park in January 2017.
• The Toffees could become the first team of this campaign to go unbeaten in both league matches against City, following their 1-1 draw at the Etihad in December.
• City have achieved six consecutive away wins at Goodison Park in all competitions.

Everton

• Everton scored 16% of their total Premier League goals this season in Monday’s 5-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
• They now have four wins and 17 points in their 15 league games under Sean Dyche.
• However, Everton have equaled the club league record of nine home defeats in a season, last achieved in 2020-21.
• The Toffees have scored multiple goals in just one of their 17 Premier League home games this season, a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on October 22.
• No team has scored fewer home goals in the Premier League than Everton’s 15.
• Dwight McNeil has scored seven goals in 33 Premier League games for Everton, as many goals as he scored in all 134 top games for Burnley.
• Abdoulaye Doucouré has been directly involved in six goals in his last seven Premier League appearances, scoring four times and scoring two goals, following a run of 38 games without a goal or an assist.
• Dyche’s only win in his 17 appearances as Burnley manager against Manchester City in all competitions was a 1–0 Premier League home win against Manuel Pellegrini’s side in 2015.

Manchester City

• Manchester City need nine points from their last four games to secure their third successive Premier League title.
• City have won 10 consecutive league games since drawing 1-1 at Nottingham Forest on February 18.
• They are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions, winning 15 and drawing two.
• Pep Guardiola’s side have dropped points against teams in the bottom half of the table in just two of their 18 league games this season, including a 1-1 draw at home to Everton.
• Riyad Mahrez has provided four assists in City’s last three Premier League matches.
• Erling Haaland scored 51 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions. The only other top-flight English player to score more than 50 goals in a season is Dixie Dean, who scored 63 for Everton in 1927-28.
• Haaland has scored 13 Premier League away goals, just three short of the league record of 16 for a single season set by former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips in 1999–2000.

Predict Everton’s starting eleven for their next game – remember you can change the line-up!

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