Manchester City will look to close the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea when they host Everton this weekend.
Manager Pep Guardiola’s side leapfrogged Liverpool into second place behind the Blues following a 2-0 away to rivals United before the international break.
The Spaniard is yet to face Rafael Benitez since he became Everton boss but he does boast a dominant record over his compatriot.
Guardiola has won three of the four games he has faced the former Newcastle chief and will be keen to add to avoid any slip-ups.
The Premier League clash will take place on Sunday, November 21.
The match at the Etihad will kick off at 2pm.
City thumped Everton 5-0 during this fixture on the final game of last season which was Sergio Aguero’s final appearance for the club.
Man City v Everton: Team news
Bernardo Silva’s fitness is the key topic for the home side having admitted he played through the pain barrier on international duty with Portugal.
The 27-year-old could potentially miss out against Everton alongside Ferran Torres, who is still recovering from a foot problem.
The away side meanwhile have been plagued by injuries recently with Tom Davies the latest to suffer a knee problem during training.
Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are still in the treatment room dealing with ankle and thigh issues.
Mason Holgate is also suspended after picking up a red card against Tottenham but Yerry Mina is in contention to return.
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Man City v Everton: Match facts
- Manchester City have won their last seven Premier League matches against Everton, scoring 21 times and conceding only five.
- Everton have only lost eight or more consecutive Premier League matches against an opponent once previously, losing nine in a row against Manchester United between December 1999 and February 2004.
- Among teams who have never won the Premier League title themselves, Everton have won more Premier League matches against the reigning champions than anyone else (14). They also won their last such match, winning 2-0 at rivals Liverpool in February last season.
- Manchester City have lost four Premier League home games in 2021, including a 2-0 loss last time out against Crystal Palace. This is just one fewer home league defeats than they suffered in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 combined (5), while they last lost more in a calendar year at the Etihad in 2010 (5).
- Everton are winless in their last five Premier League games (D2 L3), with the Toffees last having a longer run without a win in the competition in January 2018 under Sam Allardyce (6).
- Manchester City (221) have had more sequences of 10+ passes than any other side in the Premier League this season, while only Newcastle (175) have had more such sequences against them than Everton (156).
- Only Crystal Palace (2) and Aston Villa (3) have scored fewer first-half goals than Everton (4) in the Premier League this season, with 75% of the Toffees’ total goals coming after half-time (12/16). Meanwhile, no side has shipped fewer goals in the opening 45 minutes than Manchester City (1 – which came against Crystal Palace).
- Man City striker Gabriel Jesus has scored eight goals in eight Premier League appearances against Everton, more than he has against any other club, with the Brazilian averaging a goal every 69 minutes against the Toffees.
- Manchester City players dominate ball carrying so far in the Premier League this season, with the top four players for most carries all playing for the Citizens – Rúben Dias (243), João Cancelo (208), Bernardo Silva (207) and Jack Grealish (199). Meanwhile, Everton’s Demarai Gray has had the most shots following a carry this season (16).
- João Cancelo has been involved in seven goals in 17 games in all competitions for Manchester City this season (2 goals, 5 assists), just one fewer than he was in 43 appearances last term (3 goals, 5 assists).
