Manchester United saw their winning streak stop at three games following their draw against Stoke City this past Saturday. But The Red Devils will return home, and will try to remain perfect at Old Trafford when they host Everton. Kick-off is scheduled for Sunday at 4 PM BST.
The Opponent
Everton have been a bit inconsistent this season, as they have mixed some impressive displays with some really poor ones. Through four games in the Premier League season they sit 16th in the standings with only four points, and are coming off an 0-3 loss against Tottenham this past weekend. As if that wasn’t enough, they also lost 0-3 against Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League this past Thursday.
It is worth noting that several Everton players have featured for United in the past. Michael Keane, Wayne Rooney and Morgan Schneiderlin have previously wore United’s red shirt before arriving to Goodison Park this year. And on the other hand, both Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini played for Everton before making a switch to Old Trafford.
In terms of team news, The Toffees’ manager, Ronald Koeman, won’t have his side at full strength. Everton are set to be without long-term absentees Ramiro Funes Mori, Seamus Coleman and Yannick Bolasie. Meanwhile, midfielders Ross Barkley (hamstring) and James McCarthy (knee) are likely to be out as well.
The Venue
The match will be played at Old Trafford, where United have been unbeatable this season. In three games at home this term, United have three wins, nine goals scored, and none conceded. There is no doubt Jose Mourinho’s men will try to extend that positive run in front of their own crowd.
The last time Manchester United hosted Everton the game ended with a 1-1 draw. But recent history has been kind to United against The Toffees, as they have lost just one of the past six Premier League matches against the Merseyside club. The all-time record is a mixed bag of results, but United have a slight edge thanks to 85 wins, 44 draws and 66 defeats in 195 meetings across all competitions stretching back to 1892.
Team News
The Red Devils will not have Paul Pogba, as the dynamic midfielder suffered a hamstring injury during the UCL match against FC Basel this past Tuesday. The France international could be out until late October, according to recent reports. Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic will remain out as well, and neither should be available before November at the earliest.
Luke Shaw, on the other hand, is fully recovered from his injury and is available for selection if the manager wants him.
Manchester United’s Predicted Starting XI
Mourinho rotated the side slightly during the game against FC Basel. Considering there are three fixtures in the next 10 days, United could see some changes once again. Marouane Fellaini is likely to get the start at centre midfield alongside Nemanja Matic, and there could be movements on the attacking end as well to keep all players fresh and motivated.
Considering United made six changes for the UCL match against Basel, though, there is a chance Mourinho decides to play with his Best XI once again in an effort to add another three points to their tally. If that’s the case, then United would line-up like this:
GK: David De Gea
RB: Antonio Valencia
CB: Phil Jones
CB: Eric Bailly
LB: Daley Blind
CM: Nemanja Matic
CM: Marouane Fellaini
RW: Juan Mata
AM: Henrikh Mkhitaryan
LW: Marcus Rashford
ST: Romelu Lukaku
Leave a Reply