Manchester Utd v Everton
15:00 - 4/4/2017 - Old Trafford, Manchester
Man Utd fans will be delighted that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is available for selection again following his suspension. In his absence United were dumped out of the FA Cup at Chelsea and they couldn’t score against West Brom at home. That stalemate against the Baggies was United’s fifth draw in eight in the league and their 11th in 28 this season. Only Middlesbrough have tied as many games as Mourinho’s side. Going forward has been the real issue for the Red Devils this season. All of the other members of the top-seven, including their opponents here, have scored at least 10 goals more than them.
While Everton might be the ‘best of the rest’ in the Premier League the manner of their defeat in the Merseyside derby on Saturday shows they still have some way to go if they are to break the top-six’s stranglehold at the top of the table. With Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy ruled out for the rest of the campaign they lacked creativity and energy at Liverpool and they were dominated in all areas of the pitch. They’ve travelled to all the other members of the top-six already this term bar Arsenal and have picked up just one point.
With such a clearly defined top-six it’s fair to call Everton a middle-third side. Man Utd’s home record against such opposition reads: W12-D4-L2 over the last few seasons so they are worthy favourites here. They’ve been level at the break in 11 of those games so a half-time stalemate with United kicking on in the second half looks a good bet here.
