Manchester City can ill-afford a slip up on Merseyside

This season’s Premier League title race was always going to be predictable. There seemed very little possibility of any other side apart from champions Manchester City or last seasons runners-up getting close to the title.

The start of the season has only reinforced that belief. The pair are way ahead of every other team, maybe not points-wise, but quality-wise. However, Liverpool have won all their games and find themselves five points clear of the Citizens ahead of this weekend’s action.

Cannot afford to slip-up at Goodison

Even at this early stage of the Premier League campaign, there is a feeling that every slip-up by either City or Liverpool could be decisive at the end of the campaign. Pep Guardiola’s team have already drawn 2-2 with Tottenham and suffered a shock 3-2 defeat at Norwich.

This weekend City travel to Merseyside to face Liverpool’s arch-rivals, Everton. In reality, the Toffees do not seem to be any sort of form to threaten the visitors on Saturday evening. You almost feel like City cannot afford to slip-up.

Marco Silva’s side did get the better of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United at Goodison Park towards the end of the season. However, that was when their tails were up and the confidence was flowing.

At the moment, the atmosphere at Everton is less optimistic. Between terrible displays and baffling decisions by boss Silva, the Toffees only look a danger to themselves.

City cannot afford complacency though. The Citizens slipped-up against Norwich, so they will need to produce a professional performance.

Liverpool do not look like slipping up

I hate to say it, but Liverpool do not look like slipping up at the minute. They have won their last 15 league matches and it is difficult to see who is going to take points off them this season.

With the gap already five points, the two games between City and the Reds are likely to hold massive importance. Liverpool will no doubt have a dip in form at some stage during the season, most teams do.

At some stage, their luck will run out and they will drop points. That is when City need to stay consistent, just as they did last season to pip the Merseysider’s to the title by a point.

It is unheard in the modern era for a team to win all their league games in the English top-flight. It seems unlikely that will happen with any team. If Jurgen Klopp’s team did do achieve that record then it would be unreal.

City big favourites to win at Everton

Manchester City have bounced back from that shock 3-2 defeat at Norwich in style. In their last league match, the Citizens hammered Watford 8-0 at the Etihad Stadium. The game on Saturday is likely to be less comfortable for Guardiola’s team, even if Silva’s side are not in great form.

City are currently big favourites at odds of 3/10 to record a third straight win over the Toffees in all competitions. It would be a brave man to bet against them picking up maximum points. Everton fans will be hoping that their team produces something that loosely resembles that of a Premier League team, even they are facing one of the best club teams in the world.

Manchester City now seem more determined than ever to retain their title and the Citizens are still title favourites. A win at Everton may well just stop them slipping further behind last seasons runners-up in the league, but they need to build some momentum to prevent any more Norwich results.

Will Manchester City win at Everton on Saturday evening?