Pep Guardiola says Manchester City "will find a way" to win again as he looks to end their recent slump against Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The reigning champions have won just one of their last 12 games in all competitions and are currently 12 points behind leaders Liverpool heading into the festive period.

In fact, since November, City have picked up just four points in the league, the fewest of any team in the top-flight.

Guardiola has already ruled his side out of the title race this campaign but is determined to stop their recent slide after dropping to seventh in the table.

"I learn. They learn. We think about Everton and not much longer than that," he said. "You lose another game, and you have to think about what to do in the next, to winning.

"This team was consistent for so long, and we broke all the records. Now we are on the other side. That's the truth. We have to find a way.

"We're in that position, sometimes everything is harder, but the players have to be 'Okay guys, we will try'. I don't know what the outcome will be, but life gives you that challenge, and you have to deal with it. I am dealing with it as much as I can."

Boxing Day at home #MCIEVE | #AsahiSuperDry pic.twitter.com/PDdi0E9ip9
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 22, 2024

Meanwhile, Everton are currently unbeaten in three games, keeping clean sheets in all of those matches as they opened up a four-point gap over the relegation zone.

Having held high-flying Arsenal and Chelsea to 0-0 draws in their last two outings, James Tarkowski was full of praise for their defensive play.

"I feel like under [Sean Dyche], we've been like that [defensively strong] for a lot of the time," he said.

"You're always going to go through patches when you lose games and people will question us, but we always have belief in what we do.

"We're a team going in the right direction. We look strong and teams are struggling to break us down. Then we have got a top-class goalkeeper and when we need him, he makes saves for us."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester City – Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland has scored in all three of his Premier League appearances against Everton (four goals), netting a brace in this exact fixture last term.

However, the Norwegian has failed to score in any of his last three league games at the Etihad, never going four consecutive matches without a goal on home soil

Everton – Jordan Pickford

Only the current top four sides of Liverpool (16), Arsenal (16), Chelsea (19) and Nottingham Forest (19) have conceded fewer Premier League goals this season than Everton (21), with Jordan Pickford registering more clean sheets than any other keeper this season (seven).

Jordan Pickford has kept more @premierleague clean sheets (7) than any other goalkeeper this season. pic.twitter.com/9AseHdNg6S
— Everton (@Everton) December 22, 2024

MATCH PREDICTION: MANCHESTER CITY WIN

Having lost four consecutive home league games against Everton between February 2008 and December 2010, Man City are now unbeaten in their last 13 against the Toffees at the Etihad (W8 D5).

And, City have won six of their last seven Premier League Boxing Day games, with the exception being a 2-1 loss at Leicester City in December 2018. Since their return to the top-flight in 2002, the Citizens have won all seven of their Boxing Day home games by an aggregate score of 24-7.

However, City have lost nine of their last 12 games in all competitions (W1 D2), as many as they had in their previous 112. Meanwhile, only in 2016-17 (10) and 2019-20 (12) has Pep Guardiola suffered more defeats in a single campaign as manager.

Despite that dismal run, Everton are still only given a slim chance of triumphing on Thursday, having won just one of their last 22 Premier League meetings with City (D5 L16), losing 12 of the last 13 (D1).

Although, the Toffees have not lost any of their last eight Boxing Day away games (W5 D3) since a 4-0 loss to Aston Villa in 2005. Everton also won the last time they faced the reigning champions on this day, beating Leicester 2-0 in 2016.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Manchester City – 73.7%

Draw – 15.3%

Everton – 11%