Everton vs Man Utd: preview, team news, how to watch and prediction

Manchester United will be travelling to Goodison Park to take on Everton in the Premier League on Sunday evening.

Despite enduring a disappointing start to this season, United are surprisingly the most in-form team in the English top-flight at the moment, winning four of the last five league games.

Erik ten Hag’s side are currently sixth in the Premier League table with 21 points from 12 games, sitting only five points behind the fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. So, United will be keen on coming away victorious from this encounter to close the gap with Spurs.

On the other hand, Everton were 14th in the table after accumulating 14 points from 12 games. However, the Premier League have decided to deduct the Toffees’ 10 points due to the breaching of FFP rules. So, they have found themselves in the 19th and are currently in the relegation spot.

Therefore, the Merseyside club will be desperate to win this game on Sunday to drag themselves out of the bottom three. Sean Dyche’s side will be at home so United will find it difficult to win this game and they will have to be at their very best to earn all three points this weekend.

Previous meetings

Everton haven’t had great success against United in recent times as they have only managed to win once in the last 10 encounters in all competitions, losing five of those occasions.

How to watch

The match will begin at 4:30 UK time and the game will be televised live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR.

You can buy Everton tickets via the official channels but they are expected to sell out fast so be quick if you want to stand a chance of getting a seat at Goodison Park this weekend.

Team news

Man Utd have been struggling with injury problems this season. Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Tyrell Malacia have all been sidelined at the moment so they aren’t available for selection in this fixture.

Apart from them, Jonny Evans also remains sidelined owing to injury, while Mason Mount is the new addition to that list.

Rasmus Hojlund sustained an injury in the last game against Luton Town and is in doubt ahead of this fixture. But, the good news is that Luke Shaw has returned after recovering from his injury and is likely to be in the matchday squad this Sunday.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka was among the absentees in the last game, but he could return versus the Toffees. However, Andre Onana sustained an injury on international duty and is in doubt ahead of this game, but he is likely to be fit enough to start.

Marcus Rashford also picked up a knock while on international duty and there is a question mark about his availability for this fixture.

As for Everton, Amadou Onana – who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent times – is set to miss out on this encounter owing to an injury problem. Along With him, Andre Gomes, Seamus Coleman and Dele Alli also remain sidelined for the Merseyside club due to injury issues so they aren’t in contention to feature in this encounter.

Predicted line-up

Ten Hag usually plays with his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation and is expected to be the same on Sunday. Onana should continue between the sticks, while Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Shaw and Diogo Dalot could be the back four for United.

McTominay and Sofyan Amrabat may start in the engine room, while Bruno Fernandes should be in the attacking midfield position. Rashford should be fit enough and may start in the right-wing position, while Alejandro Garnacho could be on the opposition flank. Anthony Martial should lead the line for United if Hojlund can’t make it on time.

Expected Man Utd line-up vs Everton

Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Shaw, Dalot; Amrabat, McTominay, Fernandes; Garnacho, Rashford, Martial

Dyche has been using the 4-4-1-1 system at Goodison Park and he is likely to go with the same formation on Sunday. Jordan Pickford is expected to be in goal for the Merseyside club. Former Man Utd star Ashley Young should be in the right-back position, while Vitaliy Mykolenko is expected to be on the opposite side. James Tarkowski and Man Utd-linked Jarrad Branthwaite could commence at the heart of Everton’s defence.

Idrissa Gueye and Man Utd’s academy graduate, James Garner should be in the midfield, while Jack Harrison and Dwight McNeil could be on the flanks.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin should lead the line for the Merseyside club and just behind him, Abdoulaye Doucoure could start.

Expected Everton line-up vs Man Utd

Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; Harrison, McNeil; Doucoure, Calvert-Lewin

Key players

Everton are heavily reliant on their centre-forward’s hold-up play and work-rate to win games. So, Calvert-Lewin will be the key man for the Toffee on Sunday. Doucoure has scored a few important goals for Everton so United will have to keep a close eye on him.

The onus will be on Tarkowski and Branthwaite to keep the clean-sheet and take advantage of the attacking set-piece situations.

As for Man Utd, Rashford enjoyed a stellar campaign last term but has struggled to find the back of the net this season. Amid the Englishman’s recent drought, United have found it difficult to score goals.

So, he will have to find form as quickly as possible and the United fans will be hoping that he will be able to do that in this fixture. If he manages to do that then Man Utd’s chance of winning this game will increase.

Bruno is the talismanic figure for United and the responsibility will be on him to create chances for attackers and finish those off if he gets any.

If Hojlund can’t start this game then Martial will have to up his game and play at his best so that United don’t feel the Dane’s absence. The Frenchman hasn’t scored for the Red Devils in a while and he will be hoping that he will be able to do that in this encounter.

Maguire has been in fine form this season and he will need to show his leadership qualities in this game and organise the back four to help his side keep the clean-sheet.

Prediction

Everton will be coming into this game after their 10 points deduction so they will be desperate to perform at their best in this game in front of their home fans.

So, United will have to cope with the hostile atmosphere in this game and along with that Everton will look to cause the Red Devils trouble with their physicality. Therefore, United will have to showcase an excellent display if they wish to come away with all three points from Goodison Park.

Man Utd haven’t been able to perform at their best this season and they may struggle in this encounter as well so Ten Hag’s side might have to settle for a point on Sunday evening. Everton 1-1 Man Utd