Evertonvs.Man Utd

Ruben Amorim's tenure continues to go from bad to worse at Old Trafford, while their former manager David Moyes is having a sensational start in his second spell with the Toffees.

Match preview

Relegation was a very real concern for Everton just a matter of weeks ago, but an astonishing change in fortunes under Moyes means they now found themselves above Man United in the Premier League table.

This is the latest in a season Everton have been above the Red Devils since they finished higher than them in the 2013-14 season, when Moyes was in charge at United, and was sacked after losing at Goodison.

For the veteran Scottish manager, times are much better at the moment than they were in that ill-fated spell, as he has picked up more points than any other manager in the league since he took over (13 in six games).

Everton won just three of the 19 league games with Sean Dyche in charge before his sacking, scoring seven goals from open play, but Moyes has already managed more in both departments in just six matches - winning four and scoring eight open-play goals.

That exceptional start continued with a fine win at Selhurst Park last weekend against Crystal Palace, as Carlos Alcaraz's first goal for the club sealed a late win for the Toffees, in a game where they also scored their first counter-attack goal of the season.

With the top five set to earn Champions League football next season, Everton are now as close to that than they are to relegation, with 13 points the gap between both.

That should mean the top eight will all earn places in Europe, but a nine-point gap to eighth place looks insurmountable at this stage of the season for Everton, unless this remarkable run of form continues for the rest of the campaign.

Despite facing another club where there is some ill-feeling between the sets of supporters, it is unlikely to reach the same atmosphere levels as the dramatic Merseyside derby in their last outing here, but the reality of leaving Goodison was apparent in the week, as Everton held their first test event at their new waterfront stadium.

In their final fixture against Man United here, the hosts will be desperate to improve on a recent woeful record against the Red Devils, despite their well-documented troubles.

Everton have lost five in a row against United, losing the last four by a combined score of 11-0, and you have to go back to the late-1950s to find the last time they lost five successive matches against a single opponent without scoring (vs. Wolves).

It was a 4-0 win for United in the reverse fixture, which served as something of a false dawn given their struggles since, but even Amorim admitted that scoreline flattered them in a quite bizarre 90 minutes where they scored four goals from an xG of just 0.73.

Amorim's side have gone on to lose eight of their 12 league games since, including five from six at home, but the new manager will hope he can tap into the club's fine record against Everton to seal a third straight win at Goodison.

Last season's meeting here gained huge attention as it came just after Everton's 10-point deduction, leading to huge fan protests both outside and inside the stadium, but that fell flat within three minutes when Alejandro Garnacho scored his Puskas Award-winning overhead kick on the way to another slightly flattering 3-0 win.

That win gives United the chance to win three in a row at this venue for the first time since 2007, while they have also not kept back-to-back clean sheets at Goodison since the mid-1990s.

Few neutrals will fancy the visitors in this one though, as they inexplicably find themselves one point and one place below Everton after their 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

Attack has been the biggest problem, with Rasmus Hojlund now without a goal in 15, and Joshua Zirzkee on a 12-game drought in the league, with his last goals coming in the reverse fixture back in November.

Only Everton (12) have fired as many blanks as Man United this season (10), and that is the joint-most occasions the Red Devils have failed to score in a game in their Premier League history, and there are still 13 games to play.

Everton Premier League form:

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Everton form (all competitions):

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Manchester United Premier League form:

D

W

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Manchester United form (all competitions):

W

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Team News

The two sides are down to the barebones due to mass numbers of injuries, with both naming very inexperienced benches last weekend, including United, who had eight teenagers in their squad to face Spurs.

Everton will be able to welcome Abdoulaye Doucoure back from suspension, but after Alcaraz's impact on his full debut, it is not a given that the Malian will win his place back.

Key player Iliman Ndiaye remains out with a MCL injury, and he could miss the next six-to-eight weeks, so Jack Harrison is set to deputise again after coming into the side at Palace.

Seven more players are sidelined for the hosts, including Dwight McNeil after knee surgery, and attacking trio Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti, but the form of Beto has alleviated that issue, after he netted his seventh goal of the season at Selhurst Park, and the Guinea-Bissau international is averaging a goal every 114 minutes in the Premier League.

United's list of injuries is just as endless, but Amorim should be able to welcome Leny Yoro, Christian Eriksen, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer back here, after their setbacks with illness and minor knocks.

There will be no Amad Diallo for the rest of the season after he sustained a serious ankle injury, but it is in midfield and defensive areas where the visitors are most stretched, with Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount both out.

A return for Yoro would be important, because United are without Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Jonny Evans at the back, but Victor Lindelof is available, and was the only senior player on their bench in North London last weekend.

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Lindstrom, Gueye, Garner, Alcaraz, Harrison; Beto

Manchester United possible starting lineup:

Onana; Dalot, Mazraoui, Maguire, De Ligt, Dorgu; Fernandes, Casemiro; Zirkzee, Hojlund, Garnacho

We say: Everton 0-1 Manchester United

Everton's hoodoo against United has continued to haunt them in recent years despite the Red Devils being at their lowest point in many decades.

Written by

Andrew Delaney

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