It's starting to get late early for Manchester City. The team finds itself in the second half of the EPL season trailing Chelsea by seven points and only a point clear of the Top 4 with Arsenal and Manchester United just behind. The pressure is really on the Citizens to get three points in these tough matches against teams like Everton, and that pressure could end up being too much for them to handle.
Don't miss the BPL action from Goodison Park at 8:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, January 15, 2016. Catch every moment of the match live on NBC Sports Network.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Everton +328
Manchester City -119
Draw +280
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
Manchester City has been great on the road this year. The team is 7-0-3 with the second most goals and second best goal difference on the road during the term at 22 and +10 respectively, and that's why Everton is a decided underdog in this one even though only one team has come to Goodison Park and taken the full share of the spoils in 10 tries this year.
The Citizens are set at -119 on the moneyline, making them just a bit beyond a 50/50 proposition to take three points or to fail to get a maximum share of the spoils.
Key Injuries
The injury list here for Everton is fairly intense. Muhamed Besic, Yannick Bolasie, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James McCarthy, Bryan Oviedo, Matthew Pennington and Maarten Stekelenburg are all out of the fold, while Idrissa Gueye is serving international duty with the African Cup of Nations. Newcomer Morgan Schneiderlin from Manchester United probably won't be ready at Goodison Park at this point, and that's going to leave this awkward gap in the midfield, particularly if Tom Cleverley is loaned out to Watford as is rumored at the moment.
The news is starting to get a little better on the injury front for Man City. Though neither of Vincent Kompany nor Leroy Sane are expected to play in this fixture, they're both back in training after long stints on the touchline and could be ready to play again in the next couple matches. Fernandinho is in the midst of a four-match suspension that will see him banned for the rest of this month.
Recent Form
Everton crashed out of the FA Cup last weekend against Leicester City in a 2-1 defeat at home, perhaps a telling sign of troubles ahead, especially after beating this same Leicester outfit at King Power Stadium on Boxing Day with ease. The Toffees are in decent form in the EPL though, having picked up seven points of a possible nine in their last three matches. It should be noted though, that none of the teams on the docket in that stretch were anywhere near the top of the table as Manchester City is.
There are times that this Man City team is just phenomenal, and we saw that for a full 90 against West Ham in the FA Cup. The match was on Friday instead of Saturday as most played, yet the Citizens left no doubt on the road with their short rest about advancing. That's now five wins in six matches across all competitions for Pep Guardiola's side, a sure sense that the proverbial corner has been turned.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
The oddsmakers have made this tricky on us for sure. On one hand, it's clear that Manchester City has the more talented side, even if Kompany and Sane aren't out there. Everton has far too many injuries to ultimately compete at this stage, and the team has been beaten in two of its last three matches at home after starting the year unbeaten in nine domestically and a couple others in less meaningful cup matches as well.
But Goodison Park is still a royal pain to play at, and if there's a match that the Toffees really need to be at their best in, this is it. By hook or by crook, we suspect that Ronald Koeman's side will eke out a point.
BPL Odds: Everton 1, Manchester City 1
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