Everton vs Manchester City: 5 things to watch against Manchester City
By Rob Fisher
Silva & De Bruyne hold the cards, but can Everton exploit the spaces
1. City look to bounce back
The last time Manchester City lost to Spurs on the first day of the season they won the next two games both 5-0, but I’m sure Lampard and Everton will know this team can take apart anyone on their day.
City also comfortably beat the Toffees 3-0 in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. On that day the Everton tactics were dire and very negative from Rafa Benitez, I expect they will risk more than they did then.
First of all, let’s have a look at how City will tackle the Goodison atmosphere, which is now a factor and the tea-time kick off means it will be extra lively, and their own formation.
Pep Guardiola does not change too much with formation and style, and why would you when you’re the best in England and probably Europe. He usually likes a fluid 4-1-2-3 and always the question is who takes that central forward position.
Gabriel Jesus has been a thorn in Everton’s side more than most during his time at City, he has been out injured this month but has returned to training. However, Guardiola may decide against risking him with so many games to play still this season.
It will likely be a three up the top of Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez if form is anything to go by. Jack Grealish has been missing with injury of late also so is unlikely to make the game at Goodison Park.
The midfield two is where City dominant and win games usually, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne or Ilkay Gundogan dominate possession and their movement means the opposition finds it so hard to track them. Plus their passing ability is up there with the best in the world.
Rodri will likely sit behind them and in front of the back four, he scored a screamer against Everton in the game at the Etihad earlier in the season.
The back four is like the forward line the most changed personnel if everyone is fit, Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker have been the mainstays at full back. While Ruben Diaz is the defensive lynchpin at centre back it has been a revolving door between John Stones and Aymeric Laporte alongside him. Ederson of course will be in goal for City and his distribution with his feet is as key as what he does with his hands.
Last week Spurs exploited the high City line and if Walker is caught upfield then the City defence lacks pace to keep up with any speedy wingers. Harry Kane had his best game in some time and his first time reverse balls into the channels really caused City problems.
Everton can also expose this but it will require someone to play that Kane role, we will examine that in the following pages.
The other area City can be exposed is set pieces and I am sure Paul Clement, the Everton coach, will have been working on these. Ederson tends to stay on his line and if you can miss Dias and his centre back partner then City do have a lack of height to defend these situations.
At the other end, Everton will need Jordon Pickford to have a nine or ten out of ten games like he had at Chelsea earlier in the season, plus more possession than they mustered at the Etihad earlier in the season where it hardly got over 20% at any point in the game.
You must not allow De Bruyne, Gundogan and Silva to dominate the ball too much and cut out the balls dinked in behind and between the full back and centre back. Spurs did this very well last week and Everton will need everyone to be on their game defensively. With City lacking any out and out striker they can get frustrated if they don’t score early.
Also, City’s record from coming from behind is far worse than even Everton’s this season. When they have gone behind in the Premier League they have only managed to beat Arsenal in the last minute and rescue draws at Liverpool and Southampton. Defeats to Spurs twice and Crystal Palace have happened when conceding first.
While it won’t be easy, I can remember the days back in David Moyes heyday when City used to always leave Goodison with nothing more than bruised egos and no doubt the atmosphere will be more like those days to put even more pressure on City’s elite squad.
Continued on the next page…