After one of the most convincing performances of the Manuel Pellegrini era at Manchester City, the club will travel to Goodison Park to take on an Everton side that has proven difficult for City to compete with in recent seasons. Currently topping the Barclays Premier League table after back-to-back 3-0 wins over West Brom and Chelsea, City enters the third week of the campaign full of confidence. Here is a look at three burning questions heading into the highly anticipated matchup between Manchester City vs Everton.
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1. Will Manchester City ever give up a goal?
Coming into the season, Manchester City was expected to shine offensively, with big questions surrounding the back four. However, a rejuvenated Vincent Kompany has led City to back-to-back clean sheets to start the season. Against Chelsea, the duo of Eliaquim Mangala and Vincent Kompany kept Diego Costa silent for the course of 90 minutes. Everton’s Romelu Lukaku has been in great form this season and will prove a tough test for City. Can the Citizens extend the clean sheet streak to three against the Toffees?
2. Is this the game that Raheem Sterling gets his first goal for the Citizens?
Any time a club spends nearly £50 million on a single player, expectations will be unrealistically high. Raheem Sterling has been very good for City this season, but will want to score a goal to open his account at his new club. For new players, the first goal is often the hardest to get and the longer it takes to find the back of the net, the pressure continues to build. Can Sterling get his first official goal for City at Goodison Park this weekend?
3. Can City get all three points at Goodison Park?
Heading into this matchup, there are several streaks that are on the line. For City, the club has struggled historically at Goodison Park, winning just one of the last five at the home stadium of the Toffees. However, The Manchester Evening News reports that the Citizens have won eight consecutive Premier League fixtures and could achieve a record win streak for the club with a victory over Everton. Can City get an elusive victory on the historically difficult turf at Goodison Park?
Next: Which three players does City need to keep in check in order to get a result against Everton?