Manuel Akanji and Matheus Nunes come into Pep Guardiola’s starting eleven from the side that beat Fluminense 4-0 last Friday to lift the FIFA Club World Cup.
From the team that started the showpiece final in Saudi Arabia, Rico Lewis reverts to the bench while Portuguese centre half Ruben Dias misses the trip to Merseyside as he is laid low by illness.
Jeremy Doku (muscular), Erling Haaland (foot) and Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring) all remain unavailable as they continue their recovery from injury.
For newly crowned champions of the world City, the trip to Goodison Park marks a return to domestic action after those superb FIFA Club World Cup exertions in Jeddah last week.
Teams
EVERTON: Pickford, Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gomes, Onana, Harrison, Garner, McNeil, Beto.
Subs: Hunt, Dobbin, Coleman, Keane, Chermiti, Calvert-Lewin, Godfrey, Danjuma, Virginia,
CITY XI: Ederson, Walker (c), Stones, Akanji, Ake, Rodrigo, Nunes, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez
Subs: Ortega, Phillips, Kovačić, Gómez, Gvardiol, Bobb, Susoho, Lewis, Hamilton
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Tactics
It’s once again likely to be a fluid and flexible system for City as we return to the bread and butter combat of the Premier League.
Ederson starts as the familiar figure in goal with his goalkeeping prowess further supplemented by his superb distribution and technique on the ball.
Kyle Walker, again captains City from his right-back berth, with Nathan Ake a reassuring and commanding presence on the left.
John Stones will start alongside the returning Akanji at the heart of the defence, with the Barnsley-born centre-half also likely to venture further forward into midfield when we have possession.
Rodrigo has established himself as the world’s finest defensive midfielder and will once again sit deep as a formidable bulwark, offering an extra layer of protection to the back four.
Summer signing Nunes returns to the starting line and will be looking to replicate the superb form he showed when starting in last week’s Club World Cup semi-final against Urawa Red Diamonds.
Further forward, Bernardo Silva is expected to be deployed on the right flank with Jack Grealish a similarly attacking threat on the opposite wing.
Meanwhile Phil Foden again looks likely to operate in a central role behind out-and-out striker Alvarez, the pair having dovetailed to stunning effect in that memorable Club World Cup final win against Fluminense.
Formidable record
Over the past few years City established a fine record of success against the men from Goodison Park.
Since recording a 4-0 victory over City in the Premier League back in January 2017, Everton have failed to win any of their subsequent 13 games against us in all competitions.
It’s a run that has seen the Toffees lose 11 and draw two.
Furthermore, the Goodison side have failed to score more than a single goal in any of those matches.
Everton have also lost each of their last seven home games against City in all competitions, failing to score a single goal on the last three occasions.
Stats and facts
● City won 25 Premier League games in a row on Wednesdays between February 2019 and May 2023, but have since failed to win their last two on this day (a 1-1 draw with Brighton and a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa).
● City haven’t trailed for a single minute in any of their last 11 Premier League games against Everton, since a 1-1 draw at the Etihad in August 2017.
● Following wins against Newcastle (3-0) and Chelsea (2-0), Everton will be looking to win three consecutive Premier League games at Goodison for the first time since September 2021 (a run of four).
● Everton have won just one of their last 12 Premier League games against reigning champions (D3 L8), with that win coming at Liverpool in February 2021 (2-0).
● Having won each of their first three Premier League away games this season, City have since won just two of our six outings on the road (D1 L3).
● Phil Foden has scored three Premier League goals against Everton only netting more against Brighton (6) and Man Utd (4). He netted the opener at Goodison Park in February 2021 and February 2022.
● Jack Grealish has scored in each of his last three Premier League appearances (3 goals), as many as in his previous 23 games in the competition.
