
Milner: Are players thinking for themselves on the pitch now?
James Milner discusses player mentality and training changes in football.
Everton faces Manchester City in a crucial Premier League match as City shifts focus from the FA Cup final. Pep Guardiola's team aims to maintain momentum after a comeback victory over Southampton.
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Predicted Starting Line-Up: Everton vs Manchester City (Premier League)
After reaching a record breaking fourth successive FA Cup final, Pep Guardiolaâs side turn their attention back to the Premier League title race as a tricky test against Everton awaits.
City booked their place in the FA Cup final courtesy of a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Championship side Southampton last week, marking Guardiolaâs 43rd win in 51 matches in the competition.
After a lacklustre first-half at Wembley, Southamptonâs Finn Azaz opened the scoring with an effort from the edge of the box that any keeper would struggle to keep out of the net, giving the underdogs an unlikely lead in the 79th minute.
However, Cityâs response was immediate and emphatic. Energised by the introductions of Savinho and Jeremy Doku, the Blues quickly found another gear and just three minutes later, it was Doku who made the difference, his deflected strike dragging City level and restoring belief.
Match Officials: Michael Oliver to referee Everton vs Manchester City
And as so often proves the case with Guardiolaâs side, they found a way when it mattered most. In the 87th minute, Nico Gonzalez unleashed a thunderous strike from nearly 30 yards out, in spectacular fashion with a goal that will surely be in contention for one of the best of the season.
The predicted starting line-up details for both teams have not been provided in the excerpt.
Manchester City won 2-1 against Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final, marking Pep Guardiola's 43rd win in 51 matches in the competition.
This match is significant as it impacts the Premier League title race, with Manchester City looking to maintain their winning momentum.
The specific date and time for the Everton vs Manchester City match are not mentioned in the excerpt.

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City must now bring their focus back to the Premier League title race as they travel to the Hill Dickinson stadium to face David Moyesâ Everton.
Everton currently sit in 11th place, just two points off the final qualification spot for European competitions next season. They enter Mondayâs fixture having failed to win their last three games â for them, three points on Monday could be absolutely crucial if they are to secure a place in the top seven.
Manchester City head to Merseyside having won their last six matches in all competitions, leaving them three points adrift of Premier League leaders Arsenal, who have played an extra game and will kick off before Guardiola and co again this weekend.
Here is how we predict Manchester City will line up on Monday night!
Gianluigi Donnarumma will reclaim his spot between the sticks for Monday nightâs fixture. Whilst some will be quick to point out the occasional slip-up, the Italian has been absolutely crucial in Manchester Cityâs title race efforts this season.
Registering 13 clean sheets in 30 Premier League appearances, Donnarumma is averaging close to a shutout every other game, underlining his growing importance within Guardiolaâs system.
He sits just three behind Arsenalâs David Raya in the Golden Glove standings and another commanding display here would not only edge him closer to that individual honour but could also play a decisive role in keeping City firmly on track in the title race.
âExtraordinaryâ â Pep Guardiola hails Marc Guehi and Abdukodir Khusanov amid personnel woes in defence
In a recent press conference, Guardiola lauded Matheus Nunes as âone of the best right-backs in the worldâ and on current form, that praise is far from misplaced. Over the course of the season, Nunes has made himself borderline irreplaceable for the Blues.
There was a time when Manchester City fans were crying out for a direct, like-for-like replacement for Kyle Walker after he left in 2025; it may be the case now that City need a deputy to Nunes, who is one of the first names on Guardiolaâs teamsheet these days.
Abdukodir Khusanov and Marc Guehi have formed a formidable centre-half partnership in the latter stages of the season, a camaraderie so good that itâs almost inconceivable that the two had never played together before January. Both were rested over the weekend, which no doubt theyâll appreciate as a tough battle lies in store on Monday night.
Evertonâs Beto has scored four goals and an assist across his last three games â including a brace against Chelsea â so the defensive duo will have their work cut out for them if City are to come away from the Hill Dickinson Stadium unscathed.
Nico OâReilly was deployed in midfield against Burnley but a return to the left-back role appears the most likely outcome for the clash with Everton.
Rayan AĂŻt-Nouri has featured in the last two outings and added a clear attacking spark down the flank, yet it is OâReillyâs composure in key moments â both defensively and in the final third â that has consistently earned Guardiolaâs trust in the bigger games this season.
The 21-year-old has developed rapidly since breaking into the first-team in 2025 and now looks every bit a player the manager can depend on when the stakes are at their highest, with many crying out for the Englishman to start for his nation at the FIFA World Cup.
Hugo Viana faces major Nico Gonzalez dilemma as clubs line up for Manchester City midfielder
With Rodri nursing a calf injury, Nico Gonzalez could get the nod at the heart of midfield on Monday night. After all, it was the 24-year-oldâs wonderstrike that secured the win against Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final.
While both Mateo Kovacic and Tijjani Reijnders put in admirable displays at Wembley, Nico looks a far more natural replacement for Rodri in his absence.
Bernardo Silva is almost a guaranteed starter in his final six games for Manchester City. The 31-year-old Portuguese brings a level of passion and energy that few players in any sport could match and that dedication to the cause is exactly what has made him a favourite of both fans and Guardiola during an illustrious nine-year spell at the Etihad Stadium.
It goes without saying that Bernardo will be more desperate than anyone to end his Manchester City tenure with a seventh Premier League title and very possibly, a second domestic treble.
Rayan Cherki has won himself a starting role in recent months, having registered 14 goal contributions in 28 appearances in his debut Premier League campaign. The Frenchman has spent portions of the season on the bench but with the form that heâs in, the 22-year-old may now be simply impossible to drop for Guardiola.
Of course â with Phil Foden, Kovacic and Reijnders â Guardiola has plenty of options in the creative midfield area but for now, Cherki is doing more than enough to keep himself at the top of that list.
Jeremy Doku may have only come off the bench against Southampton but his contribution was absolutely vital in setting up an FA Cup final against Chelsea. The Belgianâs sheer pace and power, coupled with his technical ability, proved too much for the Saints defence to handle in the final stages. His involvement on Monday night feels like a certainty.
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Up front, who else but Erling Haaland? It feels as if Haaland has rediscovered his form at exactly the right time, with five goals in as many games in all competitions. Even when he isnât able to contribute to the scoresheet, Haalandâs hold up play and ability to draw attention from the opposition makes him invaluable to the squad at a time like this.
While some have been critical of Antoine Semenyoâs lack of end product in recent fixtures, itâs clear to see the impact he has had in the title race. With five goals and an assist in 12 Premier League outings for City since joining from Bournemouth in January, Semenyo has enjoyed a very successful start to life at the Etihad Stadium.
Itâs hard to see any other option for the time being. Savinho has been largely excellent in his recent performances but Semenyoâs pure goalscoring ability should be enough to earn him the start here.
Starting XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, OâReilly; Nico, Bernardo, Cherki; Doku, Haaland, Semenyo
Substitutes: Trafford, Stones, Ake, Ait-Nouri, Kovacic, Foden, Reijnders, Marmoush, Savinho