Everton v Manchester United predictions: Toffees can hold their own

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Everton v Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 7pm Sunday

Best bet

Everton or draw double chance
1pt 3-4 BoyleSports, Coral

Team news

Everton
Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate, Ben Godfrey, Andros Townsend and Nathan Patterson all remain sidelined for the Toffees but Dominic Calvert-Lewin could make the bench.

Manchester United
The visitors are set to be without Donny van de Beek, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire, while back-up goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is also out and Raphael Varane is a doubt.

Match preview

Football fans will be treated to four Premier League matches on Sunday but the day's action may go out with a whimper rather than a bang when Everton host Manchester United in an unusual 7pm kick-off at Goodison Park.

The Merseyside venue has not been one for classics recently with Everton's four league contests there this season producing a total of only four goals.

But while that suggests Frank Lampard's options in the final third have not been great this term, it is also testament to the team's improved defensive prowess.

The summer arrivals of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady have most definitely helped the Toffees, who began the campaign with losses to Chelsea and Aston Villa but have since gone on a seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Four of those matches ended as stalemates but Lampard will surely be happy with the direction in which his side are going and they could be worth a bet to avoid defeat at home to inconsistent United.

Erik ten Hag's men have blown hot and cold this season and although losing comprehensively away to Manchester City has become commonplace in England's top flight, last Sunday's 6-3 thrashing at the Etihad will have hurt.

United were reliant on substitute Anthony Martial to restore some dignity with two late strikes in that contest and they again had to look to the bench in Thursday's cagey Europa League affair with Omonia Nicosia.

United went into the break 1-0 down in that game, requiring subs Marcus Rashford and Martial to dig them out of a hole and salvage a 3-2 victory.

But that win was anything but convincing and the Red Devils have lost eight of their last ten away fixtures in the Premier League in a run stretching back to March.

Everton allowed Southampton 22 shots at St Mary's last time out but still managed to pull off a 2-1 win, which followed a 1-0 victory over West Ham, and the spirit in the team's camp seems to be getting stronger by the week.

United's road record is far from ideal and despite Ten Hag's best efforts to galvanise the team after a sloppy start, the mood around Manchester United is still not quite right so they are worth opposing.

Key stat

Everton are on a six-game unbeaten run in the Premier League.

Inside info

Everton

Penalty taker Neal Maupay
Assist ace Alex Iwobi
Set-piece aerial threat Conor Coady
Card magnet Anthony Gordon

Manchester United

Penalty taker Bruno Fernandes
Assist ace Christian Eriksen
Set-piece aerial threat Victor Lindelof
Card magnet Bruno Fernandes

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