Manchester United look to continue their challenge for a top five finish as they welcome Everton to Old Trafford on Super Sunday.
Victory will lift Man Utd back above Sheffield United into fifth whereas Everton can improve to 13th with a win and move to within five points of the Red Devils.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesJesse Lingard could return for Manchester United after a knock kept him out of their midweek Europa League win over AZ Alkmaar, although he will face a late fitness test.
Diogo Dalot and Marcos Rojo are unlikely to feature as they continue to regain match fitness, whilst Pogba won’t be considered until Boxing Day.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Eric Bailly are on course to return from knee injuries in the New Year.
Everton could be without three defenders who all face late fitness tests along with Fabian Delph.
Lucas Digne (groin) is the most likeliest to pass a late fitness test, although Yerry Mina (hamstring), Seamus Coleman (undisclosed) and Delph (thigh) could be left out ahead of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash against Leicester.
Morgan Schneiderlin and Theo Walcott will return from calf strains during the festive period, whilst Jean-Phillipe Gbamin will return from a muscle injury next month.
Andre Gomes (ankle) and Cuco Martina (knee) are still ruled out for the foreseeable future.
Form
Man United are unbeaten in their last five league matches but haven’t kept a clean sheet since beating Leicester in mid September.
Everton ended a three match losing run with victory over Chelsea last weekend, although they have taken just four points from eight away league trips this season.
Stat Attack
- Manchester United saw an eight match unbeaten run in all competitions against Everton ended in April (W6, D2, L1).
- Gylfi Sigurdsson scored in both meetings last season for Everton.
- Everton have taken just one point from their last five trips to Old Trafford (D1, L4).
- Outside of defence, Scott McTominay has made the most headed clearances with 14 such clearances this season.
- No other player has hit the woodwork more times this season than Utd’s Marcus Rashford, doing so on five occasions.
Prediction
Man Utd are finally starting to show more of their potential after a series of sluggish displays this season, but their defending however is still a concern and will need reinforcement during next month’s transfer window.
Everton however will pose a stern test because they showed their potential last weekend in beating Chelsea, which was a remarkable turnaround under Duncan Ferguson given that Marco Silva had departed barely two days earlier.
I therefore can see this coming down to clinical finishing because both teams have similar playing styles, with United perhaps just having the edge given their goal scoring ability.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Everton
Result: Manchester United 1-1 Everton
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