Manchester United will be looking to advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup when they host Everton at Old Trafford on Friday night.
The Red Devils are coming off a 3-0 Premier League win over Bournemouth on Tuesday, while Everton were defeated 4-1 by Brighton & Hove Albion on the same day.
Man United won 3-0 at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Tuesday night, making it six straight wins in all competitions. Casemiro, Luke Shaw, and Marcus Rashford scored for the Red Devils, who strengthened their grip on a top-four spot in the table.
Erik ten Hag’s men are currently fourth in the table, five points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and level on 35 points with third-placed Newcastle United, who have played one more game; Man United are also just one point behind second-placed Manchester City in England’s top flight.
Since the beginning of October, the Red Devils have only lost once in all competitions, while they have won all four of their games since returning to action following the World Cup, scoring nine goals and keeping four clean sheets.Ten Hag’s team will host Charlton Athletic in the EFL Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday evening before hosting Manchester City in the league on January 14, and they will then travel to Arsenal, with this month set to be crucial for the club in terms of their season ambitions.
Man United were knocked out of the FA Cup in the fourth round by Middlesbrough last season, but they are the competition’s second-most successful team, having won the trophy 12 times. The Red Devils last won the FA Cup in 2016, but Ten Hag appears to be taking every competition seriously this season as he seeks silverware in his first season in charge.
Everton, meanwhile, have won the FA Cup five times, most recently in 1995, when they defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the final, with Paul Rideout scoring the only goal.
The Toffees have already lost to the Red Devils this season, falling 2-1 at home in the Premier League on October 9, but they have drawn their last three games at Old Trafford, giving the Merseyside outfit confidence ahead of Friday’s game. Everton are coming off a 4-1 home loss to Brighton on Tuesday night, which dropped them to 16th place in the Premier League table with 15 points.Frank Lampard’s position as head coach remains in doubt, but the 44-year-old remains in charge for the time being, and he will be hoping for a big win at Old Trafford.
Everton did enjoy their trip to Manchester on December 31, drawing 1-1 with Man City in the Premier League, which would have given Lampard some breathing room.
Team News- (Manchester United)
Antony is also a major question mark due to the issue that caused him to miss the team’s last game. Lisandro Martinez and Diogo Dalot made their first appearances since the World Cup against Bournemouth, while Scott McTominay returned to the bench due to illness.
Raphael Varane, Dalot, Martinez, and Alejandro Garnacho are expected to return to the starting lineup for this match, but Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, and Rashford are expected to remain.
Team News-(Everton)
The visitors will be without James Garner, Michael Keane, and Andros Townsend, while Nathan Patterson is out with a knee injury sustained against Brighton.
Lampard is expected to field a strong team for this match, with the head coach possibly making only two changes from the previous game on Tuesday. Onana is expected to return to central midfield, while Seamus Coleman is expected to replace Patterson, but Dwight McNeil, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Demarai Gray are expected to keep their spots.
Prediction
Man United appear to be a team on the rise, and they are difficult to oppose at the moment, particularly at Old Trafford. Everton drew with Manchester City last weekend, but we believe the Red Devils will advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Manchester United 2-0 Everton
