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Manchester City head to Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time on Monday night needing to close the gap in the title race.
Pep Guardiola expressed caution about the unfamiliar venue while facing a six-point deficit to Arsenal. "It will be strange because the old Everton ground was so great and charming, very British," he reflected this week. "I really enjoyed going there." And with good reason. Guardiola recorded nine straight wins at Goodison Park before Everton relocated to the waterfront last summer.
Given City's dominant recent form and the hosts' inconsistent adjustment to life at the Hill Dickinson, Guardiola may quickly grow to appreciate this new environment.
Rodri's Touch-and-Go Fitness
The primary fitness concern for Guardiola to manage is Rodri. City's dependence on the Spanish midfielder is not as acute as it once was, but they are undeniably a stronger side when the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner is orchestrating play from the base of midfield.
All Guardiola would reveal was that Rodri is "improving." City still have six fixtures remaining this season, including the FA Cup final, and rushing the 29-year-old back could risk an even more damaging injury.
There is no questioning the ability of Nico O'Reilly, who has stepped in admirably. The only drawback is that deploying the gifted teenager in midfield means he cannot drift into that zone from left back. Rayan Aït-Nouri does not provide the same influence in central areas.
With an eye on what lies ahead, Rodri may be held back on Monday night.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Everton (4-2-3-1)
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—When the exceptional goalkeeper was a towering youngster, his mother reportedly had to show opposing teams his identification to prove he was not an overage player bending the rules. It may still require official documentation to persuade some that he is only 27.
RB: Matheus Nunes—The once-criticized midfielder has reinvented himself as City's undisputed first-choice right back.
CB: Abdukodir Khusanov—Khusanov's first name is derived from the Arabic words Abd, al- and Qadir, translating to "servant, who can do everything" — a description that feels remarkably apt given his recent showings.
CB: Marc Guéhi—Since making his debut in a comfortable victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in January, Guéhi is the only City outfield player to have played every available Premier League minute.
LB: Rayan Aït-Nouri—It has been an inconsistent debut season for the former Wolves full-back, who depends on O'Reilly being selected in midfield just to earn a place in the side.
CM: Bernardo Silva—The target of good-natured squad ribbing over his "old man wardrobe," former teammate Gabriel Jesus was so baffled by the Portuguese midfielder's fashion choices that he suspected it was all an elaborate joke.
CM: Nico O'Reilly—The academy product has lost just one Premier League match he has started across a promising start to his blossoming career.
AM: Rayan Cherki—"There are many years and games where opponents will be tight," Guardiola warned last summer, with tricky away fixtures like Everton in mind. "We need quality, special quality in the final third and pure talent." He signed exactly the right player for that role. "Rayan has it."
RW: Antoine Semenyo—The former Bournemouth attacker has already suffered a defeat to Everton this season. He can ill afford another.
ST: Erling Haaland—City's clinical striker made just one appearance at Everton's old Goodison Park home — and he scored. There is every reason to believe he will do the same on unfamiliar ground.
LW: Jérémy Doku—The unpredictable winger backs himself fully but recently admitted in a string of interviews that he lacks one key ingredient: goals. "Even five tap-ins a season, that would make a big difference," he told The Times.