Everton host a seemingly invincible Manchester City at Goodison Park in the Premier League. In their most recent outing, the Toffees were put to the sword by relegation-threatened Fulham 2-0. And Man City made it 16 wins with a resounding 3-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on the trot.
Even in the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Carlo Ancelotti opted against handing Joshua King his first Everton debut. And it didn’t take long for the illustrious Italian to come under fire for his team selection against Fulham. Just a few days ago, the Toffees had put five past Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup. But they could not break down the resolute Fulham outfit of Scott Parker.
Everton’s top-four hopes are shrouded in doubt after winning only one of their last five Premier League matches now. They sit seventh in the rankings, while they have at least one game in hand on most of the teams around them. While fourth-placed Liverpool is just three points ahead having played two more matches.
No team is immune from Manchester City’s attacking prowess. In particular Ilkay Gundogan, who scored his season’s 10th and 11th Premier League goals in his side’s routine 3-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. Before the Spurs victory marked their 16th on the bounce, Pep Guardiola had already witnessed his side break the all-time English record for consecutive victories against Swansea City. And it is hard to see where their phenomenal streak could end at this point.
James Rodriguez went off injured in Sunday’s defeat. Allan has a chance of featuring after returning to the bench at the weekend. The joy of Gundogan’s brace against Tottenham soon died down as he was forced off with a groin problem in the dying embers of the match. Kevin De Bruyne and Nathan Ake remain sidelined too.
Everton possible starting lineup: Pickford; Godfrey, Keane, Holgate, Digne; Doucoure, Davies; Iwobi, Sigurdsson, Richarlison; King
Manchester City possible starting lineup: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Stones, Cancelo; Rodri, Silva, Foden; Mahrez, Jesus, Sterling
