Manchester City vs Everton

Etihad Stadium forms the backdrop for a lopsided Premier League showdown between defending champions Manchester City and relegation-threatened Everton.

Manchester City’s pursuit of an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title is firmly up and running after a come-from-behind 3-1 win at Brentford earlier this week saw them whittle down the gap on pacesetters Liverpool to only two points. Fresh off extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 matches and making it nine wins on the trot, Pep Guardiola’s men head into this fixture in high spirits. Another success looks like a virtual certainty, considering the ‘Citizens’ are unbeaten in their last 12 home league clashes against Everton (W7, D5), though they shared the spoils in this corresponding match-up in 2022/23. But since they’ve dropped points in just three of their subsequent 20 home outings in the Premier League (W17, D3), it’s unsurprising that bookmakers heavily fancy them to get into the win column here.

Man City’s purple patch casts further doubt on Everton’s desperate attempt to overcome an underwhelming start to 2024. Sean Dyche’s men have drawn four of their six competitive games since the turn of the calendar year (W1, L1), including a last-gasp 2-2 stalemate against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. Everton’s stoppage-time equalizer contributed to their first match to produce 4+ goals in their last seven, highlighting the potential for a low-scoring contest. Indeed, Everton’s Premier League fixtures this season have averaged a league-low 2.43 goals per game. But Dyche wouldn’t mind another closely-fought affair, especially if it helps the ‘Toffees’ add to their 17-point tally on the road, already their best away record in the last three campaigns!