Premier League: World Champions Arrive Back in England and Head to Merseyside

Everton vs Manchester City

They are officially the best team on planet earth.

Premier League champions, European champions and now, for the first time ever, champions of the world.

On paper then, a trip to Everton should prove tricky but no more than that for Manchester City.

Bur this is English football. This is the festive period, this is a ground where the great and good have come unstuck on many an occasion – not just during periods when the hosts were among the great and the good themselves.

Talking Points

Until the Sheikh Mansour takeover of City which changed the landscape of English football, Everton had been crowned league champions nine times to City’s two.

Since the revolution, City have won seven – including five of the last six – and are now level pegging with the Toffees.

They arrive at Goodison Park as champions of the world yet on something of, by their own high standards, a below par run.

Indeed, Premier League 2023 highlights have been few and far between with just one league victory in their past six. That is form they will need to put right if they are to stay in touch with a host of clubs who have overtaken them in recent weeks.

That they go into this encounter in fifth place is unusual, although they do have at least one game in hand on their rivals following their exertions at the World Club Championship.

They also come into this game without their two biggest talents.

Top scorer Erling Haaland is again likely to be missing because of a foot problem, while Kevin De Bruyne remains absent, although he and Belgian compatriot, summer signing Jeremy Doku, have resumed training after injury lay-offs.

Influential midfielder Rodri was injured by a heavy tackle in the Club World Cup but is hopeful of being fit.

Everton are without key personnel themselves.

Arguably their best plater over the past month and the man who helped keep them up last season, Abdoulaye Doucoure, is set to miss out, while midfield partner Idrissa Gueye is one of three fitness doubts after being forced off the pitch early during their 2-1 defeat at Spurs on Saturday. The other two are Ashley Young and club captain Seamus Coleman.

As well as looking at their respective histories – Everton’s glory days are now somewhat distant, while City’s are very much current – this clash will also provoke debate about the current financial situations and accusations against both clubs.

When Everton were last month hit with the largest points deduction in Premier League history (a 10-point penalty after they were found to have breached profitability and sustainability rules over a three-year period), questions were immediately raised about other clubs, not least City who were last year accused of more than 100 breaches of financial rules over a nine-year period from 2009.

While those charges are being investigated, Everton have lodged an appeal against their punishment.

It is likely to be some time before we know the likely outcome of both, but it will certainly provide an added backdrop to a clash which has English football tradition at its heart.

History

The overall history in this fixture could not be much closer. City have 79 wins to Everton’s 68 victories, with 48 meetings ending all square.

However, there is no denying who has held the upper hand of late.

City have won 11 of the last 12 meetings in all competitions, including this fixture last season when quick-fire goals from Ilkay Gundogan (two) and Haaland earned a 3-0 success.

In fact, you have to go back to January 2017 for the last time Everton took something off City on their own turf.

That was on manager Pep Guardiola’s first visit to Goodison Park – a day few Evertonians will forget as they ran out 4-0 winners for the first time against City since the old League Division One in 1986 when Gary Lineker netted a hat-trick.

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP Premier League 2023 betting odds naturally back City and so do I.

Bets on the champions include 1X2 @ 1.51 and Asian Handicap -1.25 @ 2.31.

Everton, meanwhile, are available 1X2 @ 5.30 and Asian Handicap @ +0.75 @ 2.21.

The draw is on offer @ 3.92, a result Everton managed to achieve at the Etihad on New Year’s Eve last season.

I think there will be a fair few goals in this one and, after studying the odds, including Over 3.00 @ 2.29, Total Goal 0-1 @ 3.73, 2-3 @ 1.95, and 4-6 @ 2.97.

I have decided to opt for the latter as my top prediction.

 

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