ESPN’s David Mooney has examined our recent past at Goodison Park and he believes there has been a clear improvement on the days when a visit to the Blue side of Merseyside would fill City supporters with dread.
“As Roberto Martinez took charge and tried to turn Everton into a more open and expansive team, City began to get a foothold in their meetings,” Mooney writes.
“In fact, for an opponent that City fans often fear meeting, the club’s recent record is pretty good. They have lost just once in their last nine matches, and even then Manuel Pellegrini’s team progressed in the League Cup semifinals in 2016 -- winning 3-1 at home after the 2-1 loss at Goodison.
“What will come as a comfort to the nervous travelling fans is that City’s best results against Everton have all come when the side has hit a rich vein of form. That was exactly what happened as they closed in on the 2014 title, winning 3-2 to take advantage of Liverpool’s midweek slip-up in their 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace.”
Meanwhile, Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has tipped City to beat the Toffees.
The former Arsenal midfielder says he saw enough in City’s 5-0 win away at West Ham to suggest they will have too much for Ronald Koeman’s side.
He says: “I don’t know what’s going on at Everton. They lost at home in the FA Cup to Leicester when they have nothing else really to play for this season. I find that very strange.
“I watched Man City at West Ham and if they play half as good as that I can’t see anything other than an away win. Draws are no good for City so I expect them to win.
“They had a good result with 10 men against Burnley then ripped West Ham apart, so if they can get it right and Pep Guardiola stops swapping and changing the team every week then they can go on a run and they will be alright.”
Ciaran Kelly over at the Manchester Evening News expects a tense tactical affair and he believes bringing Vincent Kompany straight into the side after a long layoff would be the wrong decision.
“Unsurprisingly, given their links to Johan Cruyff, the reverse fixture was a great tactical battle back in October,” he writes.
“Ronald Koeman expected City to play three at the back then, but the Blues have looked more solid with an extra man at the back of late.
“I would resist bringing Vincent Kompany and Leroy Sane in from the off but with Fernando a doubt, Pablo Zabaleta should keep his place in midfield.
“Otherwise the team picks itself.”
And, finally, the Daily Star’s Paul Hetherington has a slice of transfer gossip for us.
He believes Marseille are in the market for two City players.
He says the French side will chase West Ham’s Dimitri Payet – and also launch a bid for City duo Bacary Sagna and Samir Nasri in the summer.
“Marseille also want another two Frenchman – Nasri and Sagna. Both Payet and Nasri made their names at Marseille,” Hetherington writes.
“Midfielder Nasri, 29, is on loan in Spain with Sevilla and they claim that they have been offered him permanently for £16m.
“Right-back Sagna, 33, will be out of contract at The Etihad at the end of the season.”
That’s all for today’s media roundup. Stay tunes to ManCity.com for all the latest from our trip to Everton this afternoon.
