Manchester City v Everton

Last updated : 17 December 2010 By BBC Sport

Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta will also be absent as he completes a suspension.

Defender Tony Hibbert is close to a return after an ankle injury but Monday's game may come too soon for him.

Man City

Suspended: De Jong (one match) Injured: M Johnson (knee)

Everton

Suspended: Arteta (one match)

Doubtful: Heitinga (knee), Hibbert (ankle) Injured: Barkley (leg)

MATCH PREVIEW

The weekend before last Christmas saw Manchester City's manager depart; 12 months on it looks as if their star player is now on his way out of the club.

Will [Tevez] play on Monday? Yes, why not? He has trained well since Tuesday and he doesn't have a problem

Man City manager Roberto Mancini

Despite current manager Roberto Mancini's confidence that matters can be ironed out, Carlos Tevez's much publicised spat with club executives appears destined to end in a parting of the ways, something that could have big repercussions for City's Champions League hopes.

Tevez has scored 10 of City's 24 league goals this season and with question marks also hanging over the futures of Emmanuel Adebayor and Mario Balotelli, Mancini's attacking options suddenly look much reduced.

City have struggled for goals at home this season and have failed to score on the last three occasions they have hosted Everton, losing all three times. But home fans will expecting that run to end on Monday, particularly as, while City haven't lost in seven league games, Everton haven't won in seven.

Scoring in any match has been a problem for Everton, who have been profligate in front of goal this season and are hovering precariously close to the relegation zone as a consequence. With top scorer Tim Cahill possibly on international duty for much of January and Steven Pienaar linked with a transfer window exit, manager David Moyes needs Santa to deliver a sackful of goals over the festive period.

MATCH FACTS

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.

Have your say on Monday's match

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.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Man City

Tevez: 10 goals (10 league); Balotelli: 5 goals (2 league); Adebayor: 5 goals (1 league)

Everton

Cahill: 8 goals (8 league); Arteta 3 goals (3 league); Beckford 3 goals (2 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Peter Walton

Assistant referees: Scott Ledger & Adam Watts

Fourth official: Stuart Attwell

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Manchester City (W3-1 v West Ham, a): Hart, Boateng, Toure, Kompany, Zabaleta, De Jong, Barry, Jo, Toure Yaya, Silva (Milner 86), Balotelli (A Johnson 61). Subs Not Used: Given, Richards, Santa Cruz, Lescott, Vieira.

Everton (D0-0 v Wigan, h): Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Fellaini, Rodwell, Pienaar (Anichebe 66), Cahill, Saha (Beckford 60). Subs Not Used: Mucha, Bilyaletdinov, Osman, Yakubu, Duffy.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport