Everton’s quest for survival continues when they host league leaders Manchester City on Sunday afternoon in a game with enormous implications at both ends of the Premier League table.
The Toffees are running out of time in their bid to avoid the drop and see home games as key to their chances but a game against Man City is enough to send shivers down the spine of any team. Pep Guardiola’s all-stars may have had half an eye on big Champions League and FA Cup fixtures but their league form has been immaculate, reeling off ten wins in a row as they look to secure the title.
Improve your enjoyment of this huge Premier League clash by reading through our stats pack, which provides you with statistical insight and bet builder tips. If you need guidance on how to use our all-you-need-to-know stats pack, check out our Stats Pack Guide.
In the meantime, you can read on below to view our own Everton vs Man City bet builder and tips.
EVERTON VS MAN CITY Confirmed LINEUPS
Full Faith in the five-goal Thumpers
Sean Dyche has very few options to play with so has often had to make do with what is available to him. However, he has more than one reason to stay unchanged for this one given they thumped high-flying Brighton and Hove Albion 5-1 last time out. That means defenders Nathan Patterson, Yerry Mina and Vitaliy Mykolenko are likely to keep their places along with youngster James Garner in midfield.
Ring the changes with Madrid on their way
Manchester City have chopped and changed recently in a bid to keep players fresh for the biggest games and further changes are likely here. The team that started in Madrid in midweek saw six changes from the team that hosted Leeds United last weekend and we can expect to see Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez, Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden step into the fray for this one.
EVERTON VS MAN CITY TEAM STATS
Everton struggling for goals
It’s not been a good season for Everton and their inability to score goals has been a big part of that, scoring less than a goal per game and being a quarter of goal shorter than their average xG. The Toffees are at least better defensively than the underlying numbers, sitting 14th for goals conceded despite conceding the highest xG, second most shots and fourth most shots on target.
Only four sides take fewer corner kicks per Premier League game while they have conceded the second most. Unsurprisingly for a team rooted near the bottom, only two teams have picked up more cards this season.
Man City as good as they come in the Premier League
Man City are the best in the business and the numbers reflect that. No side has scored more goals, has a better xG, better xGA or conceded fewer shots and shots on target. They also rank second for goals conceded, most shots at goal and most on shots on target.
They also rank high as far as corners and cards go with only West Ham United picking up fewer cards across the Premier League season, two sides taking more corner kicks per 90 minutes and no side conceding fewer. Man City are almost perfect when it comes to picking a bet builder.
EVERTON VS MAN CITY SHOTS AND SHOTS ON TARGET STATS
McNeil leading the fight for Dyche’s Everton
Sean Dyche knew what he was getting with Dwight McNeil and the ex-Burnley man has stepped up for his boss, having at least one shot in all 15 matches played under Dyche, two shots in ten of those and a shot on target in each of his last five, including two or more in his last four. On the other flank, Alex Iwobi is taking aim, having a shot in nine of his last ten matches.
Wingers flying for Man City
Erling Haaland is undoubtedly the man for City but the bookies know it, so finding value requires a look elsewhere when it comes to your bet builder. Thankfully, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez are stepping up to the plate from wide positions. Both wingers are averaging over two shots per 90 minutes played. England youngster Foden has had a shot on target in six of his last seven starts while the more experienced Algerian has had a shot on target in four of his last five starts.
EVERTON VS MAN CITY GOALS AND ASSISTS STATS
Wingers leading the way for Everton
They’ve been referenced above and it’s little surprise that Dwight McNeil and Alex Iwobi lead the way for goals and assists – they are absolutely the pair to focus on if you fancy a look at Everton in your bet builder. McNeil’s specialty has been finding the back of the net with seven goals while Iwobi is one behind him for goal contributions, helped by an impressive seven assists.
Haaland in dreamland for Man City
There’s only one place to look when it comes to a goalscorer for your Everton vs Man City bet builder – the giant Norwegian Erling Haaland. The pony-tailed forward has scored 35 Premier League goals in less than 29 90’s, averaging 1.22 goals per 90. Beyond him, we return to the wingers who are available at 1.73 (Mahrez) and 1.83 (Foden) to score or assist at any point during this game – they have 14 and 16 goal contributions respectively.
EVERTON VS MAN CITY PLAYER PASSING STATS
Everton unlikely to see much of the ball
Since Dyche took the reins at Everton, they have had more than 50% of the ball once – a 1-0 home win against fellow strugglers Leeds United. No Toffees player has averaged more than 50 passes per 90 minutes this term and with the Merseyside outfit likely to cede possession at every opportunity, the likelihood of James Tarkowski or Yerry Mina attempting 50 or more passes is minimal.
Man City guarantee possession but not playing time
This is one of those matches where Man City are almost guaranteed to have around 70% of the ball and it makes adding passes to your bet builder very, very tempting – Ruben Dias and Rodri are available at 1.5 and 1.53 to attempt 90 or more. However, with Guardiola looking to give players a rest where possible ahead of big games, a big City victory could see the Iberian pair removed from the game early so be weary when adding them to your bet builder.
EVERTON CARDS AND FOULS STATS
Stopping the game at source key for Everton
There has been a change of tact under Sean Dyche where they do their best to deny the opposition the opportunity to build in central areas and it shows with the number of fouls committed by their forwards recently. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has committed two or more fouls in his five starts under Dyche while McNeil has committed a foul in ten of his last 13 matches. Notably, youngster Nathan Patterson has committed four fouls in his last 135 minutes of football.
The reason I mention Patterson is because he will be up against Phil Foden here, one of two players fouled more than once per 90 minutes played – last season’s Young Player of the Season has been fouled eight times in his last three starts. On the other flank, Mahrez completes over three and a half dribbles per 90 and is fouled at least twice – he has been fouled in five of his last seven starts, including three times against Leeds United last time out, who set up to be as structured as Everton will be here.
Everton vs Man City Key matchups:
Nathan Patterson v Phil Foden
Vitaliy Mykolenko v Riyad Mahrez
Dwight McNeil v Manuel Akanji
MAN CITY CARDS AND FOULS STATS
Akanji and Silva coming unstuck for City
Manuel Akanji has proven something of a bargain but the ex-Borussia Dortmund defender has been moved around the City backline and that lack of consistency has probably shown in the number of fouls he is committing of late – he has made at least one in each of his last eight starts whether playing right-back, centre-back or left-back. Bernardo Silva is part of the primary starting XI for Guardiola and his tenacity plays a role in that – he has committed a foul in six of his last seven starts in all competitions including two or more in each of his last three.
Silva is likely to be sniffing around Idrissa Gueye here, the experienced midfielder often the man tasked with relieving pressure in central areas for Everton. Gueye has been fouled 1.8 times per 90 and at least twice in his last three league starts. Everton’s midfield doesn’t otherwise draw too many fouls but Alex Iwobi is doing his bit, attempting at least three take-ons in every match played under Dyche and being fouled in four of his last six appearances.
Everton vs Man City Key matchups:
Manuel Akanji v Dwight McNeil
Bernardo Silva v Idrissa Gueye
Aymeric Laporte v Alex Iwobi
Everton vs Man City Bet Builder Tips and Picks of the Pack
The stats lead you well to some bet builder selections, and it did so for our Everton vs Man City bet builder below.
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Everton vs Manchester City
14th May
kick off 14:00 Nathan Patterson 1+ fouls
Patterson has committed 0.93 fouls p/90.
He’s committed four fouls in last 135 minutes of football.
Phil Foden draws 1.36 fouls p/90, and Grealish likely to come off the bench.
Abdoulay Doucoure 1+ foulsDoucoure commits 1.14 fouls p/90.
Committed at least 1 foul in 8 of his last 9 games.
Dwight McNeil 1+ foulsMcNeil commits 0.81 fouls p/90.
He has committed a foul in 10 of his last 13 matches.
Manuel Akanji 1+ foulsAkanji commits 1.01 fouls p/90.
He has made at least one foul in each of his last eight starts, whether that be at left-back, centre-back, or right-back.
