Man Utd v Everton predictions: Confident United can register routine success

Troubled Toffees heading for an early exit

Manchester United manager Erik ten HagCredit: Michael Regan

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Manchester United v Everton in the FA Cup third round on Friday.

Where to watch

ITV, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Manchester United to win & under 3.5 goals
1pt 6-5 Coral

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Team news

Man Utd
Antony is a doubt and Donny van de Beek faces a spell on the sidelines.

Everton
Michael Keane, Nathan Patterson, Andros Townsend and James Garner are ruled out but Amadou Onana is available after suspension.

Match preview

Manchester United are making excellent progress on all fronts and can pass a stern early test of their FA Cup credentials by beating third-round opponents Everton at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag began his United tenure with Premier League losses at home to Brighton and away to Brentford, but his team have made significant progress over just five months and are on course to achieve the club's primary target - the return of Champions League football.

The Red Devils are on a six-game winning run, their longest successful sequence since they reeled off eight straight victories after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed caretaker-manager in December 2018.

While the upturn in fortune under Solskjaer was unsustainable in the long term, there may be a different outcome under Ten Hag, who seems to have the freedom to mould the squad to his liking.

Ten Hag's biggest problem was Cristiano Ronaldo but the situation was quickly resolved during the World Cup and the departure of the Portuguese star has coincided with United's performances and results going from strength to strength.

The Dutch head coach may need to add another striker this month but, for now, he has a largely fully fit and well balanced squad which should continue to compete on multiple fronts.

United's rising confidence is in stark contrast to that of Everton, who are getting used to another battle against the drop.

Everton hoped to move forward after last season's close call when they finished four points above the bottom three, but the Toffees are dealing with many of the same problems as 12 months ago.

Their squad was reshaped in the summer after the sale of Richarlison to Tottenham helped fund the purchase of players in several different positions. But there is a general lack of quality in the starting 11 and even the defensive basics were missing when Frank Lampard's side subsided to a 4-1 home defeat to Brighton on Tuesday.

That abject defeat left Everton on 15 points from 18 games, four fewer than they had amassed at the same point of last season, and it raised serious questions over Lampard's future at the club.

Lampard will be hoping for a response and a performance of discipline and desire similar to the effort which secured a 1-1 draw at Manchester City last weekend.

However, his team appeared to run out of energy and ideas against Brighton and they could have done with a period of reassessment and recovery rather than another big match just three days later.

The least that Everton's large travelling contingent will expect is a gritty, committed performance but goals are likely to remain in short supply and even a much-changed United side should have few problems completing a routine success.