Do Everton have any chance of City win at weekend

This Saturday evening Everton host the defending champions Manchester City at Goodison Park. Is there any realistic chance for the Toffees’ to win this match?

On paper the answer would obviously be no. City are simply playing a different level of football to Everton and the recent series of encounters have certainly underlined that.

However, City have faltered in their last Premier League match as Spurs went to the Etihad Stadium and won 3-2.

And, the Blues’ home form has been solid under new manager Frank Lampard, well he’s won his only two home games anyway.

In some ways this encounter is a bit of a free hit for Everton as in all honestly I don’t imagine many expect the Toffees’ to get anything from this one. If by some miracle the home team gained a point against the champions, it would probably feel a bit like a win.

Next up is a visit to Tottenham, another ground where Everton have a very poor record – what ground don’t they these days! The following upcoming Premier League fixtures against Wolves, Newcastle United, Watford and also West Ham will be more important in terms of securing vital points in the Blues’ relegation fight.

It would though be good to see a reaction again at the Grand Old Lady after that dreadful defeat at Southampton last Saturday as the Blues’ terrible away form continued.

In addition, this week’s results have helped the Toffees’ with Watford losing and Liverpool thrashing Leeds, which pulls them more into the relegation battle as well as further damaging their goal difference, something that could prove crucial at season’s end. Any points gained this weekend might be important.

Lampard has talked about the need for a ‘mentality shift’ amongst his players. This is certainly something that is desperately needed as the pathetic loss against the Saints underlined.

It’s become an dreadfully predictable situation that Everton go away from Goodison and as soon as they face any adversity the players fold and slump to defeat.

Managers have come and gone over the last five or six years and none of them have found a consistent way to solve this problem. Somehow, Lampard has to find a way to change this, and fast.

At least there has been some good news on the injury front with Abdoulaye Doucoure back in training and possibly in contention to play against City and Demarai Gray also available.

Having said that, Yerry Mina is still out probably for the remainder of the season. Ben Godfrey is also still not ready to return although fit again, and so the hugely vulnerable centre-back partnership of Micheal Keane and Mason Holgate continues. City’s forwards will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing that pair.

Ideally, I would like to see Lampard go with a three-man midfield and try to win as much possession as possible against City. That’s easier said than done of course.

If Doucoure is fit enough to start then perhaps that can work, but there is also an issue with whether he wouldn’t have the match fitness to cope with a match like this one.

Another issue is the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The England striker has been very poor since returning from his almost season-long injury.

With Gray now fit I would be tempted to revert to the front three that performed so well against Leeds with Richarlison playing between Gray and Anthony Gordon.

Can Lampard learn anything from Spurs win? Well, perhaps the key things are the importance of slick and effective counter-attacking and taking your chances of course.

To answer the question I posed at the beginning of this article, I simply can’t see Everton winning this game. Especially as City will be on the rebound and determined to get back to winning ways after Liverpool’s win closed the gap at the Premier League summit.

It’s a little pesimestic of me, but the best I hope for is that they might somehow get a draw. And, if not, avoiding a loss by three or four goals because goal difference might potentially play a big part in who stays up and goes down.