Everton will be looking to continue their 100% start under Carlo Ancelotti when they travel to champions Manchester City on New Year’s Day.
Preview and Stats
The Citizens have lost five of their 20 league matches this season, recording just 13 wins to sit third in the table with 41 points. They are only a point off second-placed Leicester but sit 14 points off the leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand following their exertions at the Club World Cup.
They suffered a 3-2 loss away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 27, with the latter coming from behind to triumph in front of their home supporters.
The Citizens did return to winning ways against Sheffield United on Sunday, though, meaning that they have been victorious in five of their last six matches in all competitions.
On the other hand, the Toffees have only actually won one of the last nine matches between the two teams in all competitions, while they have not overcome City on their travels since December 2010, which is an indication of the size of the task facing Ancelotti’s side in their first match of 2020.
However, they will enter the match full of confidence following successive Premier League wins over Burnley and Newcastle in the two matches since Ancelotti replaced interim boss Duncan Ferguson as head coach.
Ancelotti was in the stands for the goalless draw against Arsenal on December 21, which followed a 1-1 draw away to Manchester United in the middle of the month.
For all of the criticism that has come the team’s way in recent weeks, they are unbeaten in their last five Premier League matches, picking up three wins in the process to move up the table.
Team News
City will again be without the services of Leroy Sane and Aymeric Laporte through injury, while neither David Silva nor John Stones is expected to recover in time for the clash on New Year’s Day.
Ederson is available after serving a one-game ban against Sheffield United, though, and Sergio Aguero is in line to start having come through the clash with the Blades with no adverse effects.
Eric Garcia should continue in central defence having impressed last time out, while Ilkay Gundogan and Joao Cancelo could come into the side with Guardiola expected to shuffle his pack.
As for Everton, Alex Iwobi, Andre Gomes and Jean-Philippe Gbamin remain on the sidelines, while a calf problem is expected to keep Morgan Schneiderlin out of the contest.
Ancelotti opted for a back five against Burnley and that might again be the case here with Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison operating as the front two for the visitors.
Lucas Digne, Fabian Delph, Seamus Coleman, and Yerry Mina were all left out of the starting XI against Newcastle but all four are in line to return to the side on Wednesday.