Just because we have the most expensively assembled squad of all time, doesn't mean we don't have team spirit.
Like most clubs these lads will socialise, play practical jokes, get to know each other and their families more so than many other "well bonded" clubs.
So Leon "City can't buy our team spirit" Osman, kiss my arse.
From Saturdays Mirror
===================================
For all their money. For all their star signings and glamour. Manchester City know they can never buy what Everton have.
The Goodison Park side are City's bogey team, the side that has the indian sign on them, because of a team spirit and a will to win, that has been built not purchased.
If anyone typifies the Everton spirit, it is Leon Osman - a homegrown talent who overcame career-threatening injury to forge a career at the top level that defies the modern trend of buying in talent from abroad.
City announced this week that they are spending a staggering £100million-plus on a new academy to try to replicate Everton's success in finding and developing the likes of Osman, Wayne Rooney, Jack Rodwell and Ross Barkley.
But according to Osman, the development of youth is not about money. It's about philosophy, and the desire to nurture players.
"You can have the best facilities in the world but if you are not going to give the time to embed the players then they are never going to come through," he explained.
"The facilities will help only so much. It is about a philosophy and the amount of time the manager is going to give young players. Any younger player who is trying to break into a first team has a lot better chance of doing it at Everton than at Manchester City.
"The youth development plan is really big at our club - to develop players and give them time. The manager feels they will be brought in at the right time, and over a period of time, and that definitely benefits you. That is how you get players in your first-team long term."
For Osman, that ability to introduce players gradually into the culture of the club is what underpins the incredible spirit and togetherness at Everton.
It is something City boss Roberto Mancini has often commented on - and admitted he is jealous of - and the Goodison winger believes it could be a factor again when the two teams meet in Saturday's lunchtime game.
"I am sure there are aspects of Everton [that] City could draw from," he said. "Our team spirit, the way the club is run, getting steadily better long term. All these things are good, from our point of view.
"Maybe it is just belief. Every time we have gone into a game against City, we have believed we can win and that has proved to be the case in recent years. Maybe other teams have gone there hoping for a result rather than believing they will get one.
"We face City believing we will get a result and it has gone for us, and they have become worried about that."
Osman, of course, accepts that City's massive spending power gives them the edge when it comes to pursuit of trophies, but even there he believes it has given Everton a powerful incentive when the two teams meet.
The manner in which Mancini's club snatched Joleon Lescott from Goodison has left a sour taste for the Merseysiders, and Osman admits the Everton players use that to their advantage.
"I think, possibly, the Lescott transfer has inflamed the rivalry. I have certainly noticed the edge between the two teams since he went there," he explained.
"As players, we don't get sucked into that type of thing. We look at ourselves and look at the opposition and how we are going to go about beating them.
"But I can certainly see the rivalry intensifying off the pitch with the fans, and every bit of edge the fans pick up gets transferred onto the pitch, and it does help in that way. The atmosphere becoming electric and that helps us.
"The massive intake of money and the players they are able to go out and buy is of massive benefit to them, but we just have to keep ticking along and show hopefully a team will always beat a team of individuals."
Osman will return to the starting line-up, along with Tim Cahill, whose scoring record against City in recent seasons has been enough to intimidate the Eastlands club.
Like most clubs these lads will socialise, play practical jokes, get to know each other and their families more so than many other "well bonded" clubs.
So Leon "City can't buy our team spirit" Osman, kiss my arse.
From Saturdays Mirror
===================================
For all their money. For all their star signings and glamour. Manchester City know they can never buy what Everton have.
The Goodison Park side are City's bogey team, the side that has the indian sign on them, because of a team spirit and a will to win, that has been built not purchased.
If anyone typifies the Everton spirit, it is Leon Osman - a homegrown talent who overcame career-threatening injury to forge a career at the top level that defies the modern trend of buying in talent from abroad.
City announced this week that they are spending a staggering £100million-plus on a new academy to try to replicate Everton's success in finding and developing the likes of Osman, Wayne Rooney, Jack Rodwell and Ross Barkley.
But according to Osman, the development of youth is not about money. It's about philosophy, and the desire to nurture players.
"You can have the best facilities in the world but if you are not going to give the time to embed the players then they are never going to come through," he explained.
"The facilities will help only so much. It is about a philosophy and the amount of time the manager is going to give young players. Any younger player who is trying to break into a first team has a lot better chance of doing it at Everton than at Manchester City.
"The youth development plan is really big at our club - to develop players and give them time. The manager feels they will be brought in at the right time, and over a period of time, and that definitely benefits you. That is how you get players in your first-team long term."
For Osman, that ability to introduce players gradually into the culture of the club is what underpins the incredible spirit and togetherness at Everton.
It is something City boss Roberto Mancini has often commented on - and admitted he is jealous of - and the Goodison winger believes it could be a factor again when the two teams meet in Saturday's lunchtime game.
"I am sure there are aspects of Everton [that] City could draw from," he said. "Our team spirit, the way the club is run, getting steadily better long term. All these things are good, from our point of view.
"Maybe it is just belief. Every time we have gone into a game against City, we have believed we can win and that has proved to be the case in recent years. Maybe other teams have gone there hoping for a result rather than believing they will get one.
"We face City believing we will get a result and it has gone for us, and they have become worried about that."
Osman, of course, accepts that City's massive spending power gives them the edge when it comes to pursuit of trophies, but even there he believes it has given Everton a powerful incentive when the two teams meet.
The manner in which Mancini's club snatched Joleon Lescott from Goodison has left a sour taste for the Merseysiders, and Osman admits the Everton players use that to their advantage.
"I think, possibly, the Lescott transfer has inflamed the rivalry. I have certainly noticed the edge between the two teams since he went there," he explained.
"As players, we don't get sucked into that type of thing. We look at ourselves and look at the opposition and how we are going to go about beating them.
"But I can certainly see the rivalry intensifying off the pitch with the fans, and every bit of edge the fans pick up gets transferred onto the pitch, and it does help in that way. The atmosphere becoming electric and that helps us.
"The massive intake of money and the players they are able to go out and buy is of massive benefit to them, but we just have to keep ticking along and show hopefully a team will always beat a team of individuals."
Osman will return to the starting line-up, along with Tim Cahill, whose scoring record against City in recent seasons has been enough to intimidate the Eastlands club.