Instant reaction: Everton lineup against Manchester City at Goodison | OneFootball

The Everton lineup came out as it usually does for this afternoon's clash against Manchester City, with David Moyes opting to make zero changes from the team that took down Nottingham Forest last weekend.

This was not too far off from what was predicted on Prince Rupert's Tower yesterday, and, to be fair, is in line with what Moyes has done so far during his second managerial stint on Merseyside.

The surprise here is Armando Broja getting the start for the second straight match and just his third since joining the Blues this summer from Chelsea via loan (his other was also against Forest, a 2-0 defeat at Goodison on December 29, 2024).

The thinking was that since Manchester City would control most of the ball that a player like Beto would make a bit more sense, seeing as he's more of a traditional hold-up player striker, unlike Broja, who prefers to get into open spaces and almost, at times, functions like another winger.

For Moyes, though, the decision may come down to the Scot's desire to learn more about his squad and what he has in some players he hasn't seen much of since he returned to Everton in January.

Beto has had a good run, and he responded well to Moyes' arrival, bagging five goals in five matches, starting with a brace at Goodison against Leicester on February 1.

But he's also the only striker the Toffees have under contract for next season as of now, so it's likely that Moyes has decided he knows what he has in the Guinea-Bissau international and needs to gain more intel on Broja to see what choice Everton could make about the Albanian before the season is done.

The remainder of the lineup is no surprise, as the core in defense and midfield has been locked into place for much of the last few months.

The match will be broadcast on the USA Network in the United States.