The Daily Star Ireland
Manchester United’s season got off to a rough start, leading to the dismissal of manager Erik ten Hag in October due to disappointing results. Under interim coach Ruud van Nistelrooy, the team showed signs of improvement, going unbeaten in four matches across all competitions with three wins and one draw.
However, after the international break in November, Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim took over from former Sporting manager, and his debut was marred by a 1-1 draw against relegation-bound Ipswich. As a result, Manchester United is currently 12th in the Premier League, six points adrift of the top four.
Everton, sitting in 15th place in the Premier League, has managed a slight cushion above the relegation zone, leading to concerns that they may once again be fighting to avoid relegation. Their season has been marked by struggles to secure wins, although they’ve shown more resilience recently. In their last eight matches, they’ve suffered just one loss, earning two victories and five draws. They’ve drawn 0-0 with West Ham and Brentford and were beaten 1-0 by bottom-placed Southampton.
For Manchester United, injuries to key defenders like Maguire, Yoro, and Lindelof, along with the uncertainty surrounding Lisandro Martinez, have weakened their defense. In attack, coach Amorim’s first lineup featured Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho, and Rashford, while Hojlund and Zirkzee started on the bench. Mainoo returned to the squad last weekend but did not play.
Everton also faces injury troubles, with striker Broja and full-back Coleman still sidelined, along with midfielders Garner and Iroegbunam. However, they can rely on Ndiaye, McNeil, and Calvert-Lewin to lead their attack, though they remain the second-lowest scorers in the league, having failed to score in their last three matches.
Prediction
Manchester United has a strong home record, having won 13 of their last 17 Premier League home games, including a victory against Everton earlier this year. Meanwhile, Everton has struggled on the road, earning points in just five of their last 17 away games.
Prediction: Manchester United 1-0 Everton.
