Everton vs Man City preview and team news ahead of big game at top & bottom of PL table

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Everton host Manchester City in what is a crucial game for both sides.

Everton sit two points above the relegation zone with just two league wins since September. Manchester City are now only three points clear at the top of the table after last weekend’s slip up at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Liverpool are breathing down their neck, closing the gap with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Leeds United midweek.

Fans of Everton will have been delighted to hear some positive news coming from Frank Lampard’s press conference on Friday, where he revealed Abdoulaye Doucoure and Demerai Gray have overcome their recent injuries and will be with the squad, as per Everton’s official website.

Lampard did however explain that they may not be involved from the start, due to not being up to match fitness. Everton are unbeaten under Lampard at home, with a win in the league and the cup, against Leeds and Brentford respectively.

The home fans at Goodison Park have really taken to the new manager and the atmosphere has increased tenfold compared to the toxicity under Rafa Benitez.

Pep Guardiola announced in his press conference on Friday that Gabriel Jesus and Jack Grealish were both available for selection after their recent injuries, as per Manchester City’s official website.

A place in the starting eleven would seem unlikely for both, given the squad depth they have. Man City will be looking to bounce back after defeat last week against Spurs, which was their first defeat in the league since October.

During this time, they had only dropped points once, in a 1-1 draw against Southampton.

Manchester City have won in their last five visits to Goodison Park, scoring at least two goals in each of them games.

Everton have won three of their last five home games and will be looking to add to that against the champions of England. City, however, haven’t lost an away game in the league since August.

Both managers have expressed support to each of their Ukrainian players, Oleksandr Zinchenko of Manchester City and Vitaliy Mykolenko of Everton.

Lampard has explained how the club are doing everything they can to help Mykolenko and will continue to do so. He also stated that the pair of them will have a chat as to whether he will be available for the game. Guardiola stated that “Oleks is an incredible, strong guy – really,” as reported by the Daily Mail.

A win for Everton could see them climb to 14th in the table, whereas a victory for Manchester City would increase their lead at the top to six points, with Liverpool not playing in the Premier League this weekend.

More Stories Abdoulaye Doucoure Demarai Gray Frank Lampard Gabriel Jesus Jack Grealish Oleksandr Zinchenko Pep Guardiola Vitaliy Mykolenko