The last time Everton and Manchester United met at Goodison Park, Anthony Gordon’s deflected goal ensured the hosts were first past the post on Grand National Day but how might the Blues try and go about trying to overcome the Red Devils this time? Some of Everton’s famous Goodison triumphs over Manchester United in the Premier League era have come through the effective deployment of a player who was aerially dominant.
Duncan Ferguson nodded in Gwladys Street winners over 10 years apart while Marouane Fellaini – who would later make the switch to Old Trafford – repeated the trick in the club’s opening fixture of the 2012/13 season, which would prove to be manager David Moyes’ last before he too moved down the East Lancs Road. Many Evertonians would probably love to have Dominic Calvert-Lewin fit and firing to attempt a repeat of the kind of goal he grabbed at the same end against Crystal Palace in May to secure the Blues’ top flight status, especially with United centre-back Lisandro Martinez being less than 5ft 9in tall but the centre-forward still hasn’t kicked a ball this term.
Gordon, the match-winner last time out, will be vying with the likes of Demarai Gray and Dwight McNeil – whose goal secured Everton’s 2-1 victory at Southampton in their previous match – for a place in the starting line-up having started on the bench at St Mary’s after suffering from illness so it remains unclear just who Frank Lampard’s wide options will be. This encounter could well be won or lost in the engine room with figures compiled by Comparisonator showing that the two sides’ respective midfields offer an intriguing contrast in styles.
