Everton’s Europa League adventures are often cited as explanation for why they performed so poorly in last season’s Premier League. Following a fifth-place finish in his first season as Everton manager, Roberto Martínez and his Toffees slumped to 11th place. Another poor season would likely seal the fate of Martínez, but a 3-0 away victory against Southampton indicates that the Spaniard could yet deliver success.
Man City have had an astonishing start to the season under Manuel Pellegrini, winning their first two games 3-0, with the victories coming against West Brom and then Chelsea. Pellegrini’s side are already top of the league and looking down on Chelsea, the winners of last season’s Premier League. Maintaining momentum with an away win against Everton will be important for the Citizens.
Expectations
After slumping to a frustrating 2-2 home draw against Premier League newcomers Watford, Martínez was already under pressure to restore faith in an away encounter versus Southampton. Against all expectations, Everton cruised to a 3-0 win on the back of stellar performances from young stars Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley.
Maintaining their form will be tough against the brute force and extreme pace of Man City. The Citizens easily have one of the most physical first XIs in the league, which could be tough for Everton’s youngsters and the ageing Gareth Barry.
José Mourinho is normally incredible at setting up his Chelsea sides to play against the top four. However, Pellegrini destroyed the Portuguese on Sunday afternoon and was entirely deserving of a 3-0 score-line.
Having the additional pace of £49 million summer signing Raheem Sterling is opening up space for other City players. David Silva responded by laying on two goals for his teammates, highlighting just how vital he will be to any success they attain this season. The classy Spaniard is needed by Sergio Agüero, who rarely disappoints with good service.
Match Tips
Tip one: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.61 with ladbrokes
Tip two: Both teams to score @ 1.61 with ladbrokes
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Combine Everton’s ability to perform erratically in defence with their talented attackers and you have a game that will likely deliver goals.
