Everton: Howard, Coleman, Stones, Distin, Baines, Barkley, McCarthy, Osman, McGeady, Naismith, Lukaku
Man City: Joe Hart; Aleksandar Kolarov, Vincent Kompany, Martin Demichelis, Pablo Zabaleta; Samir Nasri, Yaya Toure, Fernandinho, David Silva; Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko
With last week’s shock result at Anfield, the title pendulum has now swung right back in Manchester City’s favour, and suddenly, it’s now they who apparently have it all sewn up.
Which is a remarkable supposition considering the fixture they’re faced with this Saturday evening: an away trip to Goodison Park, to take on an Everton side with its sights aimed on Europe.
Moreover, Goodison Park is somewhat of a bogey ground for the Citizens, where they’ve traditionally never had it easy.
But given City’s experience at the tail end of title runs, and the way in which they nearly threw it away 2 years ago, they’ll be focused with tunnel vision with the title in their sights, and it’s hard to see any complacency creeping into Pellegrini’s team.
For Everton, their application will be as rigorous as ever, but with the goals having dried up for Lukaku up front, and Naismith’s having never really gotten wet, it’s difficult to see how Everton could outscore City today.
Everton have won nine of their last 13 Barclays Premier League meetings with Manchester City (D1 L3).
The Citizens have lost their last four league games at Goodison Park and have won just one of their last 15 (D4 L10).
Six of Man City’s last seven Premier League goals have come before half-time.
Roberto Martinez has lost eight of his nine Premier League encounters with Man City (D1).
Yaya Toure needs one more goal to become only the second central midfielder to score 20+ goals in a PL season (after Lampard with 22 in 2009-10).
Since the start of December, City have taken more points away from home (27) than any other team.
City have scored in each of their last 10 games; no other Premier League team is on a run longer than five currently.
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