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Intro
Manchester City are in danger of missing out on a top four finish in the Premier League for the first time since the 2009-10 season. They host a stubborn Everton side on Boxing Day as they look to claim only their second league win in nine Premier League matches.
What Has Gone Wrong At City?
Manchester City’s form in the Premier League and Champions League recently has been very worrying. How do you go from dominating the league with four successive titles to already being 12 points behind league leaders Liverpool.
A team can suffer when they have a lot of injury problems, but apart from Rodri being out with an ACL knee injury, their other absentees can be replaced because of the size of the squad they have.
City are loaded with talent, but without Rodri they seem to be missing a leader. We do not think you can put their poor form down to that one injury. Fans joke about sides being a one-man team, but it is never really true.
City have won one of their last eight Premier League matches when they defeated fourth-placed Nottingham Forest 3-0. Their poor form has not been restricted to the league. They have won one in 12 in all competitions with defeats in the Carabao Cup and the Champions League.
This poor form cannot last forever, but something is not right at City and until they can find an answer no team in the Premier League will be afraid of going to the Etihad Stadium.
We have mentioned that Rodri is out with a serious injury. Former Barnsley and Everton defender John Stones is struggling with a foot problem, but could feature against his old club. Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias and Oscar Bobb will all miss the game on Boxing Day.
Toffees Eager To Be The Latest Team To Frustrate City
Everton might be struggling down in 15th position in the Premier League, but they are quite difficult to beat.
The Toffees have won one and drawn three of their last Premier League matches. In that time they have kept four clean sheets, the only goals they conceded were in a 4-0 hammering at the expense of Manchester United.
They held Premier League title-chasing Chelsea to a goalless draw last weekend at Goodison Park just a week after doing the same against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
They seem to be solid at the back for the most part, but the fact they have scored just four goals in seven matches - all those coming against Wolverhampton Wanderers - shows they are still a long way away from being a top team in the Premier League.
Dwight McNeil has scored three goals this season, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Iliman Ndiaye have two each. That is definitely not enough goals from your so-called frontmen.
Ashley Young will miss this game due to suspension, while McNeil is hoping to get some game time after struggling with a knee problem.
Head To Head
It will come as no surprise that Manchester City have got the nod over Everton in recent years. City have been winning titles, while the Blues have been regularly fighting against relegation.
City have won 76 of their 181 meetings against Everton with 45 of them coming on home soil, while the Toffees have won 60 with 22 of them coming on the road.
Man City have not tasted defeat against Everton since they went down 4-0 at Goodison Park in January 2017. That is a run of 15 matches unbeaten.
City have won three in a row against Everton, their last game against the Blues saw them win 2-0 at home Erling Haaland bagging a brace.
Everton might have not beaten City in all competitions since 2017, but they have not won in Manchester since Tim Cahill and Leighton Baines got on the score sheet in a 2-1 in December 2010.
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Manchester City are currently in seventh position and are 12 points behind Liverpool. We all feel the poor form will end, but we just don’t know when. They do not look like a team anymore.
Everton will be growing in confidence after keeping clean sheets against title-chasing Arsenal and Chelsea - can they keep another on Thursday?
Man City vs. Everton
Highlight #1
City have won three in a row against Everton
Highlight #2
Everton last beat City back in 2017
Highlight #3
The Toffees have not won at City since a 2-1 win in 2010
Our Betting Tip for Today
Deep down we all know that City cannot continue with this poor form. They have too much talent throughout their squad to be a mid-table side.
If Everton, and DCL in particular, find their shooting boots, Everton could launch a push to finish in the top half, but like City’s poor form we don’t know when Everton’s inability to take their chances will end also.
Despite only winning one in eight PL matches, City are firm favourites to win this game. They can be backed at 1/3 with
Bet365. Everton are available at 13/2 with the draw on offer at 9/2.
Another Clean Sheet For Everton
We are taking a calculated risk with this one and backing City to once again struggle and fail to take three valuable points.
We are not backing Everton to cause a huge upset, but the way they have been defending - especially against Chelsea and Arsenal - we can see them picking up a point.
If Everton can continue the form and stay strong defensively against Chelsea and Arsenal, then they are capable of doing it against City.
We cannot envisage Everton scoring, but keeping a clean sheet is not out of the question. We are backing the game to end in a goalless draw at 16.1 with Bet365.
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