Croatia
Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Man Cityvs.Everton

sportsmole.co.uk, yesterday at 16:03
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola could reinstate Kevin De Bruyne to the starting lineup when they face Everton at the Etihad on Boxing Day.

De Bruyne was an unused sub in their 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the Premier League last weekend, extending their run of form to just one win in 12.

After another toothless performance though, more personnel changes could be in store, including out wide, where Jeremy Doku and Savinho may come into the side to add some direct pace in the face of a stubborn Everton rearguard.

They will all look to provide opportunities for Erling Haaland, who has now scored just once in six games, and been overtaken by Mohamed Salah at the top of the goalscoring charts, but he did score both goals in this fixture last season.

Phil Foden netted his first Premier League goal of the season late on against Villa, in what has been a bizarre drop off from one of the division's best players, but he will hope to build on that with another fine performance here.

Most of City's injury concerns come in defence, despite being able to welcome Nathan Ake back to the matchday squad last week.

Former Everton man John Stones looks set to miss out facing his previous employers after he was forced off at half time with discomfort in his foot, while Ruben Dias is also set for a few weeks out with a muscle issue.

Goalkeeper Ederson was also not a part of the squad at Villa due to illness, but his drop off in form means Stefan Ortega could well be the number one going forward anyway.

Further forward, Matheus Nunes is a doubt with a knock, while Oscar Bobb and Rodri remain on the treatment table long term.

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Ortega; Walker, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; De Bruyne, Kovacic; Savinho, Foden, Doku; Haaland

Written by

Andrew Delaney

Top News

25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler is close to welcoming back many first-team players ahead of the visit of Brentford to the Amex on Friday. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Brentford to the Amex in one of two games being played after Boxing Day in the Premier League. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham will attempt a 45-year winless run when they face West London neighbours Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Erling Haaland is preparing to leave Manchester City in the summer, with the Norwegian expressing dissatisfaction behind the scenes, according to reports. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The final match on a jam-packed Boxing Day in the Scottish Premiership will come from the SMISA Stadium in Paisley, where St Mirren will be playing host to Rangers. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming for a fourth consecutive League One victory at the New York Stadium, Rotherham United welcome Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day, keen to secure maximum points in gameweek 22. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid forward Rodrygo reportedly down a lucrative offer from Manchester City in the summer to stay in Spain. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Boxing Day brings us a bottom-half clash in the Scottish Premiership with Dundee set to take on a struggling Ross County at The Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In a promotion 'six-pointer', Huddersfield Town are set to host Stockport County at John Smith's Stadium on Boxing Day in League One. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are supposedly likely to have the chance to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani on loan in January after Bukayo Saka's injury. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two places separate Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership table heading into gameweek 19's Boxing Day derby at Tynecastle Park. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A stuttering Aberdeen will be hoping for some post-Christmas cheer when they travel to the BBSP Stadium Rugby Park to face Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Thursday. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk As families up and down the country tuck into their turkey leftovers, 20 Premier League teams will be putting on a festive spectacle across December 26 and 27, including eight intriguing Boxing Day battles. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United will reportedly set an asking price of £40m for Marcus Rashford in the upcoming January transfer window. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Embattled St Johnstone will be aiming to end a four-match winless run as they welcome Dundee United to McDiarmid Park for a Boxing Day clash in the Scottish Premiership. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Crystal Palace are prepared to welcome Eberechi Eze back to their matchday squad for the Premier League trip to Bournemouth on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Queens Park Rangers will head to South Wales for a Championship encounter against Swansea City on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The "resurrected" Gabriel Jesus should be Arsenal's first-choice centre-forward over the festive period after his pair of attacking masterclasses against Crystal Palace, according to Gunners expert Charles Watts. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arguably the pick of the Boxing Day fixtures in the Scottish Premiership will see league leaders Celtic taking on fourth-placed Motherwell at Celtic Park. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham manager Marco Silva is facing an injury crisis in midfield ahead of their trip to West London rivals Chelsea in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Noni Madueke will be hopeful of a start when Chelsea welcome West London neighbours Fulham to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bournemouth are set to be without the services of both Alex Scott and Julian Araujo for the visit of Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea and Fulham lock horns in a West London derby at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool could reportedly look to sign Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez in the January transfer window as an alternative to Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to extend their winning run in the top flight to six matches, Bournemouth will welcome a struggling Crystal Palace side to the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich are reportedly among several European giants interested in signing Borussia Dortmund youngster Jamie Bynoe-Gittens. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk New Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Vitor Pereira will be reluctant to make many changes from the team that thrashed Leicester City when they welcome Manchester United to Molineux on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Despite recent comments from manager Ruben Amorim, there is little to suggest that Manchester United's Marcus Rashford will be involved in the squad that will face Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United look to make amends for a woeful performance last time out when they go to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day in the Premier League. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur are considering a January move for former Everton defender Ben Godfrey to bolster their defence, according to a report.