Paul Merson Predicts ‘Incredible’ Scoreline as Everton Look to Derail Manchester City’s Champions League Dreams in Shocking Goodison Park Showdown!
Former Arsenal star and pundit Paul Merson has weighed in on what could be one of the most intriguing Premier League fixtures of the weekend, predicting a dramatic 1-1 draw as Everton welcome Manchester City to Goodison Park.
The Toffees, having already secured their Premier League status for next season, approach this clash with little pressure. Their safety has been confirmed, allowing Sean Dyche’s men to play with a sense of freedom in the final stretch of the campaign. However, that doesn’t mean they’ll be taking it easy—especially against a side with as much at stake as Manchester City.
City, uncharacteristically, find themselves in a precarious position. With the race for the top five heating up, Pep Guardiola’s men are now at real risk of missing out on Champions League football for the first time in over a decade. Every point is crucial, and dropping any now could have devastating consequences for their season. Their recent dramatic comeback against Crystal Palace—overturning a 2-0 deficit to win 5-2—offered some hope, but Merson isn’t convinced by their late-season revival.
Speaking to Sportskeeda, Merson explained:
“This is a difficult game for Manchester City. You look at their result last weekend and think, ‘wow, what an incredible comeback!’ But let’s not forget, if Eberechi Eze had stayed onside in that game, it would’ve been 3-0 to Palace. That would’ve been game over. City didn’t turn things around because they were brilliant—it was more about the moment slipping away from Palace.”
Merson believes City are far from their usual dominant selves and sees this trip to Goodison Park as a potential stumbling block.
“I don’t think Manchester City are back to their best—no way,” he added. “If Aston Villa win and City fail to beat Everton, Pep’s team could fall further behind in the race for the top five. And remember, they still have to face Villa soon. A couple of bad results and City could be staring at a season without Champions League football.”
On the other side, Everton are enjoying a quiet resurgence under Dyche. They’ve found the net in nine of their last ten matches, with the only exception being a defeat to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby. The team’s gritty performances and growing confidence make them a tough opponent at this stage.
Adding to the emotion of the fixture is the fact that this is Everton’s last marquee clash at Goodison Park before they move to their new stadium. Merson expects the atmosphere on Merseyside to be electric from the first whistle.
“This is the last big one at Goodison. The fans will be right up for it, and that will make things very uncomfortable for City,” he said. “They’re under pressure, and I’m not convinced they’ll cope with it.”
Moyes to Channel the Goodison Roar in Tactical Battle
David Moyes, who will take charge of Everton in this emotional home fixture, is expected to play it smart against Guardiola’s City. Known for his structured approach and ability to get the best out of his players in big matches, Moyes is likely to set up with a disciplined, no-nonsense system designed to frustrate and contain City’s high-octane attack.
Moyes will likely instruct his midfielders to press selectively, picking the right moments to disrupt City’s build-up play while maintaining a disciplined low block to absorb pressure. Full-backs such as Jake O’Brien and Vitalii Mykolenko will be tasked with cutting off the supply to City’s wingers, while centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite will be key in organising the back line.
In attack, Everton will seek to hit City on the counter, exploiting their high defensive line with quick transitions. With the pace of players like Dwight McNeil and the physical presence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, they’ll hope to catch Guardiola’s men off guard.
Set pieces could also prove crucial. Moyes has always drilled his sides to take advantage of dead-ball situations, and with the noise of Goodison behind them, Everton will see corners and free-kicks as golden opportunities to nick a goal.
The match is shaping up to be a test of nerve and tactics. City are under immense pressure to deliver, while Everton, buoyed by their fans and playing with freedom, may just relish the opportunity to cause an upset.
