Everton make the short but crucial trip to Manchester this Sunday, as they face off against Man United at Old Trafford. After a whirlwind 90 minutes in their midweek encounter with Bodø/Glimt, where chaos and calamity reigned, United manager Ruben Amorim will be hoping for a more controlled and straightforward outing against the Toffees.
On the other hand, an Everton side, who have only lost one of their last eight games, will be vying to rain terror on this United agenda, with Sean Dyche pining to throw a spanner in the works and upset the odds.
An exhilarating contest awaits on Sunday, with both teams in need of three points, Old Trafford could host yet another chaotic,erratic and unpredictable battle for the Red Devils against the Premier League’s longest serving club.
Man United: The Ruben Resurgence continues
The implementation of Ruben Amorim’s football philosophy has brought a new brand of football, but the same pandemonium persists, following the bedlam of the Bodø/Glimt game and the incoherence of the Ipswich Town performance.
Amorim has reiterated that United will suffer as they adapt to his new formation and playing style, but glimpses of his intentions are already starting to appear
As explained by fellow Attacking Football writer @fathallimohamed
https://twitter.com/FathalliMohamed/status/1862255181037011132
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Manuel Ugarte’s performance went unnoticed on Thursday due to a number of reasons, he provided an echo of calmness on the ball when needed and progressed up the pitch when required. His reconnaissance under his former boss could make him a pivotal pawn in this new structure.
Rasmus Højlund also paid credit to the new system, following his two goals and intense pressure to create a third, the Dane said
“ I like this back three system, it reminds me of what I did at Atalanta it suits me really well”.
Noussair Mazraoui has been a revelation for the Reds at the back, with the Moroccan being hailed as the club’s best signing since Bruno Fernandes. His intricate footwork and pinpoint cross to set up Højlund was the flair and creativity required to break down the robust defense from the Norwegian opponents on Thursday. Amorim spoke highly of Mazraoui after the game
“Noussair Mazraoui is an incredible player. He is our future. He always seems fresh even if we have to be careful with all the matches. He is the kind of player we need”
Elsewhere in defence, Tyrell Malacia graced the Old Trafford surface for the first time in 550 days. With wing-backs now a crucial role in Amorim’s structure, The Dutchman was busy on the left wing, making several inviting crosses. Inevitably, his performance will be remembered for being outpaced by Philip Zinckernagel, resulting in United falling 2-1 behind.
Sunday’s line up is quite innocuous with Amorim evidently still trying to find his strongest eleven. Alejandro Garnacho was wasteful in front of goal, with the Argentinian missing three guilt-edged chances. The question lingers, where does Garnacho fit into this system? He clearly isn’t a number ten and his defensive skills will need improvement in order to play the wing-back role.
I expect Amad Diallo to regain his place in the starting team on Sunday, pairing with Bruno Fernandes behind Rasmus Højlund. Kobbie Mainoo is yet to feature under the Ruben Amorim regime, a crucial cog in linking the attack to defence, suiting Amorim’s fast paced nature.
Everton: The Toffee’s hoping to spoil the party
The Merseysider’s will travel to Manchester brimming with confidence. The Toffees have lost one of their last eight games and have produced two stalemates in their last two games, against West Ham and Brentford.
Sean Dyche, renowned for his laborious and traditional playing methods will be creating a conniving tactic to unlock the United defence, spearheaded by talisman Dwight McNeil. The Englishman has three goals and three assists in 11 games this season and will be aspiring to rattle the Old Trafford net on Sunday.
Jarrad Branthwaite continues to be linked to Man United, the 22 year-old defender has been at the heart of the Everton defence for the last two games, resulting in two clean sheets. The Everton defence is likely to remain unchanged with James Tarkowski, Vitaliy Mykolenko and former United man, Ashley Young predicted to complete the defensive line up.
Up top, the United faithful will be hoping Dominic Calvert-Lewin continues his goal drought, with the striker failing to hit the net since the Toffees were defeated by Aston Villa in the middle of September.
Sunday will produce a clash of styles: United’s attacking flair versus Everton’s defensive resolve. And with Dyche at the helm, you can bet the Toffees will make it as difficult as possible for United to break their resolve. Known for their gritty, no-nonsense approach, Dyche’s men will be determined to keep the Old Trafford faithful at bay.
Prediction
Man United 2-1 Everton
The resilient Everton defence, accompanied with the support of ever-present Abdoulaye Doucore and Idrissa Gueye protecting their back-line, will prove a resolute challenge for this United team to break down. The Amorim era is still in its infancy and with that comes teething problems which have been evident the past two games.
This Man United team should have too much firepower for Everton to contain, Rasmus Højlund will be hoping to build on his two goals on Thursday and will provide a handful for the aforementioned Tarkowski and Branthwaite. Bruno Fernandes’ will be hoping to continue his goal scoring form against Everton, having netted twice in this fixture last year.
Sunday’s battle could produce a classic encounter between two Premier League stalwarts, with neither team content with their league position, a crucial game for both teams awaits the Theatre of Dreams on Sunday.
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