Manchester United v Everton: Premier League – live

1 year ago 101

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The scene outside Old Trafford ahead of this afternoon’s game between Manchester United and Everton.

Those teams: Erik Ten Hag makes three changes to the side that beat Brentford in midweek, all of them in his back four. Harry Maguire is rotated in for Raphael Varance, while Tyrell Malacia starts in place of the injured Luke Shaw. At right-back, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, comes in for Diogo Dalot, who drops to the bench. He’ll be sitting alongside Christian Eriksen, who makes a welcome return from injury.

Sean Dyche makes just one changeand it’s enforced. With Abdoulay e Doucoure suspended, it looks like Amadou Onana, Idrissa Gueye and Alex Iwobi might play in the centre of a five-man midfield, flanked by Dwight McNeil and Demarai Gray. Ellis Simms comes into the side and will play through the centre.

Recalled from a successful loan spell at Sunderland in January, Ellis Simms has scored one goal in seven appearances (six of them off the bench) for Everton this season.

Manchester United v Everton line-ups

Manchester United: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Martinez, Malacia, McTominay, Sabitzer, Antony, Fernandes, Sancho, Rashford.

Subs: Butland, Lindelof, Martial, Eriksen, Fred, Varane, Dalot, Weghorst, Pellistri.

Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Tarkowski, Keane, Godfrey, Onana, Gueye, Iwobi, McNeil, Gray, Simms.

Subs: Begovic, Patterson, Holgate, Mina, Mykolenko, Maupay, Davies, Coady, Garner.

Today's match officials

Referee: Michael Oliver.
Assistants: Stuart Burt and Simon Bennett.
Fourth official: Graham Scott.
VAR: Paul Tierney.

Michael Oliver is in charge of maintaining the very best of order during today’s match at Old Trafford.

Early team news

One of Manchester United’s players of the season, Casemiro sits out the final game of a four-match ban on the Naughty Step, while left-back Luke Shaw misses out with a hamstring injury and is likely to be replaced by Tyrrell Malacia. Christian Eriksen returns to the bench ahead of schedule, having recovered from the ankle injury visited upon him by Reading striker Andy Carroll during an FA Cup game in January. Tom Heaton, Alejandro Garnacho and Donny van de Beek all remain sidelined.

Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure is suspended on the back of the red card he was shown for raising a hand to the face of Harry Kane during Monday night’s draw with Tottenham. A graduate from the Manchester United academy, James Garner could start in his absence. Long-term absentees Andros Townsend and Dominic Calvert-Lewin remain unavailable for selection but left-back Rubin Vinagre could return after missing the match against Spurs with an achilles problem.

Premier League: Manchester United v Everton

Old Trafford is the venue as two famous old clubs with plenty to play for get yet another intriguing weekend of Premier League action under way. Deep in trouble, Everton sit just two places above the relegation but are level on points with Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth beneath them on goal difference. With any three from nine concertinaed in the bottom half facing relegation, every goal and point counts, and Everton go into this game unbeaten in four.

Manchester United have Champions League qualification in mind and following their fairly straightforward midweek win over Brentford currently sit in fourth. They’re unbeaten in 23 games at home, level on points with third-placed Newcastle and three clear of Tottenham Hotspur, who find themselves in fifth having played one game more. Kick-off at Old Trafford is at 12.30pm (BST) but you can stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.