Date: Saturday, October 5 Venue: Etihad Stadium Kick-Off: 12:45 Can Everton preserve their unbeaten start at a place notoriously difficult to avoid defeat?
Team News
Manchester City will welcome back David following a thigh injury. The Spaniard was deployed as a substitute in the midweek defeat to Bayern Munich. Ex Everton star Jack Rodwell and Martin Demichellis both remain on the sidelines. With Gareth Barry ineligible and Darren Gibson doubtful with a knee injury, Roberto Martinez faces potential selection issues in the middle of the park. Kevin Mirallas is also a doubt with an ankle knock picked up on Monday night, while Steven Pienaar is also a major doubt. (BBC)
Key Stats
Everton remain the last unbeaten team in the Barclays Premier League this season. Manchester City have lost six of their last eight games against the Toffees. Their only clean sheet in the last 15 games against Everton came in a 2-0 win in September 2011.
Manchester City entertain Everton in an intriguing early fixture in the Barclays Premier League. The away side, off the back of an unbeaten start and a victory over Newcastle on Monday evening, are riding high with confidence. Despite being a peripheral figure the past few seasons, Ross Barkley has produced performances belying his youth and earned two well-deserved England call ups in the process. Barkley has also enjoyed the link up with loan recruitment Romelu Lukaku, who has netted three times since his deadline day move from Chelsea. Manuel Pellegrinis introduction to English football has been tough. City have shown flashes of brilliance and produced sluggish performances in equal measure so far. An emphatic drubbing of their rivals in red has masked two defeats to lowly Cardiff and a resurgent Aston Villa. No doubt a big concern for Citys fans is the form of Joe Hart, finding himself in the glare of the media spotlight after several mistakes against Bayern in midweek followed a suspect performance at Villa Park. Citys home advantage must count for a lot and they do have Yaya Toure in their ranks, the Ivorian surging through midfield on his way to scoring four goals this term.
First year student at Sunderland University with a passion for all things sport - more specifically cricket and football. Follow me on Twitter - @luke_bidwell.
