Key Facts
- Manchester City arrives on the back of five consecutive competitive wins, ramping up the pressure on their rivals with victories such as a 2-1 win over Arsenal and a 3-0 win at Chelsea.
- Everton is missing two starters—center back Jarrad Branthwaite and forward Beto—which significantly weakens their defensive and offensive options.
- Head-to-head: In four of the last five meetings, the score was tied at halftime, with City winning the second half in each case; Everton has not won a second half in this series.
- Everton has scored in four of their last five league games and in four consecutive home matches, so scoring against City seems realistic—especially since Rúben Dias is out for City.
- Three of Everton’s last five games were decided by a single goal, and City’s most recent wins were also narrow; this suggests a close away victory rather than a clear demonstration of dominance.
Wayne Rooney’s assessment that Man City could still stumble in the season’s final stretch adds a special edge to Monday’s Premier League clash at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s team must respond after Arsenal extended their lead to six points, while David Moyes’ Everton looks to halt a run of three losses in five league games. Man City won the first leg 2-0 in October 2025 and travels to Merseyside on the back of five straight wins. But the more interesting question is how this matchup might unfold: Everything points to an away win, though Everton certainly has the ability to score, especially in front of their home crowd, and stay within striking distance for a long time. Man City should be on top of their game, Everton ready to fight, and the match should open up after the break.
- Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool
- Date and time: May 4, 2026, 9:00 PM
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 35)
The market makes Man City the clear favorite, and the reasons are obvious: five straight wins, a 2-0 victory in the first leg, plus Everton is without Jarrad Branthwaite and Beto. Still, a narrow away win might be the more interesting angle. Everton has scored in four of their last five matches and in four consecutive home games, while City will have to do without Rúben Dias.
Everton Form & Head-to-Head Check
Everton is coming off a 2-1 loss at West Ham.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s late goal only partially mitigated a match in which the Toffees were chasing the game for too long. This is a pattern in their recent form: three of their last five league games have been lost, even if the margins were mostly narrow, and the 3-0 win against Chelsea shows what this team is capable of. What gives Moyes hope is the attacking play: Everton has scored in four of their last five matches and in four consecutive home league games, particularly coming alive after halftime. However, the absence of Jarrad Branthwaite noticeably weakens the defense, while the absences of Beto and Jack Grealish limit options in attack. Trailing Fulham by one point and level with Sunderland, there is still plenty to fight for.
This looks like a likely 4-2-3-1 formation from David Moyes; no confirmed Everton team sheet. Jordan Pickford – 1 is expected to start behind a back four of Jake O’Brien – 15, James Tarkowski – 6, Michael Keane – 5, and Vitaliy Mykolenko – 16, with Idrissa Gueye – 27 and James Garner – 37 likely to provide stability to the system. Further up the field, Dwight McNeil – 7, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 22, and Iliman Ndiaye – 10 are expected to form the midfield trio behind Thierno Barry – 11. Jarrad Branthwaite is out, making Michael Keane – 5 the obvious replacement in central defense, while Beto and Jack Grealish are also unavailable, which noticeably limits Moyes’ options in attack.
Man City Form & Record Check
Nico O’Reilly says Man City is ready to step up a gear, and the 2-1 victory in the FA Cup semifinal against Southampton pointed exactly in that direction. Shortly after conceding, they faltered, but Jérémy Doku and Nico González sealed the deal late in the game. They have now secured five consecutive wins across all competitions, putting Arsenal under noticeable pressure. In the league, their performances have been more consistent: a 1-0 away win at Burnley, a 2-1 home victory over Arsenal, and a 3-0 win at Chelsea. Pep Guardiola finds a useful balance through Nico O’Reilly’s role as an inverted winger and Jérémy Doku’s strong play on the wings. Rúben Dias is the main absence, which could certainly give Everton some opportunities, but Man City’s control in the closing stages has been outstanding recently.
Man City is expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1, which is the basic formation Pep Guardiola continues to rely on. James Trafford – 1 could start in goal, with Matheus Nunes – 27, John Stones – 5, Marc Guéhi – 15, and Rayan Aït-Nouri – 21 in front of him. With Rúben Dias out, this center-back pairing seems like the most likely interpretation of this potential lineup. In this prediction, Nico González – 14 and Tijjani Reijnders – 4 would control the midfield, while Bernardo Silva – 20 and Rayan Cherki – 10 would operate in the spaces around them. Jérémy Doku – 11 is expected to provide width on the left, with Erling Haaland – 9 as the clear focal point up front. However, this remains a prediction and not a confirmed lineup.
Everton – Man City Head-to-Head & Stats
Man City is unbeaten in their last five meetings, with four wins and one draw. The most recent match in October 2025 ended 2-0 in City’s favor, and an earlier fixture from 2025 ended the same way. Everton’s last point in this series dates back to December 2024, when they forced a 1-1 draw against City. The pattern is usually even at the start and then shifts in the second half: Four of the five matches were tied at halftime, but City won the second half in four of them and scored in all five encounters. Everton conceded a goal in each of these matches and has not secured a single second-half victory in this series, which explains why a narrow away win is considered the most likely outcome.
