Manchester United will make a final trip to Goodison Park to face Everton in the Saturday lunchtime Premier League encounter. Ruben Amorim is facing pressure after a dreadful run of form in the league whilst David Moyes has the Toffees rejuvenated in his second spell at the club.
Since beating Everton 4-0 in the reverse fixture back in November, the Red Devils have lost eight of their last 12 league games. This includes five out six at Old Trafford. Ruben Amorim will be looking to take some positives with a good record at Goodison Park to make it a third straight win there.
Last season’s encounter received a lot of attention as the game came just after Everton received a 10-point deduction. However, United silenced the Goodison Park faithful when Alejandro Garnacho scored his Puskas Award-winning overhead kick in a 3-0 victory. We have the chance to win three in a row at this stadium for the first time since 2007. While we have not managed to keep back-to-back clean sheets at Goodison Park since the mid-1990s
Our attack has caused the most concern as Rasmus Højlund is without a goal in his last 15 league games. Whilst, Joshua Zirkzee is on a 12-goal drought in the league with the last in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford. United have failed to score in 10 of their league matches this season.
Manchester United Team News
For United, the treatment room is busy with injuries mounting up. Ruben Amorim has been given some relief with the return of Leny Yoro, Christian Eriksen, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer through illness and slight knocks. There is no Amad Diallo who is out for the rest of the season after sustaining a serious ankle injury during training last week. It is our defence and midfield where we have depleted numbers with Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount both out.
The return of Leny Yoro is good news as the Red Devils are without Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Jonny Evans in the defence. Victor Lindelof is back and was the only senior player on the bench for the visit to Tottenham last weekend.
Manchester United PREDICTED Lineup
Onana;
Mazraoui, Maguire, De Ligt;
Dalot, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu;
Garnacho, Zirkzee;
Hojlund.
Opposition Preview
Everton was staring at the prospect of relegation weeks ago but since the return of David Moyes in the dugout has seen an upturn in form and now find themselves above United in the Premier League table. The Toffees are above the Red Devils since the 2013/14 season where they finished higher and it was Moyes who was in charge at United. The subsequent defeat at Goodison that season ended the Scots reign at the club.
Moyes is now enjoying much better times with Everton given their previous poor form. He has picked up the most points in the league than any other manager with 13 in the last six games. The Toffees only won 3 of their 19 league games under previous manager Sean Dyche before he left the club. The turnaround in form continued last weekend with a good win away at Crystal Palace. Carlos Alcaraz’s first goal and a Beto strike sealed the three points.
Everton Team News
The opposition are dealing with a number of injuries just like United, with both teams having academy players on the bench last weekend. The Red Devils had eight youngsters in the squad to face Tottenham. Everton will welcome back Abdoulaye Doucoure after his suspension for picking up a red card in the Merseyside derby. However, with Carlos Alcaraz impressing on his debut, it cannot be guaranteed that Doucoure returns to the starting eleven.
Iliman Ndiaye is currently out with a MCL injury potentially missing the next several weeks. Jack Harrison will deputise after coming into the side against Crystal Palace last weekend. Several players will miss out on this Saturday lunchtime kick off with Dwight McNeill recovering from knee surgery as well as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti. The form of Beto has brought some respite to the attack after scoring his seventh goal of the season at Selhurst and hoping to add to this tally.
Form Guide
Manchester United Premier League form: WLWLL
Manchester United form (all competitions): WWLWL
Everton Premier League form: WWWDW
Everton form (all competitions): WWLDW
Prediction
Everton are in resurgent form and have steered themselves away from the relegation zone. United will be looking to avoid another defeat in the Premier League that could see them move further down the table. The Red Devils have to be more clinical in our attack if we are to take all three points in our last trip to Goodison Park.
Everton 0-1 Manchester United