The international break is over and Manchester United’s return to action is with a trip away to Everton on November 26 at 4.30 PM.
The Toffees will be raring to go, with the feeling of injustice after being handed a 10-point deduction sure to rouse the crowd up at Goodison Park.
For United, it is the least ideal time to play at Everton, especially with manager Erik ten Hag serving his touchline suspension after accumulating yellow cards and getting his final booking against Luton.
It promises to be an attritional encounter with the crowd expected to be particularly memorable for their voice against the deduction.
Everton vs Man Utd preview
Life has really come fast at Everton. Just when they thought that Sean Dyche was finally providing stability to the club with no relegation battle expected, they’ve been plunged to the basement of the table with their points deduction.
Sitting at just four points now after 12 games, Dyche and his men have a battle on their hands. Every game will become a scrap for life for the Toffees. United will hope to avoid being the first prey of a wounded lion.
Although the performances beggar belief, United have been the most in-form team in the Premier League for the past five games. Four wins and a loss have catapulted them right back into contention for a Champions League place.
The international break also sees some key faces return to action for Ten Hag but as has been the injury luck at Old Trafford, some news players will walk into the physio room too.
Here’s the team news for the game-
Everton vs Man Utd predicted lineup
Everton team news
Everton will be missing a huge player but will also be getting one back who’s important for them for more than just on-pitch contributions.
Amadou Onana will be the player missing. Onana has effectively become the heartbeat of Everton’s midfield since signing for the club and against a midfield as porous as United’s, he would have been a game-changer.
However, they will be boosted by the return of their leader, Seamus Coleman. The right-back made his return from a long-term injury by playing 90 mins in a non-competitive fixture during the international break.
Having come through that unscathed, the expectation is that he will be involved in some capacity against United.
Predicted Everton XI: Pickford, Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Harrison, Garner, Gueye, McNeil, Doucoure, Calvert-Lewin
Man Utd team news
United were dealt a blow yesterday when it was announced that Mason Mount has picked up a calf issue which is expected to rule him out for 3-4 weeks. It continues a nightmare start for the player at the club and further thins the club’s midfield options after Eriksen and Casemiro’s absence.
A huge return will be that of Luke Shaw, who is set to return after an absence of three months. As a crucial part of the buildup, his return is expected to improve United markedly.
They will also be sweating over the fitness of Rasmus Hojlund, who is a close call to play in this game after pulling up injured against Luton. International break injuries to Andre Onana and Marcus Rashford are not an issue and both are expected to play.
Predicted Man Utd XI: Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Dalot, McTominay, Amrabat, Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund
Everton vs Man Utd prediction
As stated earlier, this is the worst time for any team to travel to Goodison Park because of the circumstances surrounding Everton’s punishment. A siege mentality will greet United players on Merseyside and United can hardly be described as a resilient group.
A rabid start by the players, egged on by the supporters can catch United off-guard and set the way for Everton to win this through purely outworking the opponent. United’s performances haven’t been as good as the results suggest and this is where their luck runs out.
FootTheBall predicts Everton 2-0 Man Utd.