Returning to the Premier League landscape with a Club World Cup trophy proudly on display, Manchester City resume their halted title defence away to Everton on Wednesday evening.

Pep Guardiola's men thrashed Fluminense 4-0 to become champions of the globe last week, while their hosts are aiming to bounce back from back-to-back cup and league defeats.

Match preview

A new page of club history could have been written for Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the Toffees were aiming to win five successive Premier League games away from home for the first time ever, as well as making it five games on the spin with maximum points altogether.

However, an old flame in the shape of Richarlison sent Tottenham ahead early doors before Son Heung-min doubled Spurs' lead inside the opening 20 minutes, and wave after wave of Everton attacks did not bear fruit until a fine Andre Gomes finish in the 82nd minute.

Former Tottenham loanee Arnaut Danjuma came agonisingly close to stealing a point on two occasions in the dying embers, but it was the Lilywhites who enjoyed the sweet taste of victory against the Toffees, whose festivities were also somewhat ruined by their EFL Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of Fulham.

Sean Dyche's charges could pat themselves on the back for their efforts in North London, but wins for Luton Town and Burnley at the weekend means that the 16th-placed Toffees - who could be demoted down to 17th by the time Wednesday's game rolls around - only have a four-point buffer to the drop zone.

However, after falling short in each of their first four home games of the new term, Everton have back-to-back wins against Chelsea and Newcastle United to show from their last two Goodison Park Premier League contests, scoring five goals and conceding a grand total of zero across those 180 minutes of action.

Three hours was all it took Manchester City to conquer the planet in the Middle East too, as a successful Saudi Arabian sojourn saw Guardiola's men stroll past Urawa Red Diamonds in their Club World Cup semi-final before locking horns with Copa Libertadores winners Fluminense in the global showpiece.

While Fluminense's brave style of play was to be commended, Man City ripped their foes to shreds via a Julian Alvarez double, Phil Foden tap-in and Nino own goal to become world club champions for the first time, leading to the 'closing of the circle' as Guardiola called it.

The reigning English, European and world champions now take to Premier League soil once again with a renewed sense of vigour, having departed for the Gulf state on the back of a gut-wrenching 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace, where they threw away a two-goal lead in front of an aggrieved Etihad faithful.

With only a solitary win to boast from their last six top-flight battles, Man City spent Christmas Day outside of the Champions League berths in fifth place, although Tottenham Hotspur are only two points better off than Guardiola's unit having played an extra match.

Furthermore, the quintessential Man City second-half-of-season surge could be ignited at any point, and Guardiola's side have now netted at least twice in five successive games ahead of their trip to Everton, whom they have triumphed over 11 times in their last 12 meetings across all competitions, including a resounding 3-0 Merseyside mauling in May.

Team News

Everton boss Dyche was forced into an unplanned midfield alteration after just 24 minutes of his side's battle with Tottenham at the weekend, as Idrissa Gueye sustained an unspecified issue, which the Toffees manager conceded did not look "great".

Gueye's likely absence would open the door for Gomes - who has just returned from his own troublesome calf issue - to make his first start of the new term, although Abdoulaye Doucoure (thigh) has not been ruled out of the visit of the champions just yet either.

Full-back duo Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young are also on Dyche's touch-and-go list with their knocks, while Dele Alli is inching ever closer to his long-awaited comeback from hip surgery but will only be on the bench at best this week.

Speaking of midfielders succumbing to injuries, Man City's indomitable lynchpin Rodri was left in a heap in the Club World Cup final due to a shocking challenge from Fluminense's Alexsander, who scythed the Spaniard down from behind in what Rodri described as one of the worst tackles of his career.

The former Atletico Madrid man did eventually have to be substituted after trying to carry on, but he played down the seriousness of his apparent knee issue after the game and affirmed that he would be fit to start at Goodison Park, where no fewer than three of his teammates could also make their anticipated returns.

Indeed, all of Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring), Jeremy Doku (muscle) and Erling Haaland (foot) travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup, although having not been risked for the semi-final, they were not permitted to play against Fluminense due to tournament regulations.

Nevertheless, De Bruyne made his return to training in the Middle East after four months out with a thigh problem, but even if he does make his comeback ahead of schedule, he will not be thrown straight back into the first XI so soon.

Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Onana, Garner, Gomes, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin

Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Akanji, Rodri; Silva, Alvarez, Foden; Haaland

We say: Everton 0-1 Manchester City

A staunch defensive display will be required from Everton if Dyche's side are to put another dent in Man City's title aspirations, but the Toffees had rediscovered their rearguard nous before being put to the sword at Tottenham, who did not emerge victorious without a couple of scares along the way.

Whether the hosts can carve open a galvanised City unit is another question entirely, though, and while the champions may not produce another Premier League performance to write home about, one goal should be all that is required for Guardiola's world-beaters to come back with a bang.


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