Key events
10 min: Manchester United up their intensity in response to conceding the goal. Dalot has a shot blocked, then Antony makes a few inroads into the penalty area. But Everton, as usual, are solid.
5 min: A nightmare start for Casemiro, who has the ball at his feet with his back to goal. Onana gets a foot in and dispossesses the former Real Madrid man, and then Manchester United are all out of shape as Everton numbers bear down on goal. The ball is worked to Iwobi, who has time to line up a shot from outside the area. He bends it unerringly, and beautifully, into the corner of the net from outside the area. A lovely strike. Casemiro looks a bit taken aback – he ended up on the floor after the tackle by Onana, and perhaps thinks he should have had a free-kick. Welcome to the Premier League.
Goal! 5min: Everton 1-0 Manchester United (Iwobi)
Great finish!
3 min: There’s a bit of squabbling over possession in midfield in a high-tempo opening. Fernandes puts his foot on it for United, and tries to slide a pass to Rashford, but the defending from Everton is solid.
1 min: Anthony Gordon has the freedom of the Everton right wing to sprint into space with the ball at his feet. He overhits his cross, though, and it bounces out harmlessly.
First half kick-off!
The crowd roar as Manchester United begin the match.
The players will be taking the knee before kick-off – because there is no room for racism.
To mark Black History Month, the Everton fans unfurl a banner depicting some of the club’s great black players from the past, Kevin Campbell and Daniel Amokachi among them.
Anthony Martial has apparently gone off injured during Manchester United’s warm-up. It is unclear if he is going to play.
Erik ten Hag is asked about Casemiro’s first Premier League start: “He had time to settle. Now he’s ready. I said before, he will be a different part in our plans. Now he has to show.
“This is a different game [following the derby defeat and Europa League win], it’s a different league, and we know what we have to do … we have to step up, we have to be better than our opponent.”
Frank Lampard has a chat with BT Sport: “I don’t like talking about that [Everton’s unbeaten run, and their miserly defence] … we just have to keep doing the right actions. It’s a tough league. To keep those goals against down is a good thing … we’re in good form, we can be confident, but today is a big test for us against very strong opposition.
“We know what Anthony [Gordon] brings … with Anthony he’s dynamic, he’s quick … last year he was brilliant for us, especially in the home games, with getting the crowd going.”
On Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s return to the squad: “Pleased to have him back involved, he’s desperate to be involved … it’s nice. Match fitness he’s probably short of, but can he impact a game for a period of time? We’ll see.”
Nick Ames
It is time to believe the hype. There was a sense Arsenal needed to take the scalp of an age-old nemesis to fully assert their credentials and they answered every question here. This was a see-sawing, fully engaging encounter but Mikel Arteta’s players were ultimately better in every department, performing with clarity and a rattling intensity against a Liverpool team more reliant on flashes and moments.
Today’s scores are here. Fixtures are here. Roma v Lecce, Barcelona v Celta Vigo and Lille v Lens are all coming up later on the continent, where they are fond of a bit of Sunday-evening league football. But it’s all about Everton v Manchester United right here.
Oh, Arsenal beat Liverpool.
How do you see this one going?
Drop me an email or tweet @LukeMcLaughlin
Why is this match kicking off at 7pm on a Sunday? It’s all to do with the fact that it was initially slated for a Saturday lunchtime televised kick-off, but then the Europa League got in the way, and the powers-that-be at the TV companies didn’t want it to clash with today’s earlier matches. Or something along those lines.
Arsenal are beating Liverpool 3-2 with about four minutes of stoppage time to play. Rob Smyth has the story:
Teams
The England forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, after a seemingly interminable injury lay-off, takes his place on the bench for Everton, the first time he’s been in a match day squad this season. Anthony Gordon comes back in to the side with Dwight McNeil dropping to the bench – the only change to the team made by Lampard from the win against Southampton.
For the visitors, Casemiro makes his first Premier League start, so it will be fascinating to see how he gets on. Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford come into the starting side for Tyrell Malacia, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo, who were in the XI for the win over Omonia.
Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Onana, Gueye, Iwobi, Gray, Maupay, Gordon. Substitutes: Keane, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin, Begovic, Davies, Ruben Vinagre, Rondon, Garner, John.
Man Utd: de Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Eriksen, Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Martial. Substitutes: Ronaldo, Malacia, Fred, Varane, Heaton, Sancho, Pellistri, Elanga, McTominay.
Preamble
Things are going rather nicely at Everton lately. Last weekend’s 2-1 comeback victory at Southampton backed up a gritty 1-0 home win against Everton a couple of weeks ago. A third successive Premier League victory would see Everton move above today’s opponents, Manchester United, and into seventh place in the Premier League.
Frank Lampard seems to be gradually imbuing his squad with the same work ethic and will to win that he brought to his own playing career. His Goodison Park ‘project’ is progressing, and three points against Manchester United would be significant and very welcome step in the right direction.
On the other hand today’s visitors were not the first, and certainly won’t be the last, team to be torn apart by Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne. Erik ten Hag’s side managed a 3-2 comeback win against Omonia in midweek, and it remains to be seen if that 6-3 derby drubbing will usher in a downturn in their domestic form. Can they Get Back To Winning Ways™ in the league? There remain no guarantees in life – aside of course from Haaland scoring – and this one could go either way.
Kick-off: 7pm