Written by @Chadley_N for @Hollywoodbets. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
Manchester United vs Everton | Sunday 05 October | Old Trafford | 13:00
Super Sunday kicks off with a thrilling matchup as Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United welcome Roberto Martinez’s headstrong Everton to Old Trafford. The Toffees pulled off the double over David Moyes’ mediocre United side last season winning 1-0 in this fixture and 2-0 at Goodison Park but face an uphill battle of repeating that feat against Van Gaal’s new galaxy of stars.
To Win (90mins)
Manchester United 13/20
Draw 26/10
Everton 39/10
Manchester United
After conceding a disorganised goal and losing their captain to a red card, the Red Devils could easily have sulked their way to dropping points against the Hammers last weekend. But there were no signs of that in the second half, as Van Gaal’s United put in a tremendous effort to hold on for their second victory of the season. It was ugly at times and by no means showed the kind of glamour Van Gaal will be seeking in the long run, but the three points are the most important reward for the Red Devils, first and foremost. United might not be at their best, but the spirit that has seen them lift countless trophies over the years hasn’t quite gone missing. Wayne Rooney will always face intense scrutiny due to his standing in the Old Trafford dressing room but, prior to his sending off, the skipper had justified his inclusion ahead of Juan Mata in the deep-lying forward role. He chased, harried, created, and scored a wonderful goal to hand United the lead. It is that sort of contribution that will be missed as he sits out the next three games.
As the Red Devils face a daunting fixture against Everton on Sunday, Van Gaal will be reliant on Robin Van Persie as well as new signing Radamel Falcao, who has yet to find the net in Manchester United colours. The duo have linked up well so far but will need to step up a gear against the Toffees’ defence. Van Persie looks to have found his rhythm, netting twice in his last two games, while Falcao has yet to hit the ground running. There is no doubting the mercurial talent of Falcao. On his day, he is arguably the best number nine in world football. But he needs to adapt to the rigours of the English League much quicker and needs a goal to settle. To see first-hand the electrifying qualities that Angel Di Maria brings to a team is somewhat of a dream to many Manchester United fans. The faithful have endured years of a lack of quality from the wide areas since the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo, but Di Maria is a genuine world beater in the attacking department. The 26-year-old will fancy his chances against Everton with United likely to play on the break, allowing the Argentinian midfielder to show his pace and dribbling skills. Phil Jones has recovered from a hamstring injury and will ease Van Gaal’s defensive crisis.
Everton
Phil Jagielka scored possibly the goal of his career to grab Everton a 1-1 draw with Liverpool in their Premier League Merseyside derby. Everton’s start has been underwhelming, with only one win to this point in the league campaign. The Toffees have been at polar opposites thus far, seeing last season’s late potency replaced by some uncharacteristic fallibility. They have already lost four points during the final ten minutes of a match, three more than in all of last season. Jagielka’s strike signalled a return to the Toffees’ previous ways and Martinez also deserves credit for creating that opportunity. Martinez will have his work cut out when his side come up against a revamped Manchester United side this weekend and will be hoping to pick up his second victory on the road. Much has been said about Romelu Lukaku’s price tag and its correlation—or lack thereof—with his goalscoring form for Everton, but last Saturday was a game that suggested that perhaps Jose Mourinho was right to let him go.
Playing on the right wing to support Steven Naismith as the central striker, a tactic that has worked in the past against strong attacking teams, Lukaku felt the full effect of not having the excellent Seamus Coleman in support on the right flank. Lukaku was isolated for most of the game, and while he did cut back on his left foot and test Simon Mignolet from distance on a few occasions, he will not be remembering his performance with much fondness. The Belgian powerhouse has caused United some problems in the past, most notably for West Brom when he scored a superb hat-trick at the Hawthorns in a 5-5 draw to spoil Sir Alex Ferguson’s 1500th and final match in charge. He’ll be hoping to return to his best and prove his worth. One player who has shone under Martinez this season has been Naismith. His confidence and level of performance has only benefited from the combination of his new-found role as fan favourite coupled with him being played in the right position; behind the striker. He could be a nuisance for Van Gaal’s nervy defence and will be hoping to get on the score-sheet, something he’s done quite frequently this season. Everton fear they will be without Kevin Mirallas for at least four weeks after he suffered a hamstring tear in last weekend’s Merseyside derby, which should see a starting role for Aiden McGeady.
VERDICT: Manchester United 13/20
Manchester United are favourites at 13/20 while Everton are priced at 39/10. Despite the inconsistency of United, they have won their last two home fixtures and find themselves sitting in seventh place, just two points behind fourth-place Arsenal. Everton have been struggling for form, picking up just one victory in their opening six matches with two losses. With the likes of Di Maria, Mata, Van Persie and Falcao, the Red Devils should break down Everton’s defence and get the goals they need to win the game.
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