Recent Man City vs Everton prediction favours Pep Guardiola’s side as they prepare to host the Toffees at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Two of football’s most outspoken pundits, Gary Neville and Roy Keane, have found rare common ground on what to expect from the match. Both believe Everton will manage to find the net — but neither sees them leaving Manchester with any points.
The Toffees face an uphill battle against Pep Guardiola’s men, and they’ll have to do it without one of their most influential players.
Jack Grealish, on loan from Manchester City, is ineligible to feature against his parent club, leaving manager David Moyes with a major selection dilemma. Grealish has been pivotal for Everton this season, adding creativity and composure in attack, and his absence will force Moyes to reshuffle his lineup.
The Merseyside club had hoped that Grealish’s loan spell could lead to a permanent move, but with the £50 million buy option reportedly out of reach, it’s a dream that may have to wait. Without him, Everton’s attacking options will be tested to the limit against a City side that rarely drops points at home.
Neville and Keane Predict a Familiar Outcome
According to Everton.news, during the latest episode of The Overlap, former Manchester United stars Gary Neville and Roy Keane both shared their predictions for Saturday’s clash — and, interestingly, they were almost identical. Neville admitted that he expects Everton to show some fight but ultimately come up short.
“2-1? I think they’ll [Everton] score,” Neville said, prompting a quick response from fellow pundit Jamie Carragher, who predicted a 3-1 defeat for the Toffees.
Roy Keane echoed Neville’s sentiment, agreeing that Everton would likely get on the scoresheet but not enough to trouble Guardiola’s men.
“2-1. Everton will get a goal. International break, so when City get two, they’ll ease off, and Pep will go easy due to the travel,” Keane said.
The Man City vs Everton prediction is in City favour, though Keane’s observation about City’s post-international break fatigue offered a glimmer of hope for Moyes’ men. Even so, everyone around the table understood the scale of the task facing Everton, who have long struggled against Guardiola’s relentless side.
Paul Merson also weighed in with his own analysis, noting that Grealish’s absence could be a defining factor.
The former Arsenal midfielder suggested that without the playmaker, Everton might struggle to maintain possession and sustain attacks against City’s dominant midfield. His view reinforced the sense that while the Toffees might show flashes of resilience, quality and depth would likely decide the outcome.
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For Everton fans, hearing that both Neville and Keane expect their team to score might offer some encouragement. Yet, those same supporters know how difficult it has been to even trouble the scoreline against Manchester City in recent years.
Everton’s unimpressive records against Manchester City
While Neville and Keane’s predictions bring a note of optimism, the statistics paint a far bleaker picture. In their last ten encounters with Manchester City, Everton have only managed to score in three matches — a striking reminder of City’s defensive solidity and dominance.
The most recent goal came in a hard-fought 1-1 draw at the Etihad last season, when Jordan Pickford saved an Erling Haaland penalty to preserve a valuable point for the Toffees. Iliman Ndiaye was the hero that day, finding the net in what was one of Everton’s best away performances of the campaign. He will be hoping for a repeat performance on Saturday.
But beyond that rare success, history has been cruel. Everton have not beaten Manchester City since a stunning 4-0 victory back in 2017 — an afternoon that now feels like a distant memory.
Since then, the balance of power has shifted entirely. City have won most of the encounters since, often in convincing fashion, and the gap in quality between the two squads appears as wide as ever.
Everton’s defence, marshalled by James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite, will need to produce a near-perfect performance to contain City’s firepower.
With Erling Haaland expected to lead the line, supported by Phil Foden and possibly Jeremy Doku, Everton cannot afford even a momentary lapse in concentration.
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However, the Toffees do possess the kind of fighting spirit that Moyes has been instilling since his return. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s aerial threat and Abdoulaye Doucouré’s midfield energy could offer moments of hope, especially on the counterattack.
If Everton can keep the game close and frustrate City for long stretches, the belief will grow that they can nick a result — even if only a draw.
Still, it is telling that even the most optimistic pundits predict a narrow defeat. Everyone at the table was quick to agree that a loss for David Moyes’ side was the most likely outcome, highlighting the difficult task at hand.
