As the Premier League action resumes this Saturday, Manchester City will look to ascend to the top of the table with a victory over Everton at the Etihad Stadium. This matchup marks the first encounter between the two sides since their last meeting in April, where City secured a late 2-0 win at Goodison Park, thanks to goals from Nico O’Reilly and Mateo Kovacic.
Following a challenging start to the season with back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Brighton at the end of August, City has rebounded impressively, boasting a seven-game unbeaten streak across all competitions (W5 D2) and entering the October international break on a high after a narrow 1-0 win against Brentford.
The star of the show for the Citizens has undoubtedly been Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker has been in sensational form, netting 21 goals in just 12 appearances for club and country this season. His remarkable tally includes nine goals in seven Premier League outings, making him the frontrunner in the Golden Boot race. Manager Pep Guardiola, who recently celebrated his 250th Premier League win, believes his team is improving and gaining momentum, reflected in their impressive statistics from 2025: an average of 2.04 points per game and the highest goal tally in the league with 55 goals.
City’s historical dominance over Everton in recent years adds to their confidence; they remain unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League encounters against the Toffees (W13 D3), with their last defeat coming in January 2017. This unbeaten streak is their fourth-longest against any single opponent in the league.
Conversely, Everton arrives in Manchester on the back of a stirring comeback victory over Crystal Palace, where Jack Grealish, on loan from City, scored the dramatic late winner to secure a 2-1 triumph. Manager David Moyes expressed his dissatisfaction with his team’s first-half performance, but the resilience shown in the second half has provided a boost to their morale. Currently sitting in eighth position, the Toffees are only two points shy of City in fifth, having won six of their last ten league matches.
While Everton has shown improvement, winning four of their last seven away games, they face a daunting task at the Etihad. They have not won in their last 14 visits to City (D6 L8) since their last victory in December 2010. Historically, under Moyes, Everton has struggled against top-three teams, with only one win in 58 such fixtures.
As the two teams clash on Saturday, all eyes will be on whether City can continue their unbeaten run and maintain their pursuit of the Premier League summit, or if Everton can defy the odds and claim a significant scalp in their quest for a top-half finish.
