Man City v Everton preview: Raheem Sterling in contention to return

Raheem Sterling could make his comeback from a calf injury when Premier League leaders Manchester City host Everton.

The winger was forced to withdraw from the England squad for the World Cup Qualifiers against Malta and Slovenia but is in contention for Saturday's game at the Etihad Stadium.

Former Barcelona team-mates Pep Guardiola and Ronald Koeman will lock horns for the first time in management when the two sides meet.

The pair won four La Liga titles and one European Cup during their five-year spell together at the Catalan giants.

Guardiola's City are unbeaten in their last six Premier League meetings with Everton (W4 D2), conceding just four goals in that period and have a perfect home record in the league this season.

After going unbeaten in his first six games in charge, Koeman is now three games without a win after defeats against Norwich (in the EFL Cup) and Bournemouth and a draw last time out against Crystal Palace.

Team news

Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne could come into contention for City.

Sterling (calf) and De Bruyne (hamstring) have both trained this week and are close to making a return while captain Vincent Kompany (groin) could also feature in the near future.

Midfielder Fabian Delph could also be back in consideration after a knock but right-back Bacary Sagna is out until next month with a hamstring injury sustained on international duty.

Everton have striker Romelu Lukaku and defenders Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines fit.

Lukaku reported an issue with his thigh after Belgium's World Cup Qualifier last week but has now recovered while Jagielka, who pulled out of England's squad with a similar problem, and Baines, who missed the last two matches with a hamstring strain, are also ready for action.

Midfielder Darron Gibson (groin) is fit again but winger Aaron Lennon is a doubt with a minor knock, while a late decision will be taken on James McCarthy after he played almost two full matches for the Republic of Ireland having not featured since late August after groin surgery.

Match stats

Everton have managed just one goal in their last four top-flight clashes with City, courtesy of a Steven Naismith effort in 1-1 draw in January 2015.

At the Etihad, City are unbeaten in their last five top-flight clashes with the Toffees (W3 D2), after losing each of the four matches before that.

City have shipped five goals in their last two games, having conceded six in the previous 10 matches under Guardiola.

Guardiola last lost consecutive league games as a manager in May 2015 with Bayern Munich (a run of three defeats).

Lukaku has bagged five goals in his last four Premier League appearances after a run of 11 consecutive appearances in the competition without a goal.

Only once before in the Premier League have Everton accrued more points from their first seven games of a season (16 in 2004/05) than in this campaign (14)

This season, the Citizens are running over 7km more per Premier League game on average than last season (114.8km per game in 2016/17 compared to 107.2 in 2015/16).

The Toffees have picked up six points from losing positions in the top-flight this season, a joint league high along with rivals Liverpool.

Merson's predictions

Everton have gone off the boil a little bit recently and I don't see how they can match Tottenham's tempo when they beat Man City.

They need to press high and make sure Claudio Bravo can't pass it out. You let him kick it long because they have Sterling, Sergio Aguero and David Silva, and none of them are over 5ft 8in.

Teams are catching on to this because it forces City to take even more chances at the back, which gives you opportunities. But can Everton play that way for 90 minutes? I don't think so.

City always have a go and Everton will create chances, so it should be high scoring.

PAUL PREDICTS: 3-2 (Sky Bet odds 20/1)

Betting

Sky Bet make Premier League leaders Manchester City 1/2 to get straight back to winning ways against Everton at the Etihad, with the visitors 5/1 to spring a shock and 7/2 to leave Manchester with a point. Aguero and Kelechi Iheanacho head the first goalscorer betting at 11/4 and 9/2 respectively, with Lukaku unsurprisingly considered the visitors' main threat at 7/1.