Everton away preview

No Fernando, Kompany or Fernandinho. Stones, Delph and KDB have all just returned to full training from minor issues and no Jesus either as there are problems with his documents (City's admin team aye). So I think the team will be rather predictable on Sunday. Aguero will start, KDB will probably play behind, Silva behind him with Yaya and probably Zaba (though Delph and Garcia are options with Yaya back to a deeper role) but we'll see. With that in mind, Sagna at RB (we have a good win ratio when he plays) and Otamendi and Stones at CB, if Stones isn't fit to start then Kolarov will be CB and Clichy LB, if not, Clichy to the bench and Aleks will move to the left. Wingers, well, you pick. Sane is back so why risk injury on him again? Sterling and Nolito are options and Navas the other. We haven't seen much of Navas over the last few weeks. He probably won't be here next season with his contract running out so why not seek to sell him now? We have positions to clear in the CL (Yaya being back) and some youngsters have gone out on loan (Maffeo and Angelino) and permanently (Lawlor). Gabriel Jesus on the verge of training and joining with the right documents so we have an extra winger. Either loan him and get him used to English or European football or sell Navas. We do not need 5 wingers for 5 months of action. Silly. Sterling to start and KDB to move out wide, with Silva, Zaba and Sagna pushing up more to the right wing and Kolarov or Clichy on the left. Predictable. Pep isn't so this probably won't happen but I can still write about it and be wrong. Mwhah.

For Everton, Lukaku will be a danger, Barkley too. He hasn't been as good as last season but Everton aren't a quick team so they will look to dominate for periods and Barkley has habits of being in the right place at the right time. Bravo being dodgy, I wonder what Everton will do in terms of their approach. They only created one chance at the Etihad and it was enough to score. City (touch wood) aren't making as many silly mistakes, particularly with the back 4 settling back in. It works so why change it. I think City need to score early to open the game up, otherwise it will be a close game and Everton will fancy their chances. It's hard and City don't like travelling to Goodison Park normally. If i say a draw, I'm sitting on the fence and to be honest, that is not a good result for City. But we will have to see how all the other teams do this weekend. We need wins to ease the pressure, the more pressure eased, the easier the season becomes. We need wins and if we can win this game, it is a huge stride towards next weeks game with Spurs at home. Difficult games so we need points. A draw is a good result but we need wins. We win games, we can then focus on securing higher up the table and not looking over our shoulders all the time. It was frustrating last season under Pellegrini and it is still annoying now. On an added note, I hope Everton don't park a bus for 90 minutes, it might work or it might not but it ruins the game. Imagine paying loads of money to watch your team sit back for 90 minutes. Everton are a good side, play to their advantages (direct and clinical) and not 10 men behind the ball. I want to see a good game because it could well be a very good game. A difficult away game on merseyside, classic Premier League. Come on lads. 2-1 City. I'll be optimistic.

Team prediction -

Bravo - Sagna - Otamendi - Kolarov, Clichy, Zabaleta, Yaya Toure, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Aguero.