Manchester City welcome Everton to the Etihad Stadium on the final day of 2020-21 Premier League season.
With the title all sewn up and nothing to play for in this match, Man City will be looking to finish the domestic season on a high heading into next Saturday’s Champions League Final.
Everton meanwhile must win and hope that Tottenham lose at Leicester if they’re to snatch Europa Conference League qualification.
Team News
Ilkay Gundogan is a doubt for Man City after suffering a knee injury in Tuesday’s shock defeat at Brighton.
Joao Cancelo is suspended after being sent off in midweek as Raheem Sterling (muscle) and Kyle Walker (ankle) look set to be rested ahead of next Saturday’s Champions League Final against Chelsea.
Sergio Aguero is currently struggling with knocks to his leg, muscle and adductor but could feature from the bench in his farewell home match, as the Argentinean prepares to depart City.
Everton will be without Seamus Coleman due to an unspecified injury.
James Rodriguez (calf) and Jean-Philippe Gbamin (knee) are also ruled out.
Stat Attack
- Man City have lost just one of their last nine league meetings against Everton (W6, D2, L1).
- Everton are winless in their last nine league trips to the Etihad Stadium (D4, L5).
- City’s Gabriel Jesus has scored four goals in their last two home games against Everton (W2).
- No Premier League player has scored more headed goals coming into this final matchweek than Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has scored seven headed goals.
- Tuesday’s loss to Brighton was the second occasion this season in which City conceded three or more goals in a defeat, having lost 5-2 to Leicester in September.
Prediction
Having suffered a shock defensive meltdown at Brighton on Tuesday evening from two goals up, Pep Guardiola will want an immediate response from his City team because they cannot to go into next week’s Champions League Final with another defeat.
Everton though simply need to win and hope results elsewhere go in their favour but they need to bring more aggression and clinical finishing than they did in midweek against Wolves, on top of shaking off their recent hoodoo against City.
It is therefore difficult to predict which way this game could go because I can see Guardiola resting key players here, which would suit Everton who have lost just one away trip in 2021 and I can see them springing a surprise if City aren’t careful.
Prediction: Manchester City 1-2 Everton