Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola out to avoid equalling unwanted defensive record

Pep Guardiola will be hoping that Manchester City do not equal an unwanted record under his management when they play Everton on Wednesday night.

The Citizens will return to domestic action after lifting the Club World Cup for the first time in their history last week.

City will be delighted with the results that have occurred in their absence, as none of their direct Premier League title rivals prevailed in their two matches.

As a result, City only sit eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool in the standings with two games in hand and six points behind second-placed Arsenal with one fixture in hand.

However, City were in poor form before they made the trip to Saudi Arabia, prevailing in just one of their previous six encounters in the top flight.

The success in question was a comeback 2-1 triumph at Luton Town, but they followed that with a 2-2 draw at home to Crystal Palace, conceding twice in the closing stages to drop two points.

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That represented the seventh Premier League game in succession where City had not kept a clean sheet, shipping 13 strikes in the process.

Should they concede a goal versus the Toffees at Goodison Park on Wednesday, it would equal the longest run of such games since Guardiola arrived at the Etihad Stadium.

Previously, City went eight games without a shutout between December 2018 and January 2019, but City do have history in their favour in this fixture.

City are bidding to record an eighth successive victory against the blue half of Merseyside in all competitions, while Everton have only avoided defeat in one of the most recent 12 games with City home or away.

Coincidentally, that happened over the Christmas and New Year period 12 months ago, an Everton side managed by Frank Lampard earning a 1-1 draw at the Etihad on New Year's Eve.

However, Everton's have emerged victorious in just one of the last 20 Premier League fixtures between the sides, a 4-0 triumph at Goodison Park in January 2017.