Premier League | Gameweek 18

Dec 26, 2024 at 12.30pm UK

Etihad Stadium

Man City vs Everton

Match preview

It was another chastening afternoon for the reigning champions last weekend as they lost 2-1 away to Aston Villa to fall further off the pace and extend their astonishing run of poor form.

With just four points from their last eight games, no team in the Premier League has taken fewer points in that time, leaving them outside the top six at Christmas, behind the likes of Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.

A mammoth 12-point gap to Liverpool, who also have a game in hand, suggests the title is already out of their grasp, even if they have come back from huge deficits in the past.

However, playing first on Boxing Day gives them the chance to make a brief return to the top of the table, and City have not lost consecutive home games in the league for almost four years, a feat they are unlikely to repeat with the fixtures they have in front of them.

While many of the clubs they have faced in recent weeks have been challenging opponents, City's next six games in all competitions will see them face Everton, Leicester City, West Ham United, Salford City, Brentford and Ipswich Town, giving them the perfect opportunity to get back on track.

Everton, in particular, have proved to be a handful in recent years, with City not having lost at home to the Toffees in 13 matches, dating back to a run of four successive defeats for the hosts between 2008 and 2010.

City have also won all seven of their home games on Boxing Day since their promotion to the top flight in the early 2000s, but the only other time the two sides have met on the day in the Premier League, Everton won in 2004.

However, doing so again will be a tall order given that Everton have won just one of their last 22 meetings with Man City, losing 12 of the last 13.

Equally though, Everton have an excellent Boxing Day record, having gone unbeaten in their last eight away games on the day dating back to 2005, and the last time they faced the reigning champions on December 26, they beat Leicester in 2016.

The visitors will also be full of confidence after an excellent run of results eased the pressure on manager Sean Dyche, who was under fire after a 4-0 defeat at Manchester United less than a month ago.

Everton then inflicted the same scoreline on Wolves before holding both Arsenal and Chelsea to 0-0 draws, doing bitter rivals Liverpool a huge favour in the title race.

In a week when the club were taken over by the Friedkin Group and handed the keys to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, spirits are as high as they have been for some time on the blue half of Merseyside.

Everton currently sit four points above the relegation zone, a position many supporters would have taken into a treacherous run of games in December, and they have their defence to thank for keeping points on the board.

Three successive clean sheets means the Toffees have now kept the most in Europe's top five leagues since the start of October (seven), with the Chelsea game their fifth 0-0 draw of the season.

However, their attack remains a major concern, with Jack Harrison the latest to miss a gilt-edged chance at the weekend, and only Southampton have a worse attacking record than Dyche's men (14 goals).

Recent Performance

Manchester City Premier League form:LLWDLL

Manchester City form (all competitions):LWDLLL

Everton Premier League form:DDLWDD

Team News

Man City could be without former Everton man John Stones after he was forced off at Villa Park with a foot problem, while Ederson is a doubt through illness.

Matheus Nunes also missed the game with a knock, but with City now welcoming back the likes of Mateo Kovacic and Nathan Ake, his services may not be needed as much.

Elsewhere on the injury list, Ruben Dias will miss the next few weeks with a muscle problem, Oscar Bobb is not expected back until February and Rodri will miss the majority of the season with a torn ACL.

Everton will have Armando Broja available again after he was ruled out of last weekend's clash with parent club Chelsea, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin is again the favourite to start despite a 12-game goal drought.

Ashley Young is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season against Chelsea, so club captain Seamus Coleman is expected to make a rare start after suffering numerous injury setbacks this season.

Dwight McNeil failed a late fitness test ahead of Sunday's clash and remains a doubt, meaning Everton could be unchanged apart from the enforced change at right-back.

Possible starting lineup

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Ortega; Walker, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; De Bruyne, Kovacic; Savinho, Foden, Doku; Haaland

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Gueye, Mangala, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin