Premier League: Manchester City vs Everton - Preview, prediction, and team news
Manchester City host Everton at the Etihad Stadium on New Year's Eve in a game with very different implications for both sides
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Everton manager Frank Lampard job could be in line tonight
Frank Lampard's job at Everton is the most at risk in the entire top flight.
Arsenal are so good that Man City are five points off the top despite a solid start to the season.
Thirty-five points from a possible 45 is a phenomenal start, but the defeat to Brentford before the break was very costly.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It's 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗗𝗔𝗬! 💙<br><br>Everton visit the Etihad this afternoon 👋<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ManCity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ManCity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qv9gJamLLt">pic.twitter.com/Qv9gJamLLt</a></p>— Manchester City (@ManCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManCity/status/1609097148905275393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Throughout a 38-game season, however, City is still the most likely to finish first.
That's largely thanks to Erling Braut Haaland, who has already scored 20 Premier League goals in Wednesday's 3-1 win over Leeds United - more than anyone has in a season.
Another critical factor is the breadth of the squad, as coach Pep Guardiola could afford to leave Phil Foden, Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva, and Aymeric Laporte on the bench and still win.
The last ten meetings with Everton have all been won. Still, the previous encounter at Goodison Stadium in February was highly controversial as City took all three points despite a clear penalty not being given after a challenge from Rodri.
After four straight defeats in all competitions for Everton, all of them against teams close to the relegation zone, Lampard is facing the drop at Goodison Park.
Leicester City came to Goodison and beat the Toffees convincingly before Bournemouth completed the league and cup double against them within days of the World Cup break, scoring seven goals in both games.
Bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers topped it all by coming to Merseyside and scoring the winner thanks to a 95th-minute goal from Rayan Ait-Nouri.
They are not in the relegation zone yet, but a loss here and a continuation of their amateurish defensive work in recent games leaves them very vulnerable, as the three teams below them are all within reach.
Next week's game against Brighton & Hove Albion is likely to be the decisive game for Lampard, as they have resigned themselves to the fact that they are likely to lose at the Etihad Stadium.
However, if they lose, they will have to make sure the result is not too high and play with the will of a team that seems prepared for the relegation battle they are now in after the loss to Wolves, as Lampard admitted.
Team News
Julian Alvarez is unlikely to be called up to Man City's squad as he gradually returns to the club following World Cup success with Argentina.
Ruben Dias will be out with a thigh injury, but City still have plenty of options in central defence, with Manuel Akanji and John Stones the preferred duo on Wednesday.
Foden could be used alongside Cancelo, as both were given a rest against Leeds. Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis are most likely to make way.
Yerry Mina suffered another injury against Everton on Boxing Day, a sight all too familiar in his time at the club.
He has been forced off early in his last three Premier League appearances, but Conor Coady, who was ineligible against his parent club, Wolves, will replace him.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin remains questionable after the striker failed to recover from his thigh blister in time to feature in the Boxing Day defeat.
Andros Townsend has suffered a setback in his return from a torn cruciate ligament, while James Garner will be out for the next month with a back injury.
Prediction
Manchester City 4-1 Everton
1. Manchester City kept up with league leaders Arsenal with a routine 3-1 win at Leeds on Wednesday night. City have won their last ten games with Everton.
2. The Toffees suffered a 2-1 defeat to Wolves on Boxing Day, meaning they have failed to win their last five games and have lost their previous four.
3. Things get more challenging for Everton as they are expected to win at home.