The Premier League is back in action this weekend, as Everton take on Manchester United at Goodison Park.
The Toffees have dropped to the relegation zone after the recent 10-point deduction for breaching financial rules and will be desperate to bounce back against Erik ten Hag’s side, who are the most in-form team over the last five matches in the Premier League. Man United went into the international break off the back of a slender 1-0 win over Luton Town, while Everton beat Crystal Palace 3-2 in a thriller at Selhurst Park.
With both teams keen to resume their Premier League duties with a win, here are the key battles that could define the outcome of this spicy encounter.
#Marcus Rashford vs Everton centre-backs
Earlier this week, Erik ten Hag confirmed striker Rasmus Hojlund is touch-and-go to be available for Sunday’s trip to face Everton. If he fails to make it against Everton, Marcus Rashford will be expected to lead the Man United attack.
Last term, Rashford played a pivotal role in getting goals for his team. The England international, however, has managed only one goal in all competitions this term, with the 26-year-old forward struggling to reach the heights of his spectacular 2022-23 season. If he is moved centrally, Rashford will be facing an uphill task of getting past Everton centre-backs James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite.
Tarkowski and Branthwaite have shown signs of forming a strong pairing at the back for Everton, and the duo will once again be crucial in order to stop Rashford from having any kind of impact on the game.
#Bruno Fernandes vs Idrissa Gueye
Bruno Fernandes is the beating heart of this Man United team, and while he has not been at his best this season, he still remains their most creative player. The Portuguese covers a lot of ground and always looks to make those incisive passes between the lines to carve open the opponent’s backline. The United skipper is at his best when deployed in the No.10 role behind the striker.
For Everton, a calf injury forced Amadou Onana to withdraw from the Belgium national squad during the recent international break, and as a result, his potential availability against United remains in doubt. Should he miss out, Idrissa Gueye is expected to come into the side.
Gueye, who came off the bench and scored the winner for Everton against Crystal Palace, will have a task on his hands to dispossess Fernandes frequently and not allow him to find his teammates in the final third. The Senegalese will also rely on his midfield partners—James Garner and Abdoulaye Doucoure—to help him out when United have the ball.
#Dominic Calvert-Lewin vs Harry Maguire
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is slowly starting to find form after an injury-ravaged start to the season. The striker was impressive at Selhurst Park before the break as he troubled the Palace defence with his pace and physicality, and he will look to do the same against Man United.
Amid United’s injury crisis, Harry Maguire seems to have revived his career by taking the chances that have come his way. The England international has not put a foot wrong since becoming a regular at the back this season following injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.
If Maguire can stop his England teammate Calvert-Lewin from getting at the end of crosses in the box, United could get a positive result at Goodison Park.