Everton take on Manchester United this weekend as they look to end their four-game winless run which stretches back to the middle of October.
The Toffees occupy 15th place in the Premier League table, just a couple of points off the drop zone, but they face a massive challenge at Old Trafford today.
Indeed, Ruben Amorim secured his first win in charge of United during the Europa League clash in midweek, and he will be keen to keep up the momentum.
One player who Everton must watch out for is Bruno Fernandes, who can cause all sorts of problems for their backline.
Why Bruno Fernandes will be a danger
Across 12 Premier League games this season, Fernandes has scored twice and registered three assists while creating eight big chances. Under Amorim, the Portuguese gem should be able to take his game to new heights, both domestically and in Europe.
Against Bodo/Glimt, the midfielder tended to drift to the left wing during the game, where he made one key pass, had five shots in total and took 95 touches. He may not have got on the scoresheet, but there was no denying how impressive his performance was.
Bruno-Fernandes-Casemiro-Man-Utd
The Everton defence will need to be at their very best to combat him this afternoon. If they can, the club could secure a positive result.
At the other end of the pitch, Sean Dyche might just have his own version of Fernandes in Dwight McNeil, who has operated as a number ten to great effect this season.
Everton's answer to Bruno Fernandes
Dyche decision to utilise McNeil as an attacking midfielder has been rewarded with some excellent performances, with the former Burnley man single-handedly keeping Everton above the drop zone.
Three goals and three assists have been registered in the top flight, while the Englishman has also created eight big chances and averaged 2.7 key passes per game, which is more than Fernandes, who averages 2.1 key passes each match.
Comparing Fernandes and McNeil in the PL this season
Metric
Goals
Assists
Key passes per game
Big chances created
Successful dribbles per game
Total shots per game
Stats via Sofascore
In terms of dribbles, McNeil also leads the way over the United sensation, averaging 1.6 dribbles per game to just 0.8 for Fernandes, signifying just how good he has been in the Premier League this season.
The £25k-per-week star is vital to how Everton play and Dyche must continue to unleash him just behind the main striker, especially with the destruction he can cause.
Journalist Joe Thomas previously hailed McNeil as “magic” in 2022 when Frank Lampard was in charge of the Merseyside outfit. Under Dyche, however, McNeil has taken his game to new heights this season.
Without him, the Toffees would certainly be lower than where they currently find themselves and if McNeil is on form against the Red Devils, Amorim’s first league match at Old Trafford might just be a difficult one to negotiate.
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