Everton vs Manchester City
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City make the short trip to Everton on Monday as they continue their Premier League title push against David Moyes’ Toffees.
It will be the Sky Blues’ first visit to Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, and it couldn’t come at a more crucial time in the title race with four rounds to play. Well, five for the Sky Blues, who are currently just three points off the summit with that game in hand.
League leaders Arsenal can transfer some of the pressure back to Manchester City when they host Fulham on Saturday. But anything other than a home win will move the Premier League 2026 betting odds ever closer to the Etihad Stadium.
Everton is never an easy place to visit. And in Moyes, they have a hugely experienced and gifted manager, strangely cast aside by West Ham United in 2024 and back at the club where he made his name during 11 successful campaigns between 2002 and 2011.
The Toffees have been a strong side this season, in the image of their manager, and are still in the hunt for European places. Despite a recent lull in results, Everton are 11th and just three points behind Brighton in sixth and one behind eighth placed Chelsea. They had a setback last week, but the hosts are set to welcome back a player who they hope can hurt the Sky Blues.
Talking Points
Beto back for Everton
The Toffees’ visit to West Ham United last week on Moyes’ birthday was anything but a happy return for the Scottish coach, as his former team fell to a 2-1 defeat to the relegation-battling Hammers. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, though he’d saved a point for Everton with his late strike, but an injury-time goal from Callum Wilson consigned Moyes’ men to back-to-back defeats after they lost the Mersey derby a week earlier, that time falling to a Virgil van Dijk goal, 10 minutes into injury time.
The Premier League 2026 news announced by the club this week, which will put a smile on the fans’ faces is that Portuguese striker Beto has recovered from his concussion that kept him out of the loss to West Ham. He scored Everton’s goal against Liverpool to make it eight for the campaign, and his manager has heaped praise on the 28-year-old, who has scored 19 goals in 93 matches for Everton, seven since the turn of the year and four in his last three outings.
A big and bustling striker Beto has not always been a popular pick, but Moyes says his attitude in on the pitch and in training has been outstanding. And at 6’4”, he will give the City defence plenty to think about.
Of course, the Toffees will play much of this match on the back foot, and much depends on the form of keeper Jordan Pickford and commanding centre-back James Tarkowski, who will have to keep an eye on the biggest goal threat in the league, Erling Haaland.
Manchester City sweating on Rodri
In my SBOTOP piece on the title run-in, I kept to my long-held belief that Manchester City would edge the title race as they gather momentum in the run-in. The goals of Haaland and the trickery of the excellent Rayan Cherki have given the best defences in England recurring nightmares, but one of the Sky Blues’ most important players has missed the last two games, wins over Burnley and Southampton in the FA Cup.
Defensive midfielder Rodri picked up a groin strain late in the win over Arsenal three weeks ago, and while the prognosis is good, he is in a race against time to play in City’s first league game in 21 days. Asked whether he was confident that Rodri would be ready to play on Monday, Guardiola simply said, “I am always confident.”
Nico O’Reilly is a versatile and ever-improving star who can operate in the number six role. And if Rodri is fit, Guardiola’s hand will be strengthened throughout the team.
History
Manchester City have won 26 to Everton’s 17, and there have been 12 draws in previous encounters, while on Merseyside the tally stands at 11 wins each and six draws.
But the Toffees are without a win over City in 18 attempts, dating back to 2017 when Ronald Koeman’s Everton won 4-0, with goals from Romelu Lukaku and Ademola Lookman, now playing for Napoli and Atletico Madrid.
Everton’s European push has stuttered in recent weeks with a return of two wins, one draw, and three defeats in the league, while Manchester City have won their last six outings in all competitions.
Betting Tip
Manchester City are the red-hot favourites to win this clash at SBOTOP odds of 1.42, while the Toffees are at 6.55, and the draw is at 4.75. I like Moyes, and his team is honest and always gives its best, but I don’t think it will have enough to hold back the Sky Blue wave.
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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