Manchester City will be desperate to return to winning ways when they welcome Everton to the Etihad on Thursday.
The festive period in England continues, and the 2024/25 Premier League season will resume this week with Gameweek 18. The latest round of fixtures will kick off with Manchester City vs Everton at the Etihad, with three points of utmost importance for both teams.
Manchester City would have hoped to embark on a dominant run in the Premier League, aiming to win a fifth successive title. However, the reigning champions have faltered in the defence of their crown, with wins coming at a premium in the last six weeks. Pep Guardiola’s men have struggled for over a dozen games, managing only one victory during this period.
The dreadful run has sent City tumbling in the standings, with the table-topping Liverpool 12 points ahead of the seventh-placed champions. As for Everton, the away side’s fortunes have improved in the last few weeks. The month started with a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Manchester United.
However, things have improved considerably in recent weeks for Everton, with the Toffees embarking on a three-match unbeaten run, with each game resulting in a clean sheet. The last two outings have seen goalless draws for the Merseyside outfit, with Arsenal and Chelsea enduring frustrating results in those clashes.
The corresponding fixture last season saw Manchester City eke a 2-0 win over Everton, with Erling Haaland scoring a match-winning brace. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola has new roster issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester City manager might be without as many as seven first-team players vs Everton on Thursday.
Ederson Moraes (illness), John Stones (foot), and Matheus Nunes (knock) are the latest players on the sidelines, although Ederson and Nunes might be available after late fitness tests. However, Stones, Ruben Dias (calf), Nathan Ake (hamstring), Rodri (knee), and Oscar Bobb (leg) remain in the treatment room.
Stefan Ortega will take his spot between the sticks if Ederson is not fit and available. Manchester City will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of the goalkeeper vs Everton, with the backline featuring Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji, Josko Gvardiol, and Rico Lewis.
As for the midfield unit, Mateo Kovacic will likely pair up with Kevin De Bruyne in the double pivot, with Phil Foden reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Erling Haaland will spearhead the Manchester City attack against Everton, with Savinho and Jeremy Doku being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Ortega; Walker, Akanji, Gvardiol, Lewis; De Bruyne, Kovacic; Savinho, Foden, Doku; Haaland
Everton
Like his counterpart in the Manchester City dugout, Sean Dyche has a new concern to worry about ahead of the trip to the Etihad. The Everton manager will be without three first-team players on Thursday.
Ashley Young is the latest absentee due to suspension after picking up his fifth booking of the 2024/25 Premier League season. The veteran Englishman has joined James Garner (lower back) and Tim Iroegbunam (ankle) on the sidelines. In addition, Dyche hopes to have Dwight McNeil and Armando Broja in his matchday squad on Boxing Day.
Jordan Pickford is the automatic pick between the sticks, with Everton lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Manchester City on Thursday. The backline should feature Seamus Coleman, James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, and Vitaliy Mykolenko.
As for the midfield unit, Idrissa Gueye, Orel Mangala, and Abdoulaye Doucoure should combine in a defensive-minded midfield trifecta, although the latter will make late runs into the box. Dominic Calvert-Lewin will lead the line for Everton against Manchester City, with Jack Harrison and Iliman Ndiaye completing the numbers in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pickford; Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Orel Mangala, Doucoure; Harrison, Calvert-Lewin, Ndiaye
Key Stats
Manchester City are undefeated in their last 15 games vs Everton across all competitions (W13 D2). The Toffees have won only one of the 22 most recent Premier League meetings, losing 12 of the last 13.
Manchester City have lost nine of their last 12 games in all competitions, as many as they had in their previous 112. Their only victory during that period was a 3-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on 4 December. Since the start of November, the Citizens have earned a league-low four points.
Everton have lost only two of their 12 most recent Premier League matches. However, all three league victories this season have come against teams currently below them in the standings.
Manchester City have won all seven Boxing Day home matches by an aggregate score of 24-7 since their return to the Premier League in 2002. On the other hand, Everton are undefeated in their last eight Boxing Day away games since a 4-0 loss at Aston Villa in 2005.
Everton’s seven Premier League clean sheets since the beginning of October is the most of any team across Europe’s “big five” divisions. However, the Toffees have failed to score in an unrivalled nine Premier League matches this season. Their shot conversion rate of 6% is the worst in the top flight.
Player to Watch
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
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While Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne will be in the spotlight, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is our Player to Watch. Everton might feel they can spring a surprise on Manchester City and extend the home side’s horrendous run. However, the Toffees need their star striker to deliver the goods to earn another surprise result against a bigwig.
Calvert-Lewin must end his goal drought to deliver the goods for Everton vs Manchester City. The English international has failed to score in his last 12 Premier League appearances. The away side will hope the 27-year-old rediscovers his best touch and condemns the reigning champions to another ignominious result.
Prediction
Manchester City 0-0 Everton
Manchester City’s latest challenge will come against one of the most solid teams in the Premier League this season. As iterated earlier, Everton’s recent outings have made them the clean sheet experts in Europe’s top-five leagues.
So, the underperforming hosts must play out of their skins to produce a positive result. On the other hand, Everton must produce an uncharacteristically destructive offensive display to breach the home side’s net. Ultimately, there might not be much to separate the two teams, and The Hard Tackle predicts a goalless draw for the Boxing Day’s lunchtime kick-off.