Manchester City host Everton in the Premier League this afternoon, with Pep Guardiola’s side looking for what would be just their second win in the last 13 games.
The Cityzens lost 2-1 to Aston Villa last weekend, and they have fallen to seventh in the Premier League. Nevertheless, despite their struggles, they are only four points of fourth, with a win today potentially an important step as they look to secure Champions League football at the very least.
And Everton make the short journey east off the back of 0-0 draws against two of the league’s top sides in Arsenal and Chelsea, with Sean Dyche’s men having climbed up to 15th, four points above the relegation zone.
With City struggling for goals and Everton seemingly adept at preventing them, it could be an interesting encounter at the start of Boxing Day.
Follow all the action from the Etihad with our live blog below:
Manchester City vs Everton LIVE
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Manchester City host Everton in the Premier League | Live on Amazon Prime
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City have one win in their last 12 after last week’s loss to Aston Villa
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Everton have drawn 0-0 with Chelsea and Arsenal over their last two matches
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52’ – MISSED PENALTY! Pickford saves Haaland’s spot-kick to his right (MCI 1-1 EVE)
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37’ – GOAL! Ndiaye’s lovely half-volley brings Everton level after poor City defending (MCI 1-1 EVE)
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15’ – GOAL! Silva’s deflected finish gives City the lead (MCI 1-0 EVE)
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3’ – POST! Gvardiol crashes a header against the woodwork (MCI 0-0 EVE)
Manchester City FC 1 – 1 Everton FC
Man City 1-1 Everton, 68 mins
13:56 , Luke Baker
Latest from Richard Jolly at the Etihad
Manchester City’s powers keep on betraying them. This time it was Erling Haaland’s ability to score from the spot; if he was never actually the best penalty taker, it was a tame effort that Jordan Pickford repelled. That Haaland’s header which did go in came when he was offside summed up his recent run: since his August flurry of goals, they have been rarities. And that is a particular problem in a squad with few other scorers, and when Josko Gvardiol can look the next most likely player to find the net.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 67 mins
13:54 , Luke Baker
Good tackle from Branthwaite on Haaland in the box when he was gearing up to shoot. Savinho then tries to curl one into the far corner but it’s high, wide and not so handsome.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 64 mins
13:52 , Luke Baker
Nice ball from Coleman down the right to Calvert-Lewin who is gallpoing in on goal. He comes inside slightly as he’s bearing down on goal and Ake manages to get back to nick the ball away.
WATCH: Erling Haaland misses penalty
13:51 , Luke Baker
Here’s how Pickford saved the Haaland spot-kick
Man City 1-1 Everton, 61 mins
13:51 , Luke Baker
Lots of pointing from both managers on the touchline – they’ll be feeling very different about how this match is going…
In truth, it wasn’t a great penalty from Haaland (though a very good Pickford save) and he still has just four goals in the last 12 games. Him, and Man City, badly out of form.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 57 mins
13:46 , Luke Baker
Akanji not happy as he jumps with Calvert-Lewin and takes an arm to the face. Deemed to just be accidental contact.
Everton then win a corner but it comes to nothing.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 54 mins
13:43 , Luke Baker
Wow – what drama that was. Seamus Coleman also booked for protestations during the build-up to that penalty. Jordan Pickford with the biggest moment of the match so far.
When Haaland is missing penalties, you know City are in a bad way!
MISSED PENALTY! Man City 1-1 Everton (Erling Haaland, 52 mins)
13:41 , Luke Baker
Pickford loves a penalty save and will fancy this as Erling Haaland steps up. AND IT’S SAVED! Pickford dives to his right and pulls off a great save. Brilliant!
The ball is then dinked back in and Haaland heads it into the net but it’s offside! Drama at the Etihad!
PENALTY! Man City 1-1 Everton, 51 mins
13:40 , Luke Baker
And it’s a peanlty to Man City! Savinho runs at the defence again, Mykolenko lunges in and clips the winger just inside the box. Clear penalty and this is a great chance for City to go back ahead.
CLOSE! Man City 1-1 Everton, 50 mins
13:39 , Luke Baker
City a bit lucky to win a corner but then they pepper Pickford’s goal as Savinho lashes a shot that is saved by the legs of the Everton keeper before Kovacic fires a shot from outside the box narrowly wide.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 47 mins
13:36 , Luke Baker
Good start to the second half by City as Mykolenko is forced to pull off a full-length lunge to flick the ball out for a corner. Gvardiol gets up to meet the corner but can’t get his header on target
KICK-OFF! Man City 1-1 Everton
13:34 , Luke Baker
Back underway at the Etihad.
WATCH: First-half highlights
13:23 , Luke Baker
Two goals in that first half, one apiece.
HALF-TIME! Man City 1-1 Everton
13:19 , Luke Baker
And that’s half-time. City took the lead through Bernardo Silva but their recent fragility was exposed as Iliman Ndiaye lashed home the equaliser. Work to do for Guardiola’s troops after the breaks to secure a vital win.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 45 mins
13:17 , Luke Baker
Foden’s corner is straight down the throat of Pickford who throws the ball out to Mykolenko on the left to try and launch the counter.
Mangala feeds Harrison who crosses from the byline but Gvardiol’s face blocks it out for a corner. Calvert-Lewin heads over the top from the corner.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 44 mins
13:16 , Luke Baker
City corner after some defensive confusion in the Everton ranks. The ball is onyl half cleared to Savinho but his well-struck, long-range effort is blocked by Tarkowski.
Neat interplay between Haaland and Foden shortly after and Coleman makes a lunging block this time to concede the corner. City on top as we approach half-time.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 42 mins
13:14 , Luke Baker
City win a free-kick in a dangerous position. Haaland’s physicality causes havoc amid a long clearance, Doku is suddenly running at the Toffees backline and Mykolenko brings him down from behind. Yellow card for the Ukrainian as well.
Foden’s free-kick is blocked by the wall though.
Man City 1-1 Everton, 40 mins
13:13 , Luke Baker
Ndiaye is suddenly brimming with confidence! Neat flicks and touches from the Senegalese international and then good work from Calvert-Lewin to protect the ball and win a free-kick on halfway.
This pose from Pep Guardiola probably sums things up for City.
GOAL! Man City 1-1 Everton (Iliman Ndiaye, 37 mins)
13:09 , Luke Baker
Oh dear, Man City, They’ve looked fragile of late and get caught out by goal-shy Everton here.
It’s poor defending as a ball comes into the box, Akanji takes a swipe at it that misses, Lewis has lost track of the man behind him and Iliman Ndiaye strikes it beautifully on the half-volley, powering the ball into the far corner past Ortega. Lovely finish but not great from City
Man City 1-0 Everton, 35 mins
13:06 , Luke Baker
Latest from Richard Jolly at the Etihad.
A lead for Manchester City, but they have lost a couple at the Etihad Stadium of late: 1-0 against Manchester United, 3-0 against Feyenoord. As Everton currently have an xG of 0.04, they are scarcely threatening a comeback but City’s fragility of late means it cannot be discounted and they could do with a second goal. Erling Haaland has had a couple of openings but there have been relatively few chances so far.
MISS! Man City 1-0 Everton, 34 mins
13:06 , Luke Baker
Bernardo Silva probably shoudl make it 2-0 there! He’s got acres of space when he’s fed the ball on the edge of the box and he tries to curl one into the far corner with the outside of his left foot but it’s skewed wide. Ugly.
Maybe he should have just struck that one true, with power, and got it on target.
Man City 1-0 Everton, 32 mins
13:03 , Luke Baker
The ball played into Calvert-Lewin, who has made a good run, but his first touch is heavy and Akanji can shepherd it away before the former England striker fouls him out of frustration.
As Everton’s supposed targetman, Calvert-Lewin has got to do better there.
Man City 1-0 Everton, 30 mins
13:01 , Luke Baker
Savinho again showing drive and verve as he charges forward down the right, cuts in but his shot loops up off a sliding Gueye and floats into the grateful hands of Pickford.
Savinho has looked dangerous so far but no end product yet for him today.
Man City 1-0 Everton, 28 mins
12:59 , Luke Baker
Everton, who are something of corner specialists at both ends, win one here. Ndiaye crosses and it’s headed to the edge of the box where Gueye lashes it at goal but it’s straight at Ortega, who comfortably catches it.
Man City 1-0 Everton, 26 mins
12:58 , Luke Baker
Foden with a lovely ball over the top for Haaland but his first touch with his chest is juuust too heavy and the onrushing Pickford can silde on the ball to smother before the Norwegian striker can get a second touch.
It was a tough, bouncing ball to control and was so near to being brilliant from Haaland.
CLOSE! Man City 1-0 Everton, 23 mins
12:55 , Luke Baker
Great run by Haaland as he scythes through the heart of the Everton defence and then flicks the ball round Pickford who rushes out but it’s just too wide and his sliding kick back across the area from the byline is blocked out for a corner by Branthwaite.
Ake and Gvardiol jump for the corner but the ball is well over.
Man City 1-0 Everton, 21 mins
12:53 , Luke Baker
Better from Everton as they string a few passes together but Mangala’s effort is way over the bar in the end.
WATCH: Man City take early lead
12:51 , Luke Baker
Here’s how Man City took the lead
Man City 1-0 Everton, 17 mins
12:49 , Luke Baker
Here’s Richard Jolly’s thoughts from the Etihad after that goal.
Perhaps Everton’s run of stalemates couldn’t go on forever. City have scored and, if they think they had been unlucky of late, there may have been a slice of fortune. Was Bernardo Silva trying to shoot or centre? Either way the deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite took the ball beyond Jordan Pickford. And whereas the relevant statistic in Everton’s 0-0s was how few goals they have conceded, now it becomes how few they have scored.
GOAL! Man City 1-0 Everton (Bernardo Silva, 15 mins)
12:47 , Luke Baker
And Man City have a vital lead! The perfect start for them. A good reverse pass from Doku finds the nice run of Bernardo Silva who slides at full stretch on the six-yard box and flicks the ball goalwards.
It’s into the ground, takes a slight deflection off the sliding Branthwaite trying to block it and spins beyond Pickford into the far corner. Silva did well to get there, even if he had a bit of luck with the finish. City won’t care though.
Man City 0-0 Everton, 14 mins
12:44 , Luke Baker
Savinho charges down the right flank and cuts infield but should’ve pulled the trigger earlier as he eventually has the ball bundled away from him by Doucoure on the edge of the box.
Man City 0-0 Everton, 12 mins
12:43 , Luke Baker
City dominating possession with Everton happy to sit back and soak it up, backing themselves to repel the advances of Guardiola’s men. They’ve been very successful with that tactic in recent weeks, to be fair.
Everton also happy to go long from Pickford – no pathological insistence on playing everything short. This game will be a test of patience and effectiveness at breaking down a defence for City.
Haaland fashions hafla yard for himself to shoot but his shot is blocked by a swamr of Toffees players.
Man City 0-0 Everton, 9 mins
12:40 , Luke Baker
Doku shimmies past Tarkowski, who appears to push him to the floor but no foul and play on. City have been badly lacking creativity recently, so Doku and Savinho on the wings will be vital in breaking down a stubborn Everton side today.
Man City 0-0 Everton, 6 mins
12:38 , Luke Baker
Silva loses the nall in possession and Everton counter. Harrison curls in a cross which a jumping Calvert-Lewin throws a foot at but he can’t make contact and it goes out for a goal-kick. Akanji did allow Calvert-Lewin to get in front of him though, which isn’t ideal from a City perspective.
POST! Man City 0-0 Everton, 3 mins
12:35 , Luke Baker
Cirty agonisingly close to scoring early on. They go short with the corner, Foden dinks in the cross and Gvardiol crashes a header off the left post! Pickford was beaten!
A promising start for Guardiola’s men
Man City 0-0 Everton, 2 mins
12:34 , Luke Baker
Nathan Ake lining up at centre-back with Josko Gvardiol at left-back, as you would expect. Everton in their typical 4-5-1.
Decent start form City as Savinho tries a couple of stepovers and has his shot blocked by N’Diaye. City then win a corner
KICK-OFF! Man City 0-0 Everton
12:31 , Luke Baker
Here we go! Underway at the Etihad. Can City arrest their slump against the draw specialists?
Man City v Everton
12:29 , Luke Baker
The players are out and kick-off is imminent in Manchester
Match facts
12:20 , Chris Wilson
City have lost nine of their last 12 games in all competitions (W1 D2), as many as they had in their previous 112. Meanwhile, only in 2016/17 (10) and 2019/20 (12) has Pep Guardiola suffered more defeats in a single campaign as manager.
Since the start of November, Manchester City have earned fewer points than any other Premier League side, with four.
Everton have been involved in five of the nine 0-0 draws in the Premier League this season (56 per cent). It’s the Toffees’ most goalless draws in a single campaign since 2008/09.
Only the current top four sides of Liverpool (16), Arsenal (16), Chelsea (19) and Nottingham Forest (19) have conceded fewer Premier League goals this season than Everton (21).
Pep Guardiola reveals how Erling Haaland can rediscover scoring form
12:15 , Chris Wilson
Pep Guardiola has stressed Manchester City’s current malaise is not down to one player as he again defended Erling Haaland.
City’s 2-1 loss at Aston Villa on Saturday, the Premier League champions’ ninth defeat in 12 matches in all competitions, saw Haaland fail to score for the fifth time in six outings.
After the game the Norway striker told TNT Sports: “First I’m looking at myself. I haven’t been scoring my chances. I have to do better, I haven’t been good enough.”
Pep Guardiola reveals how Erling Haaland can rediscover scoring form
Who could City target in January?
12:10 , Chris Wilson
There are two fairly notable midfield targets that City could opt to pursue in the winter window – Martin Zubimendi and Bruno Guimaraes.
The Spaniard, who famously rejected a move to Liverpool over the summer, came on for Rodri in the final of Euro 2024 and helped his side to their eventual 2-1 win, with the side seemingly unaffected despite losing their key player as Zubimendi deputised in an accomplished manner. He would be the cheaper option, with an easily activated release clause too.
Nevertheless, Guimaraes remains an option, with City reportedly interested in the Brazilian in the summer, though it is thought that they were put off by his £100m release clause.
Joshua Kimmich, whose Bayern contract runs out in the summer, could be an interesting option, while City could opt for cheaper, more unexpected options, such as Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller.
Nevertheless, it is important to mention that reports insists that neither Zubimendi or Guimaraes are on City’s radar at the moment.
Man City didn’t want to buy a new midfielder — now they may have to
12:05 , Luke Baker
Bernardo Silva was back at the scene of perhaps his greatest goal for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola was eulogising one of his favourite footballers. Once he could savour a spectacular volley at Villa Park. Now, in defeat, it was his willingness to work and his adaptability that drew the latest of many tributes. “Bernardo is a special player for me; how he put his heart in those positions,” said Guardiola. “He is an incredible example for us, how he behaves. He plays attacking midfielder, holding midfielder, always defensively making an incredible effort.”
It hasn’t been a vintage season for Silva. And yet, unlike in past years, he would get in the City team three times: besides his normal berth on the right wing, he probably represents the best available option in this depleted, invariably defeated group as a No 8 and, as the only candidate with sufficient mobility, as the holding midfielder. If Guardiola could clone the Portuguese, he surely would. In a spell that has shown there are limits to his powers, he has a solitary Silva and he has overworked him. A diminutive figure can seem smaller as he is run into the ground.
Man City didn’t want to buy a new midfielder — now they may have to
Match facts
12:00 , Chris Wilson
Having lost four consecutive home league games against Everton between February 2008 and December 2010, Man City are now unbeaten in their last 13 against the Toffees at the Etihad (W8 D5).
Everton have won just one of their last 22 Premier League meetings with Manchester City (D5 L16), losing 12 of the last 13 (D1).
Pep Guardiola baffled by Man City form: ‘We are living the parallel’
11:55 , Luke Baker
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City are labouring through the opposite of their long winning runs as he rued football’s parallel lives.
City were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa on Saturday to suffer their ninth defeat in a 12-game spell when they have only triumphed once.
And it left manager Guardiola reflecting that it has turned their usual form on its head.
“Always when we win a lot of games and titles I say we are going to lose games,” he said. “When we won 13 or 14 games or 10 games and we lose one or draw one and it is, ‘what happened? Why you draw or lose a game?’ So it is football.
Pep Guardiola baffled by Man City form: ‘We are living the parallel’
Man City v Everton
11:45 , Luke Baker
It’s our senior football correspondent Richard Jolly at the Etihad covering the game for us today before he races across to Liverpool for Arne Slot’s Reds vs Leicester at 8pm. A busy day for Rich – we don’t let him rest, even at Christmas…
Here’s his pre-match thoughts on this one.
Can Manchester City win a game? They always used to. Now they only have one victory in 12 and are up against Sean Dyche’s draw specialists. A City team without the ill Kyle Walker, the injured Jack Grealish and the omitted Ilkay Gundogan at least looks younger, with Jeremy Doku and Savinho potentially offering verve on the wings. Everton are younger, too, with Seamus Coleman, at 36, coming in for 39-year-old Ashley Young.
Head-to-head
11:45 , Luke Baker
These two sides have met 181 times, with City winning 76, Everton winning 60, and 45 ending as draws.
Last season, City were victorious in both meetings, winning 3-1 at Goodison just under a year ago before a straightforward 2-0 home win in February.
Injuries easing and January signings – How Manchester City might stop rot
11:35 , Luke Baker
Manchester City’s miserable run continued at the weekend as they were beaten at Aston Villa.
It was a ninth defeat in 12 games in all competitions and they sit seventh in the Premier League at Christmas, a remarkable slump for the champions of the past four seasons.
Here, the PA news agency looks at what comes next for Pep Guardiola’s side and how they can turn the situation around.
Injuries easing and January signings – How Manchester City might stop rot
Man City v Everton team news
11:31 , Luke Baker
Not too many surprises in the line-ups today. Rico Lewis gets the start at right-back for Man City, with Bernardo Silva set to play alongside Mateo Kovacic in the middle and Phil Foden continuing in the No 10 role, flanked by Savinho and Jeremy Doku.
At some point, Erling Haaland will explode with a hat-trick or similar – could that be today?
For Everton, Seamus Coleman starts at right-back in place of the suspended Ashley Young in the only change from the side that drew 0-0 with Chelsea.
Man City XI: Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Bernardo; Savinho, Foden, Doku, Haaland
Everton XI: Pickford; Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Mangala, Gueye, Doucoure; Harrison, Calvert-Lewin, Ndiaye
Man City v Everton team news
11:24 , Luke Baker
Here are today’s teams
Your Boxing Day City side 🩵
XI | Ortega Moreno, Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Bernardo (C), Savinho, Foden, Doku, Haaland
SUBS | Carson, Brits, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Simpson-Pusey, Mubama, Alleyne, O’Reilly, McAtee#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/LsM0Awa77U
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 26, 2024
Team news
11:10 , Luke Baker
The line-ups should be released in around five minutes, so not long to wait now
Rico Lewis urges Manchester City to ‘stick together’ to end slump in form
11:00 , Luke Baker
Rico Lewis has called on his Manchester City team-mates to “stick together” following their sixth Premier League defeat of the season against Aston Villa.
City’s latest loss came at the hands of Aston Villa, who ran out 2-1 winners over the current champions to hand them a ninth loss from their last 12 matches in all competitions.
Pep Guardiola’s side went behind courtesy of goals from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers, with Phil Foden’s last-minute consolation not enough to rescue anything from another sub-par performance.
Rico Lewis urges Manchester City to ‘stick together’ to end slump in form
Resigned Pep Guardiola signals the complete breakdown of all-conquering Man City
10:50 , Luke Baker
The report from City’s last match, away at Aston Villa…
An obsessive Spanish manager had taken his adopted club to rare heights. Then came a chastening spell of 11 games, littered with setbacks, sending his team tumbling down the table, bringing their ambitions into question. But this victory was emphatic and impressive, offering relief and respite. A slump may be over.
But not for Pep Guardiola. Because, for Unai Emery and Aston Villa, Manchester City came to town. They were duly and deservedly beaten. Second best in the Second City, they suffered their ninth defeat in 12 matches. Villa had lost six in 11 since they went top of the Champions League. Like City, they had conceded a quickfire double to conjure defeat when they could have won last week. But in a battle of the beleaguered, City lost. Now they always do. It is their strange new normality. For Guardiola, it doesn’t get better. It just gets worse. It wouldn’t be a weekend without someone chanting “sacked in the morning” at him and he heard a familiar song.
It has become the soundtrack to a slide.
Resigned Pep Guardiola signals the complete breakdown of all-conquering Man City
Predicted line-ups & prediction
10:40 , Luke Baker
Predicted line-ups
Man City XI: Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Simpson-Pusey, Gvardiol; Gundogan, Kovacic; Silva, Foden, Doku; Haaland.
Everton XI: Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Mangala, Gueye, Doucoure; Harrison, Calvert-Lewin, Ndiaye.
Prediction
Everton have frustrated the league’s top sides in recent weeks, and with City struggling to score goals over their last few games, this could be another frustrating match for Pep Guardiola and his side.
Manchester City 0-0 Everton.
Team news
10:30 , Chris Wilson
For Everton, Dwight McNeil could return after missing the draw against Chelsea, while Armando Broja is available again after being unable to face his parent club. Timothy Iroegbunam and James Garner remain out.
Orel Mangala, Idrissa Gueye and Abdoulaye Doucouré will likely continue in midfield, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin leading the line.
Team news
10:25 , Chris Wilson
Ruben Dias the latest City player to be ruled out for a few weeks.
After the loss to Villa, Guardiola confirmed that John Stones picked up an injury, and he will likely miss this match. The Spaniard previously said that Jahmai Simpson-Pusey could deputise at centre-back if needed.
In his pre-match conference, Guardiola added that he did not yet know whether Ederson and Matheus Nunes will be available after they missed the game against Villa.
Much of the side will likely be the same as last week, with Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan anchoring midfield and three of the four of Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne likely to feature in the more attacking roles.
Is Manchester City v Everton on TV?
10:20 , Luke Baker
When is Manchester City vs Everton?
The match kicks off at 12.30pm GMT on Boxing Day, Thursday, 26 December at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.
How can I watch the match?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Amazon Prime Video, with the streaming service showing every Boxing Day fixture in the Premier League.
If you want to stream major sporting events while you are travelling or watching from abroad you’ll need a VPN. Get the best VPN deals in the UK. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.
Manchester City vs Everton LIVE
10:10 , Luke Baker
Manchester City host Everton on Thursday afternoon in the first of the Premier League’s Boxing Day fixtures.
Pep Guardiola’s side fell to defeat away to Aston Villa last week, and that makes it one wins in their last 12 matches across all competitions.
The Cityzens sit in seventh in the table, though despite their struggles they are only four points off Nottingham Forest in fourth.
And they face an Everton side who have fought to successive 0-0 draw against Arsenal and Chelsea, with Sean Dyche’s men having climbed up to 15th, four points above the relegation zone.
The Toffees have improved in defence, stifling some of the league’s top sides in recent weeks, and present a potential stumbling block to a City side who are struggling for goals at the moment.
Manchester City vs Everton LIVE
09:58 , Chris Wilson
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of today’s Premier League match between Manchester City and Everton.
Pep Guardiola’s side are desperate for a win after just one in their last 12 wins, while Everton will look to frustrate the hosts as they aim to climb further away from the relegation zone.
We’ll have all the latest build-up, team news and updates here.