Manchester City v Everton
Premier League
Etihad Stadium
8pm kick-off
TEAM NEWSGylfi Sigurdsson could be in line to make his Everton debut after completing a Club-record switch from Swansea City.
“Gylfi will train [on Saturday] and will do tests,” said Everton manager Ronald Koeman. “I’m not worried about his fitness. Of course, as a player you need game-time and need to play games in pre-season to get to 100 per cent. But his fitness is okay and he is a good professional.
“He will get time next week. We have a tough week coming up and he will be part of all the games next week.”
Elsewhere, forward Sandro Ramirez, who missed Thursday’s Europa League clash with Hajduk Split with a heel injury, could return.
But the Blues boss will be without Yannick Bolasie, Ramiro Funes Mori, James McCarthy (all knee), Seamus Coleman (leg) and Ross Barkley (hamstring) for Monday’s trip to Manchester City.
For the hosts, summer signing Benjamin Mendy (thigh) and Ilkay Gundogan (knee) are expected to miss out, while Samir Nasri is a major doubt with a neck problem.
FORMIt has been a perfect start for Everton with four victories and four clean sheets from their opening four fixtures of the 2017/18 season.
A pair of 1-0 wins over MFK Ružomberok were followed by a win by the same scoreline against Stoke City in the Premier League curtain-raiser last weekend.
The Blues’ last outing came on Thursday, when they recorded a 2-0 first-leg triumph over Croatian side Hajduk Split in the UEFA Europa League play-off.
City, meanwhile, began their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 win over newly-promoted Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.
LAST TIME WE MET: Everton 4-0 Manchester City, Sunday 15 January 2017
Everton 4-0 Manchester City, Sunday 15 January 2017Everton produced an outstanding performance to dismantle title-hopefuls Manchester City at Goodison Park. Everton produced an outstanding performance to dismantle title-hopefuls Manchester City at Goodison Park.
The Toffees willingly soaked up 71% of City possession but restricted Guardiola's side to few chances and scored with four of six attempts at goal.
Romelu Lukaku slotted in a Kevin Mirallas cut-back to open the scoring and the Belgium internationals combined again after the break when Mirallas drilled Lukaku's through-ball across the keeper and into the Gwladys Street net.
Tom Davies sent Goodison Park into raptures on just his second league start by dinking a third over Claudio Bravo after a mazy run. It was a strike that would be awarded the Club’s Goal of the Season.
Then debutant Ademola Lookman got in on the act, firing between the legs of goalkeeper Claudio Bravo in injury-time.
ONE TO WATCH: BERNARDO SILVA
The 23-year-old had played 58 appearances for Monaco in 2016/17, scoring 11 goals and providing 12 assists to help his side win the Ligue 1 title and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.
A classy playmaker, he started his career at Benfica before joining Monaco, initially on loan, in 2014.
Silva, who has 16 caps for his nation, made his City debut as an 83rd-minute substitute in the 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE: ROBERT MADLEY
West Yorkshireman Madley officiated this season’s Community Shield between Arsenal and Chelsea, where four players were booked and one was sent off.
Madley also took charge of West Bromwich Albion’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth last weekend, when, again, four players saw yellow.
He was the man in the middle for three games involving the Blues last season - away defeats to Bournemouth and Chelsea and a home win over Leicester City.
LIVE COVERAGE!
As always, there will be free live audio commentary of Monday’s contest here on evertonfc.com.
Click here to listen to broadcast duo of Graham Stuart and Darren Griffiths’ coverage of the action on matchday.
Get involved in the broadcast on Saturday by tweeting in your shout-out requests using #EvertonLive.
In addition to our live commentary, look out for our live blog which will bring you updates, imagery, video and team news from the Etihad Stadium. Head to the match centre, the official App or the evertonfc.com homepage on matchday to find it.
Everton FC