MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 15: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and Pep Guardiola manager of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Manchester United FC at Etihad Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 15: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and Pep Guardiola manager of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Manchester United FC at Etihad Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Manchester City will look to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they take on Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day.
Pep Guardiola's side head into the clash on the back of one win in their last 12 matches in all competitions and they need to reverse their fortunes if they are to revive their faltering campaign.
City currently find themselves seventh in the Premier League table, are out of the Carabao Cup and are in jeopardy of not qualifying for the next round of the Champions League.
After an unprecedented injury crisis took hold in October, City have not been able to cope with the demands placed on those players who have remained fit while competing on several fronts.
And with a busy festive period now upon us, Guardiola must look after all of his players to ensure they emerge from this three-game run with their top four hopes still firmly in tact.
With that in mind, Stefan Ortega could well continue in goal after Ederson missed Saturday's defeat to Aston Villa. Kyle Walker was given a rest at Villa and is likely to return at right-back. Manu Akanji, Josko Gvardiol and Rico Lewis will make up the back four, with Nathan Ake unlikely to be risked from the start. John Stones and Ruben Dias are expected to miss the game through injury.
Kevin De Bruyne will return to the midfield alongside Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic, with Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden starting out wide flanking Erling Haaland up front.
City predicted XI: Ortega; Walker, Akanji, Gvardiol, Lewis; Gundogan, Kovacic, De Bruyne; Silva, Foden; Haaland