Everton, after being docked 10 points, quickly moved out of the relegation zone, securing a series of four victories. However, luck turned away from the “Toffees” in the last two matches. First, they lost to “Fulham” in the League Cup quarter-final on penalties, and then, in London, they couldn’t overcome “Tottenham,” losing 1-2. In the league table, Sean Dyche’s team sits in 17th place, with a four-point gap from the relegation zone. It’s worth noting that at home, “Everton” hasn’t been very convincing this season, with only three victories in nine matches. Two of these victories were secured with a clean sheet in the last two rounds against “Newcastle” (3-0) and “Chelsea” (2-0).
The players of “Manchester City” will arrive in Liverpool in high spirits. The day before, they successfully won the Club World Cup for the first time in their history, defeating “Fluminense” in the final with a convincing score of 4-0. Perhaps this success will give the team confidence in their abilities and help break the streak of failures in the Premier League. Over the last five rounds, the “Cityzens” have only managed one victory over “Luton Town” (1-2). In the league table, Pep Guardiola’s wards are currently in fifth place but have a game in hand over their competitors. Before the trip to the Club World Cup, “Manchester City” played a 2-2 draw with “Crystal Palace” in the Premier League. Once again, they failed to secure a win at a high level in the closing stages, as the opponent leveled the score in the fifth added minute. It’s worth noting that away from home, the team has performed well this season, earning 16 points in nine matches—only “Arsenal” and “Tottenham” have more points on the road.
