Match Preview
Everton’s final away fixture of 2024 is a trip to the Etihad to face a wounded and reeling Manchester City who have lost nine of the last 12 games in all competitions.
The spectacularly uncharacteristic collapse in Pep Guardiola’s team’s form of late might make this fixture less of a formality for City than it normally is. The Blues, having ground out goalless draws against Arsenal and Chelsea, should travel with a degree of optimism that they might be able to pray on their hosts’ newfound fragility.
With Sean Dyche’s men struggling to score goals, however, three points might be more than a little optimistic.
Dyche has ruled out Dwight McNeil due to the knee complaint that has sidelined him for the last two games but the manager is able to welcome Armando Broja back after he was forced to miss the game against his parent club, Chelsea.
The on-loan striker is unlikely to start, however, meaning that apart from bringing Séamus Coleman in for the suspended Ashley Young, Dyche could well name an unchanged lineup.
That would mean Jack Harrison continuing in the wide-right role and Abdoulaye Doucouré playing off Dominic Calvert-Lewin, which he did so effectively on Sunday afternoon.
Guardiola has made changes to his team in an effort to turn results around recently but, while his starting 11 will be hard to predic,t he does, of course, have a wealth of talent and options at his disposal.
Regardless of City’s form, this will be a very difficult fixture for Everton, and once again a point would be regarded as an excellent result.
However, if they can keep it tight and perhaps edge themselves ahead in the second half, a magnificent outcome is not beyond the realms of possibility.
Kick off: 12:30 pm, Thursday, 26 December 2024
Referee: Simon Hooper
VAR: Alex Chilowicz
Last time: Manchester City 2 – 0 Everton
Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Mangala, Harrison, Ndiaye, Calvert-Lewin