Manchester City return from the international break on Saturday afternoon at the Etihad Stadium, hosting Everton with kick-off scheduled for 7:30 IST. Pep Guardiola’s side have the opportunity to move top of the Premier League table with victory, sitting just three points behind leaders Arsenal. City capped off a remarkable run between international breaks with their 1-0 victory at Brentford, securing Guardiola’s 250th Premier League win. Everton, meanwhile, arrive buoyed by Jack Grealish’s stoppage-time winner that ended Crystal Palace’s 19-game unbeaten streak, though they’ll be without their star performer for this fixture.
Match Details
- Fixture: Manchester City vs Everton
- Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025
- Kick-off: 7:30 IST
- Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Manchester City vs Everton Key Stats
| Category | Details |
| Head to Head | City have won 14 of 16 meetings since 2018; Everton’s last two visits ended in draws. |
| Man City Last 5 | W-W-D-W-L (Premier League) |
| Everton Last 5 | W-D-L-W-L (Premier League) |
| City Home Form | Won 6 of last 8 home matches while scoring more than 1.5 goals |
| Everton Away Form | Lost 2 of 3 away PL games this season |
| Notable Streak | Everton haven’t won this fixture since a 4-0 victory at Goodison Park in 2017 |
Everton’s Tactical Evolution Under Moyes
David Moyes has surprised many with Everton’s approach this season. Rather than deploying the deep low block or back five that many expected, especially against elite opposition, the Toffees have played with unexpected ambition. Their pressing has been aggressive and, at times, remarkably effective, leading to high turnovers that have produced goals even against quality sides like Liverpool.
However, Jack Grealish- Everton’s best player so far this season, leading in both goals and assists- is unavailable due to Premier League loan regulations preventing him from facing his parent club. His absence significantly weakens Everton’s pressing system, as Grealish has been central to their ability to win the ball high up the pitch and create transitional opportunities.
Defensively, Everton has shown concerning patterns. Analysis reveals that every non-penalty goal they’ve conceded this season has originated from their left defensive side, which happens to be Manchester City’s right wing. The partnership of Michael Keane and Vitaliy Mykolenko has proven more susceptible than Jake O’Brien and Ben Tarkowski on the right, partly due to Jarrad Branthwaite’s continued absence through injury.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall returns from suspension, providing midfield stability, but Branthwaite, Nathan Patterson, and Merlin Röhl remain ruled out. Jordan Pickford will continue between the posts, ensuring some continuity in a backline that’s been forced into makeshift solutions.
Key Players to Watch
Erling Haaland (Manchester City): The Norwegian has scored 12 goals in nine games this season, with nine in the Premier League. Haaland continued his explosive form during the international break, scoring a hat-trick against Israel for Norway. He’s scored the first goal in four of City’s six league matches this campaign, and bookies have him at 9/4 to open the scoring again. Given Everton’s defensive vulnerability down their left side, expect City to repeatedly channel attacks toward Haaland.
Jeremy Doku (Manchester City): The Belgian winger’s physicality and ability to break down low blocks make him perfectly suited to exploit Everton’s defensive frailties. Doku was surprisingly benched against Brentford, but should be recalled here to provide service to Haaland. His directness and pace could threaten Everton’s left-back position all afternoon.
Phil Foden (Manchester City): Operating as the left central midfielder, Foden provides goal threat from deep positions while also offering creative passing. There’s tactical flexibility here. Guardiola could deploy Foden on the right wing to further exploit Everton’s weakness, as his left-footed tendencies would allow him to cut inside and shoot from dangerous positions.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Everton): The midfielder returns from suspension and will operate as Everton’s all-action No. 10. His energy and creativity will be crucial in Everton’s attempts to disrupt City’s rhythm and create chances on the counter.
Tyler Dibling (Everton): Expected to replace the unavailable Grealish, Dibling faces an enormous challenge stepping into the shoes of Everton’s most influential attacker. How he copes with the pressure and whether he can provide similar creative output will significantly impact Everton’s chances.
Tactical Battle
This fixture presents a fascinating stylistic contrast. City will dominate possession, expect figures around 65-70%, while Everton will need to maintain defensive organization and strike on transitions. The key battleground will be City’s right flank versus Everton’s left defensive side, where statistical analysis suggests vulnerability.
Guardiola’s lineup closely mirrors the Brentford victory due to limited choices and returning players not being fully match-fit. City welcomed back Omar Marmoush (knee) and Rayan Ait-Nouri (ankle) to the team training; however, Abdukodir Khusanov (calf) remains on the sidelines for this match at least. Moreover, Rodri is another player who remains sidelined after being forced off against Brentford with a hamstring problem and is unlikely to be involved.
The predicted formation is either a diamond midfield or double pivot, with Tijjani Reijnders and Foden in advanced roles and Nico Gonzalez sitting deep as Rodri’s cover. Matheus Nunes is favored at right-back for his offensive qualities, perfectly positioned to exploit Everton’s defensive weakness. Nico O’Reilly may retain his left-back position despite recent injury concerns, valued for his defensive prowess in one-on-one situations.
City are expected to operate in a 3-4-3 or 2-3-2 (on-the-ball) formation, adjusting based on Everton’s approach. The tactical setup allows O’Reilly to overlap, pushing Doku inside for positional rotation and creating numerical advantages in attacking areas.
Everton won’t sit in a back five based on their season-long patterns, meaning space will exist for City to exploit. Moyes’ side will press aggressively early, attempting to disrupt City’s build-up play before fatigue forces them deeper. The key question: can Everton maintain their pressing intensity for 90 minutes without Grealish’s energy and work rate?
Predicted Lineups
- Manchester City (4-3-3/3-4-3):
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gonzalez; Bernardo Silva, Reijnders, Foden; Doku, Haaland - Everton (4-2-3-1):
Pickford; O’Brien, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; Dibling, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Beto
Manchester City vs Everton Key Injuries
- Manchester City:
Rayan Cherki was an unused substitute against Brentford after missing seven games with a thigh issue and may be eased back slowly. Rodri and Abdukodir Khusanov were absent from Thursday’s training session and are expected to be unavailable this weekend. Omar Marmoush (knee) and Rayan Ait-Nouri (ankle) have returned to training and are in contention, though match fitness remains questionable. - Everton:
Jack Grealish is ineligible to face his parent club due to Premier League loan regulations. Jarrad Branthwaite, Nathan Patterson, and Merlin Rohl are all ruled out. Michael Keane is set to miss out through injury, forcing Seamus Coleman to potentially move to right-back, which would shift Jake O’Brien into the heart of Everton’s backline.
Prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Everton
City’s quality should prevail, but Everton’s improved attacking threat and City’s defensive adjustments without Rodri suggest this won’t be the comfortable victory some expect. Grealish’s absence weakens Everton’s pressing system significantly, tilting the tactical battle in City’s favor. Expect City to relentlessly target Everton’s left defensive side, with Haaland capitalizing on the space created. A competitive match, but City’s home dominance and superior quality should secure three points that temporarily move them top of the table.
