MANCHESTER UNITED 0-0 EVERTON
Manchester United XI: De Gea, Wan Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, James, Lingard, Rashford, Martial
Everton XI: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Holgate, Mina, Digne, Davies, Iwobi, Bernard, Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison
MANCHESTER UNITED 0-0 EVERTON
33: Weather report: It’s pouring it down at Old Trafford. So has Duncan Ferguson put a coat on? No chance. In fact, he’s taken his suit jacket off and carefully placed it on the bench. White shirt and rain won’t end well for you, Duncan…
30: Duncan Ferguson has a difficult decision to make. Tom Davies is walking a tightrope on that caution and has made two or three tactical fouls. The problem? He’s Everton’s only fit midfielder.
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27: Save! Jordan Pickford takes a step to his left as Marcus Rashford absolutely leathers it on target. The Everton stopper manages to stick out a strong palm and claws it away untidily. Pace of that nearly blew him into his own net.
26: Danger! Tom Davies, who has already been booked, is penalised for bringing down Scott McTominay just outside the penalty area. Could be a Marcus Rashford special on the way…
24: Can you believe it. Lucas Digne is down injured and signals to the bench that he can’t continue. 35-year-old Leighton Baines strips off hurriedly and enters the action. Massive blow for the Toffees.
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21: Richarlison goes down injured. He’s up now but still limping trying to shake it off. That’s the last thing Duncan Ferguson needs with the state of Everton’s injury list.
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18: Jesse Lingard is fortunate to get away without a booking when sliding through Michael Keane. Everton don’t see a difference between that and the one Tom Davies was booked for in the seventh-minute. I agree.
15: Nice mix of long balls and sharp build-up play from Manchester United as they start to dominate. Fred is running the midfield and nearly slips it through for Anthony Martial. Jordan Pickford collects.
12: Close! Manchester United with a couple of great opportunities to make the breakthrough. Everton’s reasonably high line is causing them some issues as Marcus Rashford and Daniel James both find themselves in behind the defence. Both miss the target with powerful efforts.
9: Mason Holgate continues to operate in midfield and tests David de Gea with a well-struck drive from distance. It’ll take more than that to beat him from there. Positive early signs for the Blues though.
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7: Are we seeing the REAL Duncan Ferguson today? Everton lined up with three at the back but Mason Holgate has now pushed up into midfield. Bit of the old sly tic-tacs from the Everton manager.
He will not have liked to see Tom Davies booked early doors. The midfielder slides in late on Scott McTominay and referee Michael Oliver cautions him.
4: Save! David de Gea is nearly caught cold by Mason Holgate’s cross/shot that’s looping in. The Spanish stopper tips it over for a corner but grabs his leg in discomfort. The corner isn’t dealt with and Bernard lashes it miles wide of the target.
2: Close! Manchester United are straight out of the traps and should really have taken the lead. Fred darts through the Everton midfield (that contains only one midfielder) before finding Jesse Lingard with his back to goal. The playmaker swivels and fires wide of the target.
MANCHESTER UNITED 0-0 EVERTON
1: And we’re underway at Old Trafford. Watching Duncan Ferguson running up and down that touchline last weekend was a thing of pure, unbridled joy. I’m afraid I can’t see it happening today with depleted numbers against a rejuvenated Manchester United. Prediction? 3-0.
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Man Utd vs Everton LIVE: Premier League score, team news, highlights and updates (Image: GETTY)
Jesse Lingard interview
Manchester United star Jesse Lingard has spoken of the ‘glum’ time he’s had at the club over the last few months because of his loss of form. The midfielder mentioned that a chat with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fixed his mindset and he’s back to his best again.
“I am normally quite bubbly and want to put smiles on people’s faces, but people have seen the change in my ways,” Lingard told the Daily Mail.
“I have been down and glum; just worrying. I felt like everybody just passed all the stuff to me and it weighed on my shoulders. It was like, ‘Here you go Jesse, you deal with this on your own’.
Lingard added: “I wasn’t performing and he was on me all the time. Solskjaer wanted more from me. I felt it was best to get everything off my chest and tell him why my head wasn’t right, so I knocked on his door.”
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Twitter reaction
Mic: If Manchester United replace Fred with Paul Pogba when he’s fit and Anthony Martial either improves just a little or they get an out and out striker, that’s a solid top 3/4 starting squad. They’re so close!
Andy: More injuries and illness, I’m surprised we even have 11 players to play. Everton have been poor this year but we aren’t half unlucky too!
Andrew: As a life long Manchester United fan getting ready for todays match, ya can’t but admire big Duncan Ferguson, I hope he gets the job full time at Everton!
Not sure today’s 5-0-5 formation will help him – but the injuries are staggering…
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Big Dunc arrives…
Big Duncan Ferguson is in the building folks. The Scot has again opted for the suit over the tracksuit, but I can’t see if he’s wearing the sweatband…
Everton have been linked with the likes of former boss David Moyes, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta as they seek a replacement for Marco Silva, but reports suggest Ancelotti has moved to the front of the queue.
The 60-year-old, who has won the Champions League twice with AC Milan and once with Real Madrid, was sacked by Napoli last week and is reportedly set for talks with the Toffees in the coming days.
“I don’t want to get drawn into names, but all these guys are fantastic managers – great, great managers,” Ferguson said. “Hopefully the club will find the right one. We want the best managers in the world managing our football club.”
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Erling Haaland…
Manchester United released their line up on their official twitter account today, as normal. But the poor admin was flooded by responses asking the club to sign one man – Erling Haaland.
Now take this with a pinch of salt, but… the Mirror claim Haaland has told Ole Gunnar Solskjaer he would like to move to Old Trafford when the transfer window reopens next month.
The 19-year-old missed Salzburg’s game against Hartberg on Saturday ahead of Austria’s two-month winter break.
That means he could have played his final match for RB Salzburg if a big-money move materialises next month.
Marcus Rashford responds…
Marcus Rashford is fully focused on fulfilling his potential as the homegrown forward looks to become a Manchester United great like Cristiano Ronaldo.
Fresh from his latest stunning display in Sunday’s thrilling win at Manchester City, manager and 1999 treble-winning striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer likened the 22-year-old to one of the greatest players of all time.
Put to Rashford that there cannot really be any higher praise than that as a United player, Rashford said: “No, I think it’s a case of as a forward player, ever since I’ve come through they always compare you with forwards that have been in the past and it’s something that you don’t really have much of an input on.
“All you do is try to do your best on the pitch and then people outside do the talking about it.”
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Twitter reaction
Tim: I can only guess that Gylfi Sigurdsson and Sidibe have got injured in training. If so do they have a WWE session at the end of each session, how many players have got injured recently?!
Tony: One fit midfielder from the entire squad. Jean-Philippe Gbamin injured, Fabian Delph injured, Andre Gomes injured, Morgan Schneiderlin injured, Gylfi Sigurdsson sick.
Deano: I could be wrong, very rarely am… but he’s picked a counter attacking team against a team that will prob sit back. This is how we struggle to break down defensive teams at home. But if we win I shall delete this tweet at 3.50.
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Team news – Manchester United
Manchester United are unchanged from the team which beat Manchester City last weekend. Obviously. Paul Pogba still isn’t fit. Obviously.
Team news – Everton
Everton are right down to the bare bones for their trip to Old Trafford today. At least that’s how it appears…
Duncan Ferguson makes four changes from the win over Chelsea last weekend with Djibril Sidibe, Theo Walcott, Morgan Schneiderlin and Gylfi Sigurdsson all dropped from the match day squad.
I’m hearing grumblings that Sigurdsson and Sidibe are ill. So that’s one fit midfielder in Everton’s entire squad with Tom Davies starting.
Oumar Niasse and the lesser-spotted Cuco Martina (who I completely forgot existed) are among the substitutes along with 18-year-old academy star Anthony Gordon.
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The starting XI…
And the team sheets have arrived. Manchester United with an unchanged line up – Everton make four changes.
Manchester United XI: De Gea, Wan Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, James, Lingard, Rashford, Martial.
Subs: Romero, Mata, Pereira, Young, Greenwood, Tuanzebe, Williams.
Everton XI: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Holgate, Mina, Digne, Davies, Iwobi, Bernard, Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison.
Subs: Stekelenburg, Tosun, Kean, Niasse, Baines, Gordon, Martina.
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What’s on?
Three solid Premier League fixtures, that’s what’s on.
Club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer welcomes Everton and their club legend Duncan Ferguson to Old Trafford with both sides fresh off the back of victories.
Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham travel to Wolves in the other 2pm fixture before Arsenal and Manchester City meet at the Emirates in the battle of the 2019/2020 domestic disappointments…
Man Utd vs Everton LIVE: Premier League score, team news, highlights and updates (Image: GETTY)
Afternoon…
Hello folks and welcome to our LIVE coverage of Manchester United vs Everton.
How’s everyone feeling today? I had a rare Saturday off yesterday and decided to use the time productively.
How? Well I went Christmas shopping. It was exactly as terrible as it sounds.
Nightmare to park, nightmare to weave through the thousands of dithering shoppers and a nightmare parting with cash for things that will be in the half-price sale on Boxing Day.
What can I say – I’m Ebenezer Scrooge.
Moving swiftly on… we’ve got a good afternoon of fixtures starting at Old Trafford and finishing at the Emirates. Standby for team news, line ups and predictable banter…
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MANCHESTER UNITED vs EVERTON – TEAM NEWS
Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard will be assessed (knock). Paul Pogba is out along with Eric Bailly and Timothy Fosu-Mensah.
Nemanja Matic returned from a 10-week absence against AZ Alkmaar, while Diogo Dalot and Marcos Rojo are building fitness.
Everton have been dealt a double injury blow with Theo Walcott and Morgan Schneiderlin sidelined by calf injuries.
Lucas Digne is a doubt after feeling tightness while training on Friday, while Fabian Delph, Yerry Mina and Seamus Coleman remain short of full fitness. Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Andre Gomes are long-term absentees.
Last season: Everton 4 Man Utd 0, Man Utd 2 Everton 1
Last five league matches: Man Utd W D D W W; Everton W L L L W
Referee: Michael Oliver
