Next: Everton (Away)

[AG7]

Everton v Manchester City
Goodison Park, Liverpool

Saturday 3 May 2014
Kickoff: 1730 BST

Referee: Lee Probert
Assistants : S Burt & M McDonough
Fourth Official: Jonathan Moss

TV Coverage in UK: Sky 3D (Sky 170), Sky Sports 1 HD (Sky 401) and Sky Sports 1 (Sky 407)
Coverage starts at 1700 BST
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Now that was a Super Sunday, in fact it was a Super Duper Sunday ... Liverpool drop not only 2 but all 3 points at home, their 11 game winning run comes to an end, deflating their confidence and that high horse they were on ... and of course along with them all the media who were having a collective orgy of sorts in their 'honor' ...

And then we went and did our business ... a very professional 2-0 win, never looked like in any danger or exposing too much at the back, clinical up front and not really getting out of second gear unnecessarily ... and wrapping our big players in wool, so to speak, at just the right time with substitutions of Yaya and Aguero ...

The weekend will round up nicely tonight if Arsenal can win at home against a Newcastle side who by the looks of it have already finished their season ... a home win will see they get one hand on the Arsenal Cup (i.e. the fourth place trophy), and more importantly for us Everton won't be getting any ideas, or an unwanted boost in their spirits before their next game ...
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The Opposition

Everton has been great this season and Martinez has proven that he is the anti-Moyes ... he can get his teams to organize well and punch above their weight at times, especially at home ... and with their fans behind them, Goodison remains a tough away day for anyone in the league ... but let me come to that a little later.

The biggest plus for us right now is the timing of this fixture ... it's coming after a whole week's break for us, no mid-week games again, our key injured players are back (or making their way back at the right time), i.e. Aguero, Yaya and possibly Silva ... while they on the other hand have taken the worst hits on injuries front ... they top the PhysioRoom's injury list with 9 first team players out ...

Everton Injuries
according to the PhysioRoom

Baines | Knee Injury | no return date
Mirallas | Groin/Pelvis Injury | no return date
Distin | Hamstring Injury | no return date
Pienaar | Cartilage Knee Injury | 11th May 14
Jagielka | Hamstring Injury | 3rd May 14
Traore | Hamstring Injury | no return date
Oviedo | Broken Leg | no return date
Kone | Knee Injury | 11th May 14
Gibson | ACL Knee Injury | 11th May 14

Add Barry to that list as he is ineligible to play against us and that's big big misses for them, especially if Distin and Baines missing at the back and Mirallas and Barry missing in front of them. Depends on who you believe a few of the above might be OK to play or at least make the bench but then there are also reports that possibly Jagielka might not be able to return either. Their last game against Saints showed they are missing key players at the back and with Barry unavailable against us we couldn't have asked for a better time to play them.

I mentioned Martinez above, and he is not setting them to sit back like Moyes used to so that also plays well in our hand as we normally find it difficult to break down stubbornly parked buses. Also the confidence timing is great for us, while we have had that shot in the arm with Liverpool losing and us wining at Palace ... they on the other hand have just about lost that fourth place they were fighting for up until a few weeks ago (and in fact were favorites for) ... this would have been the most difficult of our games in the run-in but with all the above I kind of felt before our last game that Palace away was more difficult than Everton in the last four.
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The Game

But having said all that and keeping all the positives aside ... they have been our bogey team, especially away from home ... (and if our second bogey team Sunderland haven't taught us anything) ... well, we really need to be well up for it ... no matter how high we'd be feeling after having our title fate back in our own hands ... and how down they might be given their injuries list and possibly having lost out on the fourth spot already (barring an Arsenal debacle tonight) ... Goodison remains our bogey ground and a tough tough place to go to ... when was the last time we took all three points there?

Another interesting aspect of this fixture would be their crowd support ... whatever their fans are saying on radio call-ins this morning about them wanting to even sacrifice a European spot if that means Liverpool doesn't win the title and instead City does ... I am not so sure that they won't be behind their team come Saturday ... yes, even if Arsenal wins tonight, simply because that is their last home game of the season. Oh, and god forbid if Arsenal drops any points tonight, they will have all to play for ... (CuteManc's away end view should be interesting this week).
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Team Selection

Don't see Pelligrini making many changes ... the line-up against Place was perfect (in the absence of Navas and Silva) and even if either of them is fit, maximum I see him is making the bench. The only thing I do see is possibly Clichy coming in for Kolarov ... Kola was quiet(er) last game and Pellegrini has consistently shuffled the left-back slot.

Hart
Zaba - Komps - Demi - Clichy
Garcia
Milner - Yaya - Nasri
Dzeko - Aguero
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Score Prediction

I think we will be well up for it ... thank god this is an away game, so we don't have to worry about our own support as away support has been good all season and will be well up again ...

Everton 1 - 3 Manchester City
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Other Games

Ours is the first big game on Saturday ... yes there are six other games before us but nothing that stands out. Ours then rounds up the Saturday (and should we win, puts us at the top of the table on GD). Chelsea then takes on Norwich at home and Arsenal hosts West Brom on Sunday. Home bankers I'd say and should Chelsea win too, Liverpool will be going to Palace on Monday night having fallen to third place in the table.
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Title Scenarios

If we are to win it, the title is going to the last day ... there are no scenarios left where we can now win it before the last day of the league ...

Simplest scenario is we win on Saturday, go top of the table, would be back in second or third place by Monday night though depending on what Chelsea/Liverpool do in their games but then we have that game in hand mid-week on Wednesday against Villa ... win that and we are back on top going into the final day ... needing to simply better Liverpool's result (if they have won theirs at Palace).

We were praying that Liverpool would slip up against Chelsea and they did ... in more ways than one. We simply can not and should not expect another defeat from others anymore. Liverpool's final two games are at Palace away and at home to Newcastle. As we saw, Palace is not as daunting a place to play as it was before the Eagles were safe.

If we are to win the title we need to do it ourselves from here on in ... and it all starts with a win at Everton!

C'MON CITY !!!!!!!

[zabbadabbado]

As good as any time to play them, Loads of injuries, cant play Barry.

We play like we did at Palace we will win.

Please don't fuck it up now City, after the most unlikely win, but thoroughly deserved win at in form Palace.

[Crossie]

I can't stand the wait.

Yeeharr what a ride

[Bluedj]

Absolute roller coaster Crossie lad..........Woooohooooooooooo!!

[Goaters 103]

Whilst Mr Martinez has done a great job, we owe him one for a certain rainy saturday last May.

Now is the time to pay him back in spades. Time for our big players to man up, show up and do the business. Its bollocks on the table time Gents, a second chance we never thought we'd get, so lets grab it.

[zuricity]

Whilst Mr Martinez has done a great job, we owe him one for a certain rainy saturday last May.

Now is the time to pay him back in spades. Time for our big players to man up, show up and do the business. Its bollocks on the table time Gents, a second chance we never thought we'd get, so lets grab it.

I can easily see Martinez at the helm at the Etihad once Pelli packs it in.

[Saul Goodman]

Baines to be fit

[zuricity]

Baines to be fit

Pelle to offer 35 mill in the summer.

[South Stand Balti]

We could do with Merlin back for this one. I'm also thinking I would maybe play 5 in midfield. Martinez always plays 5 in the middle against us and we can be over run midfield. If all available

Hart
Zaba Kompany Demi Clichy
Garcia Ferna
Nasri Yaya silva
Aguero
Chelsea had 7 players missing yesterday but won so I'm not sure Everton injuries will matter. Besides, I think Baines Distin and Jag are expected back. Let's over power whoever they put on the field 0-2

[MilnersJaw]

3 points easy. Martinez doesn't put ten men behind the ball which plays into our hands and so many players injured.

[getdressedmctavish]

3 easy points my arse. Martinez will think up a neat plan. Expect Lukaku out wide and our CH's with no one to mark.And for fuck's sake Pellers forget Cliché.

[Plain Speaking]

Goal.com reporting David Silva due to return to training on Tuesday after scans revealed ankle injury not as bad as first feared.

[zabbadabbado]

Apparently the Everton fans are saying on the forums that they are going to do a poznan at the final whistle if they get beat by us Saturday.That will be class and as funny as fuck if true.Didn't realize they hate their neighbors so much.

A joke doing the rounds in Liverpool is that Everton football club are proud to announce that Manchester City have sold their 40,000 ticket allocation for the game lmao.

[Blue Since 76]

Apparently the Everton fans are saying on the forums that they are going to do a poznan at the final whistle if they get beat by us Saturday.That will be class and as funny as fuck if true.Didn't realize they hate their neighbors so much.

A joke doing the rounds in Liverpool is that Everton football club are proud to announce that Manchester City have sold their 40,000 ticket allocation for the game lmao.

Their fans may want it, as we would and have in the past. However, we're not playing them and we can't expect the players to act in the same way after some poor results recently.

Nice to see their fans seem less poisoned since Moyes has gone though.

[sheblue]

After arsenal winning Everton won't get fourth and they know it, hope they turn off a bit.

[nottsblue]

Goodison always has been a tough place for us to go. I reckon it still will be regardless of whether Everton are unlikely to get fourth. They will still want to finish as high as they can and some will be playing to impress boss as they could be looking for new contracts.

Still think initiative is with us and we'll get a result, it will just be a hard fought one imo

[AG7]

We need to go and score early to calm our nerves and also if they don't have that fourth spot to get to, they might not fight back as hard as they might have otherwise after going a goal or two down ... but if we go behind, all the onus will be on us needing a win ... a draw there does us no good ... it's a win or bust!

[avoidconfusion]

3 points easy. Martinez doesn't put ten men behind the ball which plays into our hands and so many players injured.

Which is a perfect reason for us to lose it. :)

[zuricity]

Which is a perfect reason for us to lose it. :)

can he field 10 men ? their squad is so decimated.

[blues2win]

Actually Everton played deep defence against the Scum playing at home allowing them lots of possession and then launched quick counter attacks. They could do the same against us.