That’s what we’re facing tonight (as late as flippin’ 8:15pm GMT 😡)…plus a side who, like so many other teams, may raise their game even more when-facing the three-times-in-a-row Champions of England…and now Champions of the World too.
This game will test that character in more ways than one…
v Everton – ‘Game-number 1’ in the first chapter of our new book…
Goodison Park - perhaps our last ever visit?
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game which, for me blog wise, was our home fixture against Crystal Palace: 10/11).
With no pre-match press conference ahead of this fixture, there’s a little more guess work than usual about who may and may not be available…
A very fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-2-3-1:
____________________Alvarez____________________
Grealish___________________________________Silva
_____________________________Foden____________
___________Kovacic_____________________________
_____________________Rodri_____________________
Ake______________________________________Walker
_____________Dias_____________Stones___________
____________________Ederson____________________
Subs: Carson, Ortega, Gomez, Lewis, Akanji, Gvardiol, Phillips, Nunes & Bobb.
Ederson continues in goal.
With the exception of Nathan Ake, I think there have been some fluctuating / inconsistent performances from most of our defenders in recent weeks, so there could well be a lot going on in our manager’s head when he considers his personnel for this department. My best supposition is that we’ll see Nathan, Ruben, John & Kyle in the starting 11.
There was a collective intake of breath from City fans all around the world when Rodders was crunched into 5-days ago which, if rumours are to be believed, was SO strong that it affected all four of Earth’s main jet streams! The player himself said that shortly after the heavy challenge towards the end of the Club World Cup final, he almost cried. He clearly felt he’d received some damage to his knee. Thankfully, a scare was all that it was and although there must have been some knee-joint pain, it sounds like our Spanish defensive midfielder will be okay to start tonight. 🤞
Ahead of the 27-year-old, I’m going for Jack, Mateo, Phil & Bernardo.
Julian continues to be our furthest forward player.
Unless more of our outfield players are fit to be part of the match-day squad, I think we’ll see two keepers on the bench in the form of Scott & Stefan and four defenders in the form of Sergio, Rico, Manuel & Josko. Kalvin, Matheus & Oscar make up ‘the 9’ as two midfielders and a winger / forward.
I wonder if this will be the penultimate occasion that we’ll see both Sergio Gomez & Kalvin Phillips “involved” in the match-day squad?
Rumours are increasing, of course as we’re only days away from the start of the January transfer window, that both are ‘wanted men’. Zack Steffen too, who had knee surgery several months ago, is another player who could be heading for the exit door.
Notable absences:
- Kevin De Bruyne – Back in training with his teammates to continue his progression towards his long-awaited comeback from a bad hamstring injury; for which he had surgery for. Not expected to be ready to be part of a match-day squad just yet.
- Jeremy Doku – Back in training following his knock / muscular issue and he could make the bench.
- Erling Haaland – Has been out with a stressed bone in his foot, for which he has seen a specialist. Other than that; for Erling, read Jeremy.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Result? I’ve used the word resurgence to describe Everton in recent weeks and I believe that’s definitely the case. I did write those words the following day after their 0-2 away win at Burnley way back on Saturday 16th December and, since then, they’ve not won their last 2 fixtures.
However, they did hold Fulham to a 1-1 draw at home in the Quarter Final of the League Cup and only lost the match 6-7 on penalties. I then listened to some of their away match at Spurs last Saturday and even though they lost 2-1, it was a very bullish display by The Toffees who had more shots and ‘shots on target’ than the home side too.
They are a very much changed side to the one that was struggling at the start of the season and since their 10-point deduction for financial breaches, they’ve accumulated an impressive 12-points from a possible 18.
They have, as I say, not won their last 2 games and that could send their players one way or another. I’m sure they’ll want to get back on track to the time when they’d turned their fortunes around and we could be facing a very front-footed, aggressive home side. On the other hand, when you’re ‘down there’ and things don’t quite go your way, doubt can sometimes start to creep into your game.
As for us, yes we’re the current club Champions of the World and we’ve picked up 5 (FIVE!) major trophies in one calendar year…but our current league form in our last 10 matches looks like this: L W W W D D D L W D.
Some of those games where we’ve failed to collect all-3 points we’ve not played too badly but we have, instead, largely gifted the opposition points with sloppy play and dodgy defending. In those same 10 games, we’ve shipped in 15 goals and only kept 1 clean sheet.
Things definitely have to change with regards to that and what better time to start it than with ‘Game-number 1’ in the first chapter of our new book.
Mindset, focus, determination. If we get that right tonight then we should win this one but having had a bruising encounter in Saudi Arabia last Friday night, this one too could come with a few robust challenges.
Will we continue the ‘Christmas spirit’ and gift our hosts a goal? I think that’s highly likely, yes. So it’s up to the more-advanced personnel to nullify that with 2 or 3 of our own.
This one will be a test in more ways than one but I’m going for us to come out of it victorious. City to make it 8-straight Goodison Park wins in all competitions.
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result:
Prediction: Win
Result: Won…largely thanks to a masterclass performance from a certain Ilkay Gundogan; who got 2 goals and an assist in a 0-3 win that day.
(Pre-match blog posting from that game)
Solidarity
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