Football
Manchester City vs Everton Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction, Dec 26
Everton travel to the Etihad for a league encounter with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. The hosts will be well aware they need to find a run of form, but for the Toffees, they may just see this as a bit of a free hit! Let’s take a closer look at all this game has to offer, including the latest odds, betting insights from top-rated sportsbooks and our prediction for the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Everton.
Erling Haaland//Getty Images
Pre-game Odds and Win Probability: Manchester City Odds-On!
Home: 7/25 (1.28) – 75%
Draw: 24/5 (5.8) – 16%
Away: 44/5 (9.8) – 9%
Head-To-Head Record
Last five meetings (Premier League)
10/02/2024: Manchester City 2–0 Everton
27/12/2023: Everton 1–3 Manchester City
14/05/2023: Everton 0–3 Manchester City
31/12/2022: Manchester City 1–1 Everton
26/02/2022: Everton 0-1 Manchester City
Manchester City Current Form – LWDLL
At the time of writing, Manchester City are on their lowest points total after 16 Premier League games. Yes, a lot has already been said about City’s sharp decline, but while the world watches as City really just seemingly implodes – Pep Guardiola insists that his side are playing well…
The truth is most managers would have been sacked by now if they had put out the defensive numbers associated with Manchester City. For the second half of the season, Manchester City have conceded between 2.5-2.79 big chances on their goal. Now, to put that into perspective, only Ipswich and Southampton have conceded worse numbers!
The concern for Pep is that by his own admission, you cannot hope to win football games if you cannot keep a clean sheet, and they have shipped two or more goals in each of their last 10 fixtures!
Key Players to Watch
- Erling Haaland: He has come under a bit of fire this season, but the reasoning remains bizarre. He is one of the most potent finishers in European football and his numbers have remained on par with his expected goals since he joined City. He is a special player, and they don’t just lose their class overnight.
- Kyle Walker: His unnecessary – and frankly embarrassing – theatrics aside, Walker is a player who City can rely on to drive them forward but also ensure defensive stability remains intact around the fringes. His work rate and quality going forward are only rivalled by what he does in his own defensive third.
- Kevin De Bruyne: Injury has plagued his season this year, but his creativity and goal-scoring ability remain something City can hold on to. The fact is when he is in the City side, they are far more dangerous going forward.
Manchester City Team News
City are without Oscar Bob (Broken leg) and Rodri (Knee Injury) for this match.
Everton Current Form – DDLWD
These are the sorts of games Sean Dyche surely relishes. His side will no doubt sit in and remain compact for large portions of the game, happy to concede possession of the football to City and will no doubt want to make the most of any counter-attacking opportunities as well as set pieces.
There have been reservations over the grit evident in this Everton side, but after their performance recently against Arsenal – where they managed to come away with a point – they may have proven a lot of doubters wrong!
Key Players to Watch
- Jordan Pickford: The English keeper is often on the receiving end of a bit of verbal abuse, but his pragmatic and aggressive approach to goalkeeping has largely earned his side valuable points this season. Six clean sheets at the time of writing, they will be hoping for another big performance here.
- Jarrad Branthwaite: A sought-after talent in Europe, Branthwaite continues to show why he is a valuable defensive component for Sean Dyche. A ball-playing centre-back, he has the ability to turn defence into attack for the Toffees and in a game where possession of the ball will be limited, that could be incredibly valuable.
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin: A striker who blows hot and cold at times, Calvert-Lewin is without question a talented finisher. Everton will just be hoping that he is able to showcase his best when they travel to the Etihad.
Everton Team News
Dwight McNeil (knee injury), Tim Iroegbunam (foot injury) and Youssef Chermiti (foot injury) are all unavailable for the Manchester trip.
Predicted Line-Up
Manchester City: 3-2-4-1
Ortega, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Lewis, Gundogan, Silva, Foden, Nunes, Haaland.
Everton: 4-2-3-1
Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Mangala, Harrison, Doucoure, Ndiaye, Calvert-Lewin.
Suggested Bets
The Manchester City vs Everton encounter is set to be a thrilling clash that could shift momentum in the Premier League. For those following football bookmakers, this match offers an exciting array of odds, from player props to in-play markets.
Manchester City Win: City are at home, they have struggled in recent weeks but surely their class and quality sees them through this match. Back the home win. 7/25 (1.28) with Betway and 1xBet.
Both Teams to Score (No): Everton have struggled to find the back of the net in recent weeks, and even though City have a horrible defensive record at the moment, this could be the game to turn it around for them. 8/10 (1.8) with 1xBet and Betway.
Manchester City + BTTS (No): combining these two bets only increases the value available and we suggest piling on at 9/10 (1.9) with Betway and 1xBet.
Value Bets
Over 3.5 Goals: City will no doubt want to make a statement, we expect them to get out of the gates quickly and apply pressure on their visitors for 90 minutes. Back over 3.5 goals at 27/20 (2.35) with Betway and 1xBet.
Erling Haaland (Anytime Goal Scorer): Back the league’s most prolific striker to return to scoring ways here. 28/10 (3.8) with 1xBet
First Goal - City: Back the hosts to open the scoring early, an easy addition to any weekend betting slip! 7/25 (1.28) with Betway and 1XBet.
Prediction: Manchester City Win
We are backing Pep Guardiola and Manchester City to return to winning ways at the Etihad. Everton will put up a fight and look to make it difficult for City to break them down, but the quality and attacking threat the hosts hold should be too much for the Toffees here.
Ryan Liberty is an experienced sports writer whose articles have featured in some of the biggest sports publications in South Africa. With a strong understanding of all major sports and an in-depth understanding of betting, Ryan consistently delivers insightful content. He's also known for his ability to break down complex topics into engaging, reader-friendly pieces.
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