Everton v Man City preview

With snow covering much of the UK I was kinda hoping this match, given our poor form, would join the clutch of other games called off.

But, like everything else at the moment, things haven't gone our way and the match is ON.....

I can't help but feel a sense of dread about this fixture. Games between the two sides have taken on an extra edge following the Joleon Lescott transfer last season and while our two wins of Roberto Mancin's men last year were immensely satisfying, I have a feeling some cold-hearted revenge is about to be dished out on the hapless Toffees tonight.

I have gone over the same ground before about our lack of fire power upfront and following the Wigan game Dvaid Moyes has come in for some fierce criticism for his bizarre loyalty to the mis-firing Louis Saha and dogged determination to stick with 4-5-1, despite our goal scoring woes.

I knnow Cahill pushes forward to make it effective 4-4-2 but he likes to arrive in the box late rather than play on the shoulder of the defender, meaning whoever is up top (usually Saha) quickly becomes isolated. Cahill will fly off for the Asia Cup in January so Moyes will be forced into a tactical re-think sometime soon.

In a press-match press conference Moyes spoke about the possibility of three loan signings in January. One of those could be Landon Donovan, who has gone on holiday before deciding whether to commit to three months of tough Premier legaue football during what should be his close season break.

City duo Roque Santa-Cruz and Emmanuel Adebayor have also been mentioned, though neither get me excited.

Fresh blood is definitely needed though as the side is looking rigid and stale. After this game we have three winnable fixtures (though how many times have I said that this season!) against Birmingham, West Ham and Stoke. If we can pick up some points in those games we can begin 2011 in a healther position and with the introduction of a few new faces, look forward to the rest of the season with optimism

My fear though, is more impotent attacking and miserable defeats leading to a bleak start ot the New Year with only a relegation battle to 'look forward' to.

We have a decent record at City - winning their last three scoring five and conceding none. We need to be at our very best if we are to see a repeat tonight.

Stats:

Head-to-head

• Everton are looking for a fourth consecutive league win at the City of Manchester Stadium.

• The Toffees have beaten City in five of the last six meetings between the sides.

• City have failed to score on the last three occasions they have hosted Everton.

Manchester City

• Manchester City have only scored eight goals at home this season - the joint-fewest in the Premier League. City have scored 16 away from the City of Manchester Stadium.

• City are looking for a third consecutive victory. They are unbeaten in their last seven league games. However, their last defeat came against a bottom three side - a 2-1 defeat at Wolves at the end of October.

• Arsenal are the only side to have beaten Manchester City at home in this season's Premier League.

• Carlos Tevez has scored 10 of City's 24 league goals this season. City have never lost a Premier League match in which he has scored.

Everton

• They have managed only three top-flight wins this season, but have lost only five of their last 28 league matches. Those three victories came in the space of four games in October.

• Everton lost their first two away matches of the season but have not lost any since then. They have drawn the last four.

• David Moyes's men are without a win in their last seven matches (D4, L3).

• If they fail to beat Manchester City, it will be the club's longest run without a victory under David Moyes and longest since an eight-match streak in 1999.