Manchester City will host Everton in the 18th round of the English Premier League on Thursday, December 26, with the match kicking off at 13:30 Central European Time.
Match Preview: Manchester City’s struggle continues, with Pep Guardiola’s side now sitting 7th in the league, well out of the title race. They are 12 points behind league leaders Liverpool, having played an extra match.
City’s main focus for the remainder of the season will likely be securing a Champions League spot, or risk what could be their most disappointing campaign in the last decade.
Everton, under Sean Dyche, remains in the battle for survival, currently in 15th place and dangerously close to the relegation zone.
However, Everton has shown resilience, especially in their recent defensive displays, managing draws against Chelsea and Arsenal. The Toffees have yet to find the right balance offensively but are tough to break down defensively.
Match Facts:
Manchester City has lost three consecutive matches.
Everton has conceded goals in only one of their last six games.
City averages 1.6 goals per game at home, while Everton averages only 0.2 goals per game away.
Probable Line-ups:
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Guardiola, Lewis; Gundogan, De Bruyne, Silva; Foden, Doku, Haaland.
Everton: Pickford; Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Doucoure, Gueye, Mangala; Ndiaye, Harrison, Calvert-Lewin.
Head-to-Head: Everton has not beaten Manchester City in nearly eight years, with City dominating their recent meetings.
Prediction: Everton will likely stick to their defensive tactics, relying on counter-attacks. However, despite their current struggles, Manchester City is expected to break their losing streak at home. A home win with a -1 goal handicap seems like a reasonable bet.
