City - Everton home match preview.

What a treat. A three o'clock kick off on a Saturday in East Manchester, perfect. Everton are in good form this season. Ronald Koeman has done a good job of creating a good tempo, movement and mentality at Everton. They will press, i'm sure, and chase every ball. It is up to City to step up a gear and put Everton under pressure. We want them crammed in, no space so their only option is to clear. How do City do that? Well, you cut out mistakes, be patient and be clinical. We have the players to do so. If this was at Goodison Park, I'd be tempted to say that City should slow play down and drag the game out and tire their players, but we are at home and should be putting up a pristine performance. City will set up with a 4-1-4-1 again. Who plays in them positions is anyone's guess as we have no idea of all the players conditions from international duty. We will have to wait and see.


Some views on Everton first. Lukaku has always caused us problems and I can see him doing so again. He is tall, strong and quick for someone his size. He is like a more completed version of Wilfried Bony. He wouldn't suit City's style of play, but he does suit Everton. This makes them a threat as Lukaku can score from nothing. Will Lukaku play? I don't know. I expect him too, but like with City's team, we don't know players conditions from international duty. Baines will cause problems, but nothing to the extent of how Rose performed a couple of weeks ago, Baines is not the quickest and will suit City to close down space quicker. Coleman on the other hand, is a little quicker, so I really hope Clichy plays and Guardiola stops with his Kolorov obsession. Kolorov, in my opinion, would make better cover for CB, even a good CB to play against teams that will sit back. Kolorov's judgement, defending and positioning, particularly when players run at him, is poor. Clichy cuts in, runs and defends well. I hope he starts. Everton may look for threats down the middle, Stones and Otamendi have looked good at CB in my opinion, but have looked a little suspect when drawn out. Dele tore through the heart of City's defence and City need to be careful of that again. Barry will sit back, he will pull strings if he plays, and Barkley may cause problems, feeding off Lukaku, so City need to be careful and have their wits about them. They need to sensible, if they are, I expect a win. I do think Everton will score, however. City are bad at the back. We need Kompany back and fully fit, and we need some pace on the wing back areas. What's wrong with Angelino and Maffeo, young, hungry and eager with a spring in their step? May be they should get some game time over the next few weeks with lots of games coming up??


There is no doubt that Barcelona on Wednesday night is overshadowing this match. The derby at Old Trafford next Wednesday will overshadow Southampton at home next week too. But City need to be stRong, field their strongest XI tomorrow and play sensibly. Sagna is injured, three weeks apparently so we may not see him until November or even until after the next international break. Will Zabaleta play? He has traveled from Argentina but came back early, Otamendi too and I expect they will play. Sterling picked up a knock, Nolito is back from suspension at last so Sterling is not guaranteed to start when he's just been injured. Aguero is in the same boat, De bruyne too. My prediction for the starting XI tomorrow is:

Bravo, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Stones, Clichy, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Silva, Navas, Nolito, Iheanacho.