Man City visit Everton with title destiny in their own hands

Key facts

• Manchester City are six points behind Arsenal with two games in hand.
• Everton have lost their last two league matches via 90th-minute goals.
• David Moyes has never beaten Pep Guardiola in 15 managerial meetings.
• City have won their past eight visits to Everton in all competitions.
• Everton have the 14th-best home record in the Premier League this season.
• Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has scored eight league goals, outperforming his xG by 4.2.
• Jeremy Doku has made 82 carries into the opponent's penalty area, most in the league.

Title race pressure mounts as City resume league campaign

Manchester City return to Premier League action on Monday night knowing that victory over Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium would reduce Arsenal's lead to just three points, with two games still in hand. Pep Guardiola's side have not played a league match since edging Burnley 1-0 on April 26, but they kept sharp with a 2-1 FA Cup semi-final win over Southampton last weekend. The Gunners have done their part, winning consecutive matches after their defeat at the Etihad last month, but City remain in complete control of their own destiny. A sixth straight league win would pile the pressure back on Mikel Arteta's side, who now boast a superior goal difference of +41 to City's +37.

Everton's European hopes dented by late collapses

David Moyes's side enter the fixture on the back of two devastating injury-time defeats. Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk scored a 100th-minute winner in the Merseyside derby, and Callum Wilson's 92nd-minute strike gave West Ham a 2-1 victory last weekend. It is the first time Everton have conceded a winning goal in the 90th minute or later in back-to-back league games. The Toffees are five points behind sixth-placed Bournemouth with a game in hand, meaning European qualification remains possible but increasingly precarious. Moyes has relied on a remarkably small core of players — Everton have made the fewest substitutions and used the fewest players in the division, with only Nottingham Forest making fewer changes to their starting XI over the season.

Guardiola's dominance over Moyes extends to 15 meetings without defeat

The head-to-head record between the two managers is stark: Guardiola has won 12 and drawn three of their 15 Premier League encounters, with Moyes yet to taste victory. Only Sean Dyche against Guardiola and Steve Bruce against Sir Alex Ferguson have faced an opponent more times without winning in the competition — 17 occasions each. City's overall record against Everton is equally imposing. The Toffees have not beaten City in the league since a 4-0 win at Goodison Park in 2016, a run of 17 games. City have won their past eight visits to Everton, the longest run of consecutive home defeats against one opponent in the club's history.

Team news: Branthwaite out, Rodri a doubt for City

Everton will be without Jarrad Branthwaite after the defender sustained a hamstring injury in the Merseyside derby. Michael Keane is expected to replace him in central defence. David Moyes will have Beto back in attack after the striker missed the West Ham loss following a concussion against Liverpool. For City, Jack Grealish is out for the season, and Ruben Dias is likely to miss out with a thigh issue. Josko Gvardiol remains a long-term absentee. The club are waiting to assess Rodri's groin injury before finalising the line-up. Rayan Cherki has been in superb form, directly contributing to four goals in his last five appearances.

City's spring surge built on defensive solidity and creative overload

Since a disappointing 1-1 draw with West Ham and a Champions League exit to Real Madrid in mid-March, City have won six consecutive matches across all competitions, conceding only two goals. Guardiola has found a way to pack his creative talents into the same frontline, and the team has hit an imperious stride. Jeremy Doku has been a particular threat, making 82 carries into the opponent's penalty area — nine more than any other player in the league. That directness could exploit Everton's full-back positions, which have been a weakness all season. City are 1/2 favourites to win, while Everton are 9/2 and the draw is 15/4.

Hill Dickinson not yet a fortress for Everton

Despite the reputation of Goodison Park as a difficult venue, Everton's new home has not provided the same advantage. The Toffees boast only the 14th-best home record in the Premier League this season, and they are still adjusting to their surroundings. Moyes acknowledged the stakes: "We know if we can do something special it could help us greatly," he said. A victory would not only boost Everton's European hopes but also aid his former captain Mikel Arteta in the title race. Guardiola's message to his players was simpler: "Win, win, win."

The bottom line

• Manchester City can move within three points of Arsenal with a win, holding two games in hand.
• Everton have lost consecutive league games to injury-time goals, damaging their European push.
• David Moyes has never beaten Pep Guardiola in 15 attempts across all competitions.
• City have won their last eight visits to Everton, a club record for consecutive home defeats.
• Everton's thin squad is showing signs of fatigue after making the fewest substitutions in the league.
• Jeremy Doku's dribbling could be decisive against Everton's vulnerable full-back areas.