Everton vs Manchester City: prediction, head-to-head stats and probable lineups — 04.05.2026
One of the matches of the Premier League’s 35th round will take place on Monday at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, where Everton will host Manchester City. The hosts, reeling from two painful defeats, are fighting to stay near the European qualification zone, while the visitors continue their title chase, arriving on Merseyside with a winning streak across all competitions.
Match preview
Everton have suddenly slumped after a strong spell where David Moyes’ side picked up ten points in five matches. Their last two defeats were especially tough psychologically: first, the Toffees fell to Liverpool after Virgil van Dijk’s goal in the 100th minute, then lost 1-2 to West Ham, conceding the decisive goal to Callum Wilson in stoppage time.
Still, Everton remain within touching distance of the top six, but must drastically improve their late-game performances to stay in the hunt. The return of Beto after clearing concussion protocol could be a major boost for the attack: before his injury, the forward tallied four goals and one assist in three matches, and with Jack Grealish and Jarrad Branthwaite sidelined, Moyes is in need of a player who can make things happen in the box.
Manchester City, after the international break, are back chasing the title in their trademark spring form. Pep Guardiola’s side have won six straight matches in all competitions, conceding just twice during this run. Their 1-0 Premier League win over Burnley and 2-1 FA Cup semifinal victory against Southampton showed the main thing — the Citizens know how to get results even when it’s not a fireworks display.
City still have some injury concerns with Rodri, while Gvardiol and Ruben Dias remain unavailable, but the squad’s depth allows Guardiola to refresh his starting lineup with new leaders. Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva, and Nico Gonzalez — who scored a long-range stunner in the FA Cup semifinal — give City plenty of options for breaking down even the most stubborn defenses away from home.
Probable lineups
- Everton: Pickford, O’Brien, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Garner, Gueye, McNeil, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye, Beto.
- Manchester City: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Riley, Silva, Gonzalez, Semenyo, Cherki, Doku, Haaland.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Manchester City have won their last six matches in all competitions and are unbeaten in 11 straight Premier League games.
- Everton haven’t beaten Manchester City in their last 17 Premier League meetings.
- Pep Guardiola has never lost in 15 Premier League matches against David Moyes, winning 12 and drawing three.
Since February 20, the Citizens have the best xG in the Premier League (17.81).
Man City have scored 28 away goals — only Chelsea have a better away attack (30 goals).
- The Toffees have picked up just 22 points at home — the worst record among the Premier League’s top 12 teams.
- Manchester City have won by at least a -1.5 handicap in seven of their last eight league visits to Everton.
- At least three yellow cards have been shown in six of Manchester City’s last seven Premier League away matches.
Prediction
Everton can make this a tricky fixture with their compact defending, fighting spirit, and Beto’s return, but recent rounds have shown Moyes’ side pay a steep price for late mistakes. That’s a dangerous habit against City: the visitors rarely forgive lapses in concentration and are masters at grinding out results even when things aren’t clicking early. Manchester City don’t need to blow teams away at this stage of the season — control, patience, and three points matter most. Given City’s form, their spring momentum, and the dominant head-to-head history, another hard-fought Guardiola victory seems the most logical outcome.
