Everton welcome Premier League leaders Manchester City to Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon for a game that is going to have direct consequences at both ends of the table.
The Toffees currently sit just two points above the drop zone, so they’re in desperate need of some more points to secure their Premier League status. Meanwhile, City are one point ahead of Arsenal at the top and cannot afford to slip up.
It’s set to be a competitive and nervy affair on Merseyside, but we’re confident we can find some value in the betting markets. Read on for a full match preview and our suggested bets that we hope can land you a winner.
Resurgence
Despite struggling near the bottom of the table all season, Everton pulled a result out of nowhere against Brighton last time. Sean Dyche’s men ran riot at the AmEx Stadium in a hugely entertaining game that ended 5-1 to the away side. That result might see a bit of resurgence from the Toffees as they welcome Pep Guardiola’s men.
The visitors come to Merseyside sitting pretty at the top, but it’s a precarious lead and they know that just one slip could cost them the title. There should be plenty of confidence among the squad though, as they’re currently on a 10-game winning streak in the league and are on course for an historic treble this season.
One sided
As you’d probably expect, the head to head record between these two is pretty one sided in Manchester City’s favour. Everton haven’t managed to beat Sunday’s opponents since a rousing 4-0 win at Goodison Park back in 2017 and all evidence suggests that a repeat of that, or indeed any type of victory, is unlikely. This is no time to give up hope though and Dyche will no doubt have a game plan.
There could be some encouragement from the fact that City had an epic midweek battle with Real Madrid in the Champions League. That first leg ended 1-1 and, with the second leg just a few days after this game, Pep Guardiola may feel the need to make wholesale changes. He has a world class squad, of course, but changes can be disruptive and it could give Everton the chance they need to capitalise.
Attack v Defence
If this game goes the way we expect it to, it’s going to be a classic case of attack v defence. We all know that City can be devastating in attack and have so much world class talent in their squad, but Everton are capable of frustrating them. Dyche is expected to set his team up to defend as a solid unit and take advantage of interceptions to break and score on the counter. A sound tactic, but that is easier said than done! This will be a tense and tight affair on Sunday with plenty on the line for both sides.
Suggested bets
- Man City to Win & BTTS
- Julian Alvarez to Score First
- 1-2 Correct Score
