Man City vs Everton: Match Preview, Latest Team News and Score Prediction | OneFootball

Man City vs Everton: Guardiola’s Men Eye Top Spot in Crucial Premier League Clash

Manchester City return to Premier League action with a home fixture against Everton that could see them temporarily climb to the summit of the table. Pep Guardiola’s side remain unbeaten in seven matches across all competitions and their rhythm since the last international break has been measured, calm and increasingly lethal.

Everton, meanwhile, arrive at the Etihad Stadium buoyed by a comeback win over Crystal Palace, a result that ended the visitors’ own lengthy unbeaten streak and injected a degree of belief into Sean Dyche’s squad.

Match Details and Kick-Off

Man City face Everton on Saturday, October 18, 2025, with kick-off set for 3pm BST. The fixture takes place at the Etihad Stadium, where City have not lost in the Premier League since April.

Due to the 3pm blackout, the match will not be televised live in the UK, though fans can follow developments via live blogs and post-match highlights on Sky Sports from 5.15pm BST, with Match of the Day providing extended coverage later that evening on BBC One.

Team News and Selection Plans

City’s talismanic striker, fresh from a hat-trick against Israel, is expected to start as he looks to maintain his blistering form and strengthen his claim for another Golden Boot award. His sharpness, combined with Guardiola’s fine-tuned rotation, keeps City’s forward play relentless and unpredictable.

Everton’s team selection has been complicated by Premier League regulations, which rule out Jack Grealish against his parent club. The winger’s absence deprives Dyche of one of his most creative outlets this season. “It’s a blow for us,” the Everton boss admitted earlier this week, “but it gives others a chance to step up.”

Tyler Dibling could come in, shifting Iliman Ndiaye to the left flank, while Dwight McNeil remains another possible option. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall returns from suspension, offering some stability in midfield, but doubts linger over Jarrad Branthwaite and Merlin Rohl, both struggling for fitness.

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Tactical Outlook and Key Battles

For Guardiola, the message will likely remain consistent: control the game through possession, press with purpose, and allow creativity to flourish through rhythm. Everton will approach this differently, leaning on organisation and resilience. Dyche’s blueprint for survival in such games has always centred on structure, bravery, and capitalising on transition moments.

City’s central axis, marshalled by Rodri, will dictate the tempo, while Phil Foden’s growing influence from advanced areas continues to make them devastating when in full flow. For Everton, the challenge will be to contain the wide threat and hope that their counter-attacking intent can unsettle a defence that occasionally shows vulnerability against direct runners.

City’s record at home speaks for itself. They have quietly gone about their business since September, gathering momentum without the fanfare that often follows them. Everton’s recent victory over Palace showed fight but also revealed defensive fragility that Haaland and company will ruthlessly expose if given time or space.

With Grealish unavailable, Dyche’s side lose a key outlet in transition, making it difficult to imagine them creating sustained pressure. City’s efficiency, coupled with their near-perfect home record, points to a routine but professional victory.