Defending Premier League champions Manchester City can put some more pressure on current leaders Liverpool, but they would need to get all three points on Wednesday evening, when they travel to Goodison Park to meet Everton. The Citizens won the reverse fixture 3-1 in December with two goals from Gabriel Jesus and one from Raheem Sterling. That was the second consecutive 3-1 victory for Manchester City over the Toffees, but only their third victory in the last six direct matches in all competitions. Everton can gain some confidence from the memory of their 4-0 victory over Manchester City at Goodison Park two seasons ago.
Everton are going through yet another patch of poor form, they have won just one of their last four matches in all competitions and that victory was a 1-0 success at Premier League bottom side Huddersfield. The other three matches were all lost, including last week's 3-1 defeat at home against Wolves. That result saw the Toffees drop to ninth place, five points behind seventh-placed Wolves. Leighton Baines suffered an injury during last week's match and will be replaced by Lucas Digne, who returns from suspension. Central defenders Yerry Mina and Phil Jagielka are both injured, so Michael Keane and Kurt Zouma will most likely play at the heart of the Everton defence on Wednesday.
Manchester City were probably not even hoping to be just three points behind leaders Liverpool at this moment, especially after having lost 2-1 at Newcastle at the end of January. However, Liverpool recorded two consecutive draws, while the Citizens recovered from the Newcastle setback with a 3-1 victory over Arsenal on Sunday, thanks to a hat-trick from striker Sergio Aguero. Benjamin Mendy has not yet fully recovered from his knee injury and his return to action might be postponed once again, while Eliaquim Mangala and Vincent Kompany remain sidelined. Manager Pep Guardiola will probably choose to make some changes to his starting eleven given the fixture congestion the Citizens are having to deal with.
Probable line-ups:
Everton: Pickford - Coleman, Keane, Zouma, Digne - Davies, Gomes - Bernard, Sigurdsson, Richarlison - Calvert-Lewin
Man City: Ederson - Danilo, Stones, Laporte, Delph - B. Silva, Fernandinho, D. Silva - Mahrez, Aguero, Sane
My prediction: Manchester City to win 3-1, the Citizens are in good form and the Toffees are far from that.
Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:
Everton win - 10.00
Draw - 6.25
Man City win - 1.30
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