EPL Odds: Can Everton Pull Huge Upset over City at Etihad?

Manchester City (-300) vs Everton (+1000), Draw (+500)

The first real test of the season for both Manchester City (1-0-0, 3 points) and Everton (1-0-0, 3 points) will come this Monday (August 21st) when the two teams meet at Etihad. Everton are beginning to establish themselves as a top-tier club and a perennial contender for a Champions League spot, while Manchester City are the favorites to claim the EPL title. After Monday, we’ll have a better idea of where both teams stand.

Manchester City had an easy opener against Brighton, winning 2-0 and dominating possession throughout the game. However, they had to wait until the 70th minute for Sergio Aguero to open the scoring. The second goal came from Brighton defender Lewis Dunk, who scored an own goal in his Premier League debut.

Right back Kyle Walker, whom Pep Guardiola poached from Tottenham for €50 million, had a spectacular game and made the transfer fee look a little less preposterous. Man City’s inconsistent back line was their biggest weakness last season and it looks like Guardiola has made the right changes over the summer.

Up front, City have two world-class goalscorers: Aguero is one of the best strikers in the Premier League, while Gabriel Jesus is one of the most promising up-and-comers in world football. Depending on which formation Guardiola chooses, there won’t necessarily be a starting spot for both, which could become a problem down the line, but for now both strikers seem content.

Everton lost their star striker, Romelu Lukaku, to Manchester United over the summer and picked up Wayne Rooney in exchange. While Rooney’s homecoming was a huge deal for Evertonians, the 31-year-old is well past his prime and doesn’t have many more years in his EPL career.

Still, Rooney scored the sole goal in Everton’s 1-0 win against Stoke City last week and put Everton off to a great start with three points. And, in reality, the team’s 2017-18 hopes aren’t pinned on the aging striker. The team made many significant moves over the summer to make up for the loss of Lukaku, bringing in Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson (€49.4 million), Burnley’s Michael Keane (€28.5 million), and Ajax’s Davy Klaassen (€27 million).

Everton are still a massive underdog at Etihad, though, and it’s hard to back them even at massive +1000 odds. Guardiola has resolved his defensive issues from last season and it will be incredibly tough for Everton — or any team — to break through, especially in a hostile environment.

Pick: Manchester City (-300)