Premier League: It's Never Easy at Goodison

Everton vs Manchester City

How do you follow-up an eight-goal demolition?

Well, first of all, with confidence but not complacency.

The message: ‘Be wary of your last away trip in the Premier League’ should certainly be on the minds of the Manchester City players too as they travel to Merseyside.

Goodison Park has notoriously been a difficult hunting ground for City until recent years, so this will be a tough task if they return across the M62 with maximum points.

While the Norwich defeat was a shock, it’s not that game which could yet prove costly, more so an injury sustained in a routine 4-0 home success over Brighton last month.

Matches like this will now tell us SBOBET followers a lot about City’s so-called defensive vulnerabilities.

Talking Points

So are we set for more Premier League highlights from the champions and Everton or could this be ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ and all that after England’s top team hit eight last time out in the league?

There is pressure on both clubs.

City cannot afford to fall further behind early pace-setters Liverpool, while Everton were stunned last weekend by newly promoted Sheffield United who triumphed 2-0 at Goodison Park, despite the visitors only having one effort on target (the other was an own goal).

Both sides were in League Cup action in midweek and both overcame potential banana skins with something to spare.

The Toffees scored twice in the first 10 minutes to see off Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Meanwhile, holders City were also victorious at a Championship club as the much-changed Citizens scored three at Preston without reply.

A number of the ‘big guns’ for both sides were rested for those clashes and I expect them to be back for this one with Premier points up for grabs.

Fabian Delph and Everton look to produce a Premier League upset against the defending champions — Fabian Delph in action during Everton’s Carabao Cup clash against Lincoln City

It’s a quick reunion with former team-mates for Fabian Delph who will no doubt be keen to make his mark and do the ‘dirty work’ to allow more attack-minded players such as Gylfi Sigurdsson and Richarlison to shine.

Before the action begins, the Toffees will unveil a fan-funded anti-racism banner in support of Moise Kean.

The new signing suffered racist abuse in Italy while playing for Juventus and following his summer move to Everton, supporters decided to show their support.

Can he repay that backing with a match-winning performance against City?

Everton have been inconsistent under manager Marco Silva but on their day can trouble any opponent.

In this fixture last season, many home fans were in a ‘catch-22’ situation, wanting their team to win but also not wanting City to drop points to help arch rivals Liverpool in the title race.

With the new campaign only seven weeks in, it’s unlikely the home fans will be quite as welcoming this time around.

History

Traditionally, this fixture has been evenly matched but there’s no doubt City have had the upper hand in recent seasons.

In fact, City have won three and drawn the other of their last four meetings, ever since the Toffees gave Pep Guardiola’s men a bloodied nose in early 2017 in a 4-0 romp.

Everton always give City a battle though.

In this fixture last February, goals on the stroke of half-time and full-time from Aymeric Laporte and Gabriel Jesus sealed a 2-0 win.

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They had met less than two months earlier at the Etihad Stadium when City ran out 3-1 winners, courtesy of two from Jesus and one from Raheem Sterling.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin replied for Everton.

Overall City have 71 successes to Everton’s 68 with a further 47 draws.