Kick-off: 1500, 31/12/2022
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
The pressure is mounting on Everton boss Frank Lampard and Manchester City are not the team to be visiting when that is the case.
A fourth straight Premier League defeat is on the cards for the Toffees, who are facing a relegation battle on current form.
We’re going with 7/2 for a home win by exactly three goals for our first Man City vs Everton prediction.
Manchester City Odds
City went into the World Cup break stunned by a 2-1 loss to Brentford at Etihad Stadium but normal service has since resumed.
After knocking Liverpool out of the EFL Cup, Pep Guardiola’s side secured a 3-1 top-flight triumph at Leeds, despite wasting some good early chances.
Rodri eventually broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time and then Erling Haaland hit a double after the break.
Leeds pulled one back through Pascal Struijk and applied some late pressure, but the result was never in doubt.
Haaland has now scored 26 goals in 20 appearances for City in all competitions since his summer switch from Dortmund, including 20 in 14 league outings.
“He’s an incredible threat for us and always in the right position at the right time, really good,” declared Guardiola.
The Norway striker is still working towards full fitness following a foot injury and may come off early with one eye on next week’s trip to Chelsea, though.
That could make Phil Foden a value bet to score the last goal in this game at 7/2 from the Man City vs Everton odds.
The England ace has netted in three of the last five encounters between these teams!
Last City line-up: Ederson, Stones, Aki, Akanji, Lewis, Gundogan, Rodri, De Bruyne, Haaland, Grealish, Mahrez.
City are still without defender Ruben Dias due to a thigh injury, while striker Julian Alvarez is not yet back, having been given time off following Argentina’s World Cup win.
Everton Odds
Everton have lost six of their last eight league matches following Boxing Day’s heart-breaking 2-1 defeat by Wolves at Goodison Park.
After Yerry Mina’s early set-piece goal was cancelled out by Daniel Podence, the Toffees pushed hard for a decider.
However, they were caught on the break by Rayan Ait Nouri in injury time and the boos at the final whistle were long and loud.
“I think the lads had all the right intentions, so for that I’d love the crowd to stick with them,” said Lampard.
“We saw what a positive it can be last year, so let’s not come away from that.
“I’m in the dressing room with them and I know they want to do the right thing.”
He added: “We have to take it on the chin. We are trying to improve off the back of where we were last year and it will be baby steps.”
Whether Lampard will be given time to try and turn things around is open to debate, though.
One period of this match where the Toffees could struggle is the final 15 minutes of the first half; they are 0-5 down during that time this term, whereas City are 11-1 up.
Let’s add 13/10 for the Blues to outscore their opponents between 30:01 and the interval to our Man City vs Everton betting tips.
Last Everton line-up: Pickford, Tarkowski, Patterson, Mina, Mykolenko, Onana, Iwobi, Gueye, McNeil, Gordon, Maupay.
Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back in contention after a number of injury problems this season but may not be ready to start. Conor Coady is available after being ineligible to face parent club Wolves but fellow defender Mina (hamstring) faces a fitness test.
Additional stats
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