Manchester City vs. Everton: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Manchester City take on Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday in the Premier League looking to avenge the League Cup defeat the Merseysiders inflicted on them last week.
Roberto Martinez’s side won 2-1 in the semi-final first leg at Goodison Park eight days ago, with Romelu Lukaku scoring the winner.
City know they need to establish a consistent run of results if they are to close the gap on Arsenal at the top of the table and continue advancing in the three knockout competitions they are involved in.
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They have been hamstrung by injuries for much of the season, but the time has come for them to string some wins together and demonstrate their quality on a more regular basis.
Everton sit 11th in the table, a position that highlights their struggle for form, but it’s perhaps a little misleading. They have quality in almost every department, as they showed quite clearly last week when they beat City and were the better side.
The last five league meetings between the two sides have seen City win four and draw one.
Form Guide
Manchester City
Norwich City 0-3 Manchester City (FA Cup)
Everton 2-1 Manchester City (League Cup)
Watford 1-2 Manchester City
Leicester 0-0 Manchester City
Manchester City 4-1 Sunderland
Everton
Everton 2-0 Dagenham & Redbridge (FA Cup)
Everton 2-1 Manchester City (League Cup)
Everton 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Everton 3-4 Stoke City
Newcastle 0-1 Everton
"BESIC: Blues midfielder insists our @CapitalOne_Cup win over @MCFC bodes well for tomorrow. https://t.co/wUEOYFKIvH pic.twitter.com/2SuWQQXPUL
— Everton (@Everton) January 12, 2016"
Predicted Formations
Manchester City
City are without Fernandinho, Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala, Wilfried Bony and Samir Nasri. David Silva and Yaya Toure are back in contention after missing the win over Norwich.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Hart; Sagna, Otamendi, Demichelis, Clichy; Delph, Toure; De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling; Aguero.
Everton
Martinez will give late fitness tests to Tom Cleverley, Steven Naismith (both ankle) and Ramiro Funes Mori (head). Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy are both definitely out.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Howard; Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Baines; Cleverley, Barry; Deulofeu, Barkley, Mirallas; Lukaku.
"TEAM NEWS: Roberto Martinez confirms @RomeluLukaku9 is back fit and ready to face @MCFC tomorrow evening. https://t.co/14B3LuB541
— Everton (@Everton) January 12, 2016"
Players To Watch
Kevin De Bruyne
Summer signing Kevin De Bruyne scored his 11th goal for City in the win over Norwich in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, twisting and turning two defenders before blasting the ball between John Ruddy's legs.
It was the latest example of his quality in the final third. His work rate may be a cause for concern at times, but his match-winning quality most certainly isn’t.
He’s weighed in with 10 assists, too. In terms of producing key moments and contributing to goals, there are few who can match him.
Having only played 30 minutes of the game at Carrow Road, he will be well rested ahead of this game.
".@DeBruyneKev has bagged his third Etihad Player of the Month award in four attempts Read: https://t.co/CE93owNrAn pic.twitter.com/B0Ebp8KngN
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) January 12, 2016"
Romelu Lukaku
Is there a better striker of Lukaku’s age in the Premier League? His 15 goals means he sits top of the Premier League goalscoring charts. At just 22, his career record is outstanding, with 113 goals in 256 games.
He offers so much variety. From back-to-goal, physical forward play to more intelligent, technical and subtle moments, it's difficult to negate him for the entirety of a match.
He’s far from perfect, and some suggest he misses too many chances, but there are few better goal-getters in English football,
He's scored 10 and assisted three in his last 10 league appearances.
Key Battle
Sergio Aguero vs. John Stones
The signs suggest Sergio Aguero is returning to his very best.
He often takes time after an injury to find top form again. This time has been no different, but he is now beginning to demonstrate the pace, movement and finishing ability that marks him out as one of the best strikers in the game.
At Norwich, he was exceptional, scoring a superb solo goal that saw him beat three defenders on a mazy run and place the ball coolly into the bottom corner.
Everton’s John Stones is developing into a fine defender, perhaps the best ball-playing centre-half England have produced since Rio Ferdinand emerged from the West Ham United academy back in the 1990s.
At 21, Stones is still learning and has made mistakes defensively. He’s improving, though, and in terms of his ability to start attacks and operate in a side that plays open, attractive football, there are few better already.
"GOAL! An alternative angle of @AgueroSergioKun's run and finish for @MCFC against @NorwichCityFC in #EmiratesFACup https://t.co/dKDD6ryCT8
— The Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 11, 2016"
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Manchester City: 25/48
Everton: 101/20
Draw: 61/20
Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.
