After crashing out of the UEFA Champions League to a Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona, Manchester United seek to reignite their quest to qualify for next year’s edition by finishing in the top four places in the Premier League.
Goodison Park heralds the start of a defining eight-day period for United as Manchester City and Chelsea follow the trip to Everton for Ole Gunner Solskjaer’s team, who incidentally, have lost five of their last seven games and dipped dramatically since his hasty appointment as permanent manager.
United will find the going tough, as Everton have beaten Chelsea and Arsenal in their last two home fixtures.
However, Everton have lost more Premier League matches against Manchester United than any side has against another in the history of the competition (36).
Following a run of three straight away defeats against Everton without scoring a single goal, Manchester United have won two of their last three top-flight games at Goodison Park (D1).
In their meeting earlier this season, Manchester United scored their 100th Premier League goal against Everton in a 2-1 victory, making them just the second side to net 100+ goals against a single opponent in the competition (also Arsenal against Everton).
Everton’s only previous league win, and Man Utd’s only previous league defeat on Easter Sunday came in this exact fixture in the 2013-14 campaign (Everton 2-0 Man Utd).
After a run of just one home win in eight Premier League games, Everton have won their last two at Goodison Park.
Everton have won their last two home Premier League games against ‘big six’ sides, as many as they had in their previous 19 in the competition (W2 D7 L10). They last won three home league games in a row against such opponents in the competition in March 2012.
Manchester United have lost their last two Premier League away games – they’ve not lost three in a row on the road since January 1996.
Anthony Martial has scored in each of his last three Premier League games Everton – the last Man Utd player to score in four straight matches against a single opponent was Wayne Rooney vs Hull in November 2014.
Paul Pogba is Man Utd’s highest scorer in the Premier League this season with 13 goals. It’s the most in the competition by a French player in a season for Man Utd since Eric Cantona in 1995-96 (14), while seven of his goals have been penalties – only Ruud van Nistelrooy (8 in 2002-03) has scored in a single campaign for the Red Devils.
Alexis Sanchez and Nemanja Matic are in contention for United while Luke Shaw is available again after serving a one-match ban in Barcelona.
Ander Herrera is back in training, but today’s clash is expected to come too soon for Eric Bailly and Antonio Valencia.
Everton are still without Colombia defender Yerry Mina ahead of United’s visit. Mina has been out with a hamstring injury since the end of last month and is expected to resume full training within the next week.
