City need three points to stay close to league leaders

Manchester City v Everton preview

Every game is "must-win" in the Premier League, even in this early stage of the season.

Author | Macca

Stadium | Etihad Stadium

City v Burnley

This season, Pep Guardiola seems to have embraced a new approach. The team can still produce high-scoring displays, but have also shown they are capable of grinding out results through disciplined defensive performances. 

Last time out for City

It was a battling win and performance away at Brentford. Erling Haaland maintained his impressive scoring run as City secured a narrow victory to give Pep Guardiola his 250th Premier League win.

Haaland struck midway through the first half when he outmuscled Sepp van den Berg to collect Josko Gvardiol’s looping cross, turned away from the defender and finished calmly past Caoimhin Kelleher.

After the match, Beth Lee told GM Super News: “The manager will take satisfaction from his side’s resilience in holding out, though the potential loss of Rodri will trouble him most. City know better than anyone how difficult life can become without their influential midfielder.”

Full-time at Brentford v City

Team news for the home side

Marmoush has been absent for Manchester City’s last seven matches after suffering a knee injury while on international duty with Egypt during the October break, but he is expected to return against Everton. The team is likely to be without Rodri on Saturday, with the midfielder sidelined for another week following a hamstring problem sustained in the win over Brentford.

Key City stats ahead of the match

Guardiola's side have not lost in their last 16 Premier League encounters with Everton, recording 13 wins and three draws since a 4-0 defeat at Goodison Park in January 2017. Only Fulham, West Brom, and West Ham represent longer current unbeaten runs for the Citizens in the competition, with 20, 19, and 19 matches respectively.

In 2025, Manchester City are averaging more points per game in the Premier League than any other side, accumulating 53 points from 26 matches at a rate of 2.04 per game. They are also the league’s highest scorers this calendar year with 55 goals and have matched Liverpool for the most wins, both sides securing 16 victories.

A quick look at the opposition

Everton have shown marked improvement at the close of last season and the opening weeks of this one. They have claimed six victories in their last ten Premier League fixtures, matching the total from their previous 27 matches.

That form has earned them 11 points from their opening seven games, leaving them eighth in the early-season table ahead of this weekend’s fixtures.

Their three league wins so far have come against Brighton, Wolves and Crystal Palace, with the victory over Palace ending the Eagles’ 19-match unbeaten run. Since David Moyes returned to Goodison Park in January, only Arsenal have collected more points than Everton’s 20 away from home.