High-scoring win at the end of the year for Haaland and Co.
Erling Haaland remains unchallenged in first place in the goalscoring charts. No wonder, because in the 14 Premier League games in which the Norwegian was on the pitch, he scored an outstanding 20 goals. On Wednesday evening, the ex-Dortmund player scored his sixth brace of the season in the away game against Leeds United. At home, the force of nature on two legs scores even more regularly than away from home.
This alone is enough to tip the scales in favour of the Sky Blues ahead of the league match between Manchester City and Everton. Nevertheless, the impressive goal quota of the blond giant is by no means the only argument that makes the pendulum swing clearly in the direction of Guardiola’s eleven on Saturday afternoon. The fact that there are a whopping 21 points and 15 places between these clubs in the standings also speaks volumes.
The Toffees, however, will want to take an example from Brentford at best. The underdogs caught the Citizens completely on the wrong foot before the World Cup break and celebrated a sensational 2-1 away win at the Etihad Stadium.
It ended a previous 11-match home winning streak for the reigning title holders, who would have no objection to starting a new positive run with the encounter against the Lampard team. Admittedly, the only prediction between Manchester City and Everton that really makes sense is a commanding home win.
Manchester City – Statistics & current form
Manchester City must continue to settle for the unfamiliar role of the chaser ahead of the last competitive game in the 2022 calendar year. The Himmelblauen are still five points behind the very stable Arsenal Football Club after matchday 16 in the Premier League. Coach Pep Guardiola’s team can therefore do no more than do their own homework and hope for slips by the Londoners.
The next opportunity to add to their own points tally comes on Saturday afternoon. Manchester City will meet Everton at home. According to the odds, a home win should be a mere formality. At the top, only 1.13 is offered on the favourites’ three-goal win for the defending champions. And for good reason, because with 21 points from eight home games and an outstanding goal difference of +21, the Citizens continue to be the best home team in the Premier League.
City 22/23 already with some thumping wins in front of their own fans
In the eight aforementioned matches in front of their home crowd, the Sky Blues have already scored 30 goals, an average of almost four goals per encounter. Four of the seven home victories have come by at least a three-goal difference. For the upcoming clash against the Toffees, we wouldn’t rule out a clear home victory with three or more goals difference.
Especially considering that the Citizens have only lost their last competitive match of the year once in the past 21 seasons (eleven wins, nine draws). Moreover, Man City are now unbeaten in eleven league home games against their upcoming opponents. Here’s to a Premier League treble on the 31st
We believe that this curse can finally be broken this weekend and Erling Haaland will once again play a starring role. The Norwegian has already scored 17 goals in eleven home games for the runners-up in the current campaign. He has already scored six doubles. Those who again believe in at least two goals from the exceptional striker can get attractive odds for such a bet between Manchester City and Everton. At Be365, the odds are currently 2.60.
Predicted Manchester City line-up:
Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo; De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo Silva; Mahrez, Haaland, Foden
Last matches played by Manchester City:
Premier League
29/12/2022 – Leeds 1 – 3 Manchester City
Carabao Cup
23/12/2022 – Manchester City 3 – 2 Liverpool FC
Club friendlies
17/12/2022 – Manchester City 2 – 0 Girona
Premier League
12/11/2022 – Manchester City 1 – 2 Brentford
Carabao Cup
10/11/2022 – Manchester City 2 – 0 Chelsea FC
Everton – Statistics & current form
Everton Football Club actually had their sights set on a lot of things after last season’s messed-up campaign, which ended with them just managing to stay in 17th place. However, after another 16 match days, the interim result for the Toffees is once again disastrous. The record of Frank Lampard, who will/could celebrate his one-year anniversary at Liverpool at the end of January, also reads anything but good. Presumably any other coach with a worse (player) reputation would have already been relieved of his duties.
There is simply no improvement in sight. As in the previous season, nothing is going right, especially offensively. The twelve goals scored mean third-last place in a league comparison, even though the potential within the team is actually much greater. In no less than five of the last seven Premier League matches, Liverpool failed to score a goal of their own. Therefore, it is also conceivable to bet on a home victory including a clean sheet.
Everton’s away woes take record levels
Generally, we don’t trust the 17th in the table to spring a surprise at the Etihad Stadium. Of course, that also has to do with the disastrous away record in the 2022 calendar year. No other first division team lost more often away from home than the Toffees in the year that is drawing to a close. In total, there were twelve defeats. Only in 1999 did Everton suffer more defeats at their opponents’ stadiums.
Recent impressions do not inspire much hope, for while Lampard’s team at least managed to keep things tight defensively in the first 13 matchdays, conceding only 12 goals, they have conceded a whopping seven goals in the last three matches.
The dress rehearsal for this bonus match at the Etihad was also lost 2-1 in the last second against Wolverhampton. Everything speaks against the relegation candidates, so that we leave the odds on a surprise coup between Manchester City and Everton completely off the table. The fact that the Blues have not lost any of their last six Premier League matches on 31 December does nothing to change this.
Predicted Everton line-up:
Pickford; Patterson, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Onana, Gueye, Iwobi; Gordon, Maupay, Gray
Last matches played by Everton:
Premier League
26/12/2022 – Everton 1 – 2 Wolverhampton
Club friendlies
23/11/2022 – Everton 5 – 1 Western Sydney Wanderers FC
20/11/2022 – Everton (4)0 – 0(2) Celtic Glasgow
Premier League
12/11/2022 – Bournemouth 3 – 0 Everton
Carabao Cup
09/11/2022 – Bournemouth 4 – 1 Everton
Manchester City – Everton Direct comparison / H2H record
There is no doubt that these clubs are an evergreen in the English top flight. The clubs have played 179 matches in the highest division in the motherland of football. Due to their successful history, the Toffees can almost keep pace with City (72) in terms of victories (62).
A look at recent results is much clearer, as Everton have lost all of their last nine Premier League matches against the Citizens. Liverpool have failed to take three points at the Etihad Stadium in any of their last 11 away games. The Sky Blues’ most recent two home games have ended 3-0 and 5-0 against the Toffees, and we fancy a similar result on Saturday.
Manchester City – Everton Tip
Everton Football Club have not necessarily emerged as favourites for reigning champions in the past. The Toffees have only won four of their 30 away games with the title holders. It seems almost impossible that number five will be added to the list. The one-sided Manchester City vs. Everton betting odds on the three-way market prove the same.
We, too, have no doubts that Guardiola’s team will prevail at home against the relegation candidates with their poor form. In our opinion, the Sky Blues’ success could even be significant. Not least because Everton have conceded seven goals in their last three PL games, lost nine in a row in league action against the long-time industry leaders and lost more times away from home in 2022 than any other English Premier League side.
We therefore try to bet on Manchester City vs. Everton with the Citizens winning the match by at least three goals. For the handicap bet (-2), a 1.95 is offered, which we will play with six units.
Alternatively, you can bet on Erling Haaland to score at least twice again or on the second-placed team in the table to make things clear in the first half. For a half-time lead of two goals or more, there is a 2.65, which can be considered exciting as City have already been ahead by 2+ goals after 45 minutes six times this season
