City game big test for Everton new era
So after two excellent results and wins against Burnley and Newcastle United, Everton and Carlo Ancelotti take on Manchester City tomorrow in the biggest test of the new regime to date.
There has been enough evidence to show just what Carlo Ancelotti can bring to this Everton team in these last few games.
In particular, Ancelotti has already had a significant impact tactically. Decisions like moving Djibril Sidibe to a right-wing role to great effect against Burnley and making a big call such as resting Lucas Digne, who has been perhaps the Blues best player over the past 18 months, in the game at Newcastle United.
But it’s his in-game management that has been perhaps the most important change Toffee fans have seen. The Italian has shown a willingness to make quick, intelligent and perceptive adjustments to his tactics and change how his team is operating in response to the way in which the game itself is going.
In both the Burnley and Newcastle matches, Ancelotti made changes that helped ensure Everton came away with all the points in both games.
Now comes a game against the champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
City has slipped this season from the insanely high standards they had set over the past two campaigns. However they are obviously still a formidable force and are wounded at the moment, which makes them potentially doubly dangerous.
No doubt Ancelotti will have anticipated all this and of course he won’t be surprised by a strong City reaction to their recent set-backs.
City are also very strong at home generally and Everton have a pretty poor recent record as well against the champions, so all this would point to a likely win for the home side.
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On the flip side, Ancelotti has a good record against Pep Guardiola having won both their previous encounters when he was manager of Bayern Munich, although they have only met twice.
Again the Blues boss is likely to make several changes to the side that took to the field against Newcastle. For example I would expect Lucas Digne to return in place of Leighton Baines. It’s also probable that up front Bernard might also be back in place of Moise Kean.
The Toffees are still plagued by injuries, but are gradually seeing these absentees returning to fitness, which is another positive development.
I feel that a point would be a good return from this match, although given how well the Blues have been performing recently, hoping for three points doesn’t sound as ludicrous as it would have a month ago!