Premier League 2022-23: Manchester City vs Everton: Predicted lineup, injury news, head-to-head

City is sitting five points behind league leaders Arsenal as they host Toffees.

Manchester City hosts Everton at the Etihad Stadium in a match that will have quite different consequences for the two teams. Perhaps the most precarious position in all of the Premier League is Frank Lampard's at Everton. Arsenal's dominance has left Man City five points behind despite a solid start.

Thirty-five points from 45 are great, but a loss to Brentford before the break was expensive. The city remains the favourite to win a 38-game season. Erling Haaland, who scored 20 Premier League goals in their 3-1 win against Leeds United on Wednesday, is largely responsible.

However, Pep Guardiola could leave Phil Foden, Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva, and Aymeric Laporte on the bench in midweek. They still win comfortably due to their strength in depth. They had beaten Everton in all of their last 10 games. Although their February match at Goodison was contentious when City won despite Rodri's handball.

Since, Lampard is on the verge at Goodison Park after four successive losses in all competitions, all against teams in the relegation zone. Leicester City won convincingly at Goodison before Bournemouth won a league and cup double over the Toffees in a few days before the World Cup break, scoring seven goals.

Bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers returned to Merseyside and won with a 95th-minute Rayan Ait-Nouri goal. They are not in the relegation zone, but a loss today and a continuation of their inept defence will leave them vulnerable to the three teams below them.

However, Lampard's fate will be decided in next week's match against Brighton & Hove Albion. If they lose, they must keep the scoreboard clean and play like a team in a relegation battle, which Lampard confirmed they are in after the Wolves' loss.

Kick-off: 8:30 pm (IST), 3:00 pm (GMT)

Manchester City form (all competitions): W-W-L-W-W-W

Everton form (all competitions): W-D-L-L-L-L

Players to Watch

Kevin De Bruyne

It's pretty evident who Manchester City's heartbeat is, who knows every flaw and can demolish any team with a single pass. His intelligence is impeccable, and he has set a high standard for himself. He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.

Jordan Pickford

After having a decent tournament in Qatar, he is one of the best in business for Everton. With his confidence and dives, he can be the one to stop City's attack.

Head-to-Head

Matches: 193

Everton: 68Draws: 47Manchester City: 78

Team News

After helping Argentina win the World Cup, Julian Alvarez won't likely be thrust into the Man City lineup as he gradually returns to professional play. Due to a thigh injury, Ruben Dias will be unable to play, but City still has a wide range of choices at centre back, with Manuel Akanji and John Stones being the pair of choice on Wednesday.

However, both Cancelo and Foden may start because they both missed the Leeds game and because Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis are expected to leave the lineup. On Boxing Day, Yerry Mina was forced to leave Everton due to injury once more, an occurrence that has become all too common for him while playing for the team.

Conor Coady will take his place after being ineligible to play against parent club Wolves since he has been substituted early in each of his last three Premier League appearances. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is still uncertain since the forward was unable to overcome a persistent thigh problem in time to participate in the Boxing Day loss.

However, Andros Townsend's recovery from an ACL tear has been hampered, and James Garner will be out for the next month with a back problem.

Predicted Lineup

Manchester City Predicted XI:Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo; De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo Silva; Mahrez, Haaland, Foden

Everton Predicted XI:Pickford; Patterson, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Onana, Gueye, Iwobi; Gordon, Maupay, Gray

Prediction

Man City should have no trouble creating chances against the team that has given up the most shots in the league if they are in the right frame of mind. However, Everton seldom comes back from deficits, so if City scores first in Manchester, it might be a difficult afternoon for the Toffees.

Prediction: Manchester City 3-0 Everton