Man City vs Everton

Manchester City vs Everton: The Defining Mid-Autumn Clash

Current Form and Momentum

Manchester City return to action riding a highly respectable seven-game unbeaten streak across all competitions (W5, D2). Crucially, their final fixture before the international hiatus was a gritty 1-0 victory away at Brentford, a win that saw Guardiola secure his 250th Premier League victory in the fewest games of any manager, highlighting the consistent dominance of his tenure. This victory underscored a recent tactical shift: while City still dominate possession, Guardiola’s team has demonstrated a slightly more pragmatic approach, relying heavily on the clinical nature of their attack, which has scored a league-high 15 goals.

Everton, conversely, are enjoying a fantastic run of form not seen at Goodison Park for years. Their confidence will be sky-high after securing a dramatic, come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the previously unbeaten Crystal Palace. That result saw the Toffees climb into the top half of the table, backed by a run of six wins in their last ten Premier League fixtures. Manager David Moyes has instilled a remarkable resilience and defensive solidity in the squad, making them a difficult opponent to break down, even away from home. Their ability to respond to adversity, as they did against Palace, suggests a team full of belief and fight, primed to make life tough for the reigning champions.

Head-to-Head History: A One-Sided Affair

While Everton are in good form, history does not favour the visitors. Manchester City have been utterly dominant in this fixture over the last decade, establishing one of the longest unbeaten streaks against a single opponent in the Premier League. City are currently unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League meetings with Everton, registering 13 victories and three draws. Everton’s last victory at the Etihad Stadium dates all the way back to December 2010 during Moyes’ initial spell at the club. The last encounter in April 2025 ended in a 2-0 win for City at Goodison Park, a testament to the psychological hold City have over the Toffees. Moyes himself has lost on each of his last eight visits to the Etihad, a personal statistic he will be desperate to change.

Key Team News and Critical Absences

The narrative of this match is significantly shaped by two critical absences, one from each side.

For Manchester City, the huge loss is in midfield: Rodri is confirmed to be out. The influential Spanish holding midfielder suffered a hamstring injury against Brentford and was subsequently withdrawn from international duty. His absence is massive; since his debut, City have historically struggled without their midfield anchor, losing 14 of the 48 league matches he has missed. Nico González is the likely candidate to step into the crucial number six role, tasked with maintaining control and shielding the defense. City also have concerns over defender Abdukodir Khusanov (calf), though the return to contention of Omar Marmoush and Rayan Aït-Nouri offers some relief. Erling Haaland, however, remains fit and firing, fresh off a hat-trick for Norway and boasting nine league goals already this season—a major factor that always tips the scales in City's favour.

Everton’s major blow is the ineligibility of their own star man, on-loan winger Jack Grealish, who cannot face his parent club. Grealish has been central to Everton's creativity and was the match-winner against Palace, meaning his drive and vision on the flank will be sorely missed. To offset this, Everton welcome the return of key midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from suspension, who will likely operate in an advanced role alongside Iliman Ndiaye, himself in good form after scoring and assisting during the international break for Senegal. Everton’s defense is also stretched, with doubts over Jarrad Branthwaite and Michael Keane potentially forcing a reshuffle at the back.

Tactical Battleground

The match will likely boil down to a classic case of City's fluid, high-possession attack against Everton's disciplined, low-block defense.

Guardiola will instruct his side to dominate possession, looking for quick passing combinations in wide areas through players like Phil Foden and Jérémy Doku to isolate Everton’s fullbacks. The focus will be on getting the ball into the box for Haaland, whose aerial presence and clinical finishing are unmatched. Without Rodri, however, City might be more susceptible to quick counter-attacks launched through the middle, meaning Nico González and the back four must be hyper-vigilant against Everton's transition game.

Everton’s tactical blueprint under Moyes will prioritize a compact 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 mid-block, aimed at closing the central passing lanes and frustrating City's playmakers. They will rely on the defensive tenacity of Idrissa Gueye and James Garner in midfield to break up play. Their best chance for a goal will come from exploiting quick turnovers and launching rapid counter-attacks, using the pace of Ndiaye and Beto to get in behind City’s high line, or capitalizing on set-pieces. If Everton can hold their defensive shape for the first hour and maintain intensity, an unlikely point is within reach. However, containing City's firepower for a full 90 minutes, especially at the Etihad, is perhaps the toughest challenge in the Premier League.

Prediction

Despite Everton’s impressive run and robust defensive structure, the overall quality and depth of Manchester City, combined with the presence of Erling Haaland, are too strong to ignore. While the absence of Rodri introduces a vulnerability, the Toffees' lack of their own creator, Grealish, will stunt their counter-attacking threat. Expect a cagey first half, possibly broken open by a moment of brilliance from City's front line in the second half.

Score Prediction: Manchester City 2-0 Everton.