Pep Guardiola will wait for today’s training session before deciding on his starting line-up to face Everton but says everyone must be ready.

The City boss had a fully fit squad for Monday night’s victory over Brentford with Manuel Akanji returning to the bench for the 3-1 victory that moved us to within two points of the top of the Premier League.

Victory over the Toffees at the Etihad Stadium at 12:30 (UK) would send us back to the summit ahead of our rivals being in action.

But Guardiola will assess his squad ahead of the game with Everton often being a tough opponent when they make the short visit from Merseyside.

“We have a training session after,” he said at his pre-match news conference. “In a few hours we will see how everyone is.”

Despite a relegation battle last season, Everton took a point with a 1-1 draw at the Etihad in December in what was the final home game we failed to win last term.

In the Toffees’ seven visits during Pep Guardiola’s reign, they have always been a difficult side to beat and have not lost on three occasions.

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Earlier in the season, we staged a brilliant second half fightback as goals from Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez  and Bernardo Silva secured a 3-1 win.

And Guardiola has warned his players they will need to be ready with Everton desperate for points to climb out of the relegation zone.

“Since we are here, only one defeat [to Everton] but the better results have come away from home,” he said. “Last season we couldn’t win, but we will try to do our best.

“Continue what we have done in many years, results maybe not good but our level was more than decent because we were playing good.

“It’s quite similar. Tomorrow at 12:30 we play a football game so be ready.

“Since I arrived, Everton always took results here, I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because they are good. We have to be ready.”

While the win could see a brief time at the top of the Premier League, Guardiola says he will wait until all sides have played the same number of games, with our match against Brentford rescheduled for Tuesday, 20 February.

“I will answer after the Brentford game in 10 or 15 days,” he said about the table.

“At that moment, we will have the same games for everyone.”