Premier League Stats
There is not much to split the two teams in the Premier League era. The Head-to-Head record below shows that. Out of the 46 times we have played them ... we have won 19 to their 18. 12 of our wins have come at home vs their 11 while both have won away on 7 occasions each. And there have been 9 draws between the two. Worth highlighting is what the Recent Meetings record show (and that is what has helped us reach that overall parity) ... We have won all of the last five league meetings with them and three of those were away.
Although we're in the second half of the season with reverse fixtures now being played ... this is our first meeting with them this season. It's one of our games in hand and playing twice this gameweek gives us a chance to increase that gap at the top. Season So Far stats below don't include their game this weekend as they don't play till tomorrow night (against Fulham) and their recent form has been a little up and down recently (see Form Guide below) but they still remain a firm contender for that top-four race and could very well upset their red neighbours this season.
In the Cup or the League?
That hypothetical question arises again after we have drawn them (away) in the FA Cup quarter final this week ... if you had to chose one win out of the two games against them, which would it be? I'd take a win in the FA Cup over this league meeting ... just like I chose in our last game against Tottenham and for the same reason ... our league position is solid and the cup win gives us another chance towards claiming more silverware. Win that quarter final and we're just two games at Wembley away from another trophy. Plus of course them winning this game keeps them firmly on the coattails of their red neighbours or might even let them overtake them and adds pressure on the Champions League spots.
But just like the last game, that is only a hypothetical question and I'd rather win both. It's nice (yet again) to go into a big game with no pressure ... actually I'm not even sure if it is a big game for us anymore ... they used to be a bogey team for us over the years but that has firmly changed and the stats above especially the recent meetings record shows just that. We always seem to win against them these days, be it at home or away. Even when we have gone there under pressure in recent years, we've always come out on top.
At least on paper and as recent stats/form suggest this should be a nice and easy game for us. But then games are not won or lost on paper and while the stats might be in our favour and no crowd this time might help us a little, Ancelotti (a serial winner and a shrewd tactician) on their side would even out whatever little advantage we might think we have over them.
Full Disclosure Required
When this game was rescheduled I read a comment by @PannickAtTheDisco in the "TV Fixtures -2020/21" thread that read "brill...of course the PL and Everton saw no advantage to stick it in there..." referring to this being put right in the middle of an already tough run of games for us ... @chesterbells readily agreed at the time and frankly so did I ... but now that I look at the schedules of both teams side by side for this week, this actually falls a little kind(er) for us than it does for them. It is a tough game for them against the in-form league leaders anyway but now comes right before their local derby (which this season actually means much more for them - a chance to finish above Liverpool for a change) and also because they have a day less on each side of this fixture than us ...
These are their (and our) games around this tie:
Everton
Sun 14 - 7:00pm - Fulham (H) - PL
Wed 17 - 8:15pm - City (H) - PL
Sat 20 - 5:30pm - Liverpool (A) - PL
Manchester City
Sat 13 - 5:30pm - Spurs (H) - PL
Wed 17 - 8:15pm - Everton (A) - PL
Sun 21 - 4:30pm - Arsenal (A) - PL
For us, this is the first of another three-in-a-row away fixtures after a rare home game that preceded yet another three-in-a-row away games. But looking at this one on its own, I think the three clear days on either side of this for us versus them getting only two days each side is certainly a small advantage that we'd welcome in terms of scheduling.
Ssshhhh ... don't highlight this too much or they'll be running back and asking for yet another "full disclosure" from the Premier League.
Pre-Match Thoughts
(Post-Match for them actually)
Carlo Ancelotti had said after their two-hour FA Cup game against Spurs (which they eventually won 5-4 - and drew us in the next round) that his players weren't in the best of shape. Sorting my FPL team earlier today I saw all the little red and orange triangles their players were marked with so they would have some injuries going into next week while some might be rested against Fulham tomorrow and those might be ready for our game on Wednesday.
As it stands it is very hard to predict who will be available for them and who won't especially when they still have one more game to play before us. Calvert-Lewin and Pope (both first choice and probably first two names on their team-sheet) are definitely out as of now, and so is 'our' Delhpy ... but all three are marked to return on 17th Feb (the date of our fixture) so I guess we'll know closer to our game as they'd surely be rested for their game tomorrow ... Then there's James Rodriguez and Andre Gomes who have just returned from injuries recently so them two might not play two games in a row (or three as it stands: Fulham-City-Liverpool) ... Carlo would have a lot to think about this week and I think he would rest quite a few against us whoever he thinks he needs against Liverpool next.
With Liverpool losing to Leicester earlier today, the table looks very favourable to Everton right now who have three games in hand on their local bitter rivals and just three points in between. I won't be surprised if they treat our game lightly (or perhaps a write-off) and focus completely on the next weekend's clash. I am not suggesting that the XI they put out won't give us a hard game, but that XI might not include some of their first choice players given the injuries and niggles they have recently had across the squad - and the prize awaiting them ahead.
Without going into too many scenarios, if they (Everton) win against Fulham tomorrow and lose to us, they'd still go into the Merseyside derby equal on points and still a game in hand over Liverpool. Thus my guess that whoever isn't fully fit or is tired, they won't be risking them against us and would rather give them a few more days to recover and be ready for where "this means more".
The other side of the coin is us where Pep's one-game-at-a-time mantra will go on ... expecting a fully focused and professional display from us ... and onwards and upwards we march on!
Match Prediction
No longer can I predict a score-line where we're not keeping a clean sheet ...
Everton 0 - 3 Manchester City
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