--- title: "Everton vs Manchester United: Match preview" canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2015/04/23/everton-vs-manchester-united-match-preview/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" section: "Man Utd Match Previews" published: "2015-04-23T19:19:05Z" modified: "2015-04-23T19:25:08Z" --- # Everton vs Manchester United: Match preview Manchester United travel to Goodison Park this Sunday, aiming to bounce back after losing to Chelsea last weekend. With an Everton team in their best form of the season, this will be far from an easy fixture for Louis van Gaal’s men. **Previous trip to Goodison Park:** How things have changed since Manchester United last visited the blue half of Merseyside. The enduring image of that last trip to Goodison Park is of a grim reaper sat wielding a scythe behind David Moyes. The 2-0 result and performance encapsulated the disappointment of the Scots reign. The team he had built at Everton outfought and outthought the one he was trying to build at United. You could not help but feel sorry for David Moyes as he stood, crestfallen and looking like a beaten man, on the touchline. There was a sense of despair in how his dream job had gone so terribly wrong, that his old stomping ground was to be the place where the axe would fall upon him. After running Bayern Munich close in the Champions League quarter-final, the come down at Goodison Park was dramatic in that United produced their most uninspiring performance under Moyes. They were utterly dejected and looked beaten before the whistle had been blown to begin play. The 2-0 defeat made it mathematically impossible for United to achieve a top four finish and the cost of failing to reach Europe saw the end of David Moyes’ short time in charge. **Last time we met:** When Everton travelled to Old Trafford at the beginning of October both teams were struggling to put together a consistent run of form. The result was a tight affair with Radamel Falcao’s second half effort proving to be the winning goal. Falcao’s quick reaction to a Di Maria shot saw him turn in his first goal for Manchester United, causing Old Trafford to erupt in celebration. Louis van Gaal’s team had their goalkeeper to thank as David de Gea produced a string of impressive stops including the saving of a Leighton Baines penalty on the stroke of half time. De Gea’s crucial stop had preserved United’s lead given to them by Angel Di Maria and although Steven Naismith headed Everton level early on in the second half, Falcao’s goal turned out to be enough to steer the reds to successive victories for the first time in 2014/15. **Form guide:** Although United lost their last match away at Chelsea, their recent form has been mightily impressive. The loss at Stamford Bridge was their first league defeat since Swansea City beat them 2-1 in February. Six straight wins had put United firmly back in the top four positions. Not only have they been getting results but now performances have reached the level expected of a Manchester United side. The demolition of Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester City has given fans plenty to cheer about and banished doubts over the teams’ ability to return to the Champions League for next season. Like their opponents, Everton are also on a good run of form. Since back-to-back defeats to Arsenal and Stoke City at the beginning of March, the Toffees are unbeaten in five, winning four of those matches. It has been a season to forget for Roberto Martinez’s side, they have had to look over their shoulder at the relegation places rather than pursue a European spot for next season. After coming close to achieving Champions League football last year, this season has been one of great disappointment. But they do go into this fixture with more confidence than they’ve had all year. **Form against each other:** If recent visits to Goodison Park are anything to go by then we could be in for another classic encounter this Sunday. It can be goals galore when the sides meet and a double each from Louis Saha and Ruud van Nistelrooy secured a memorable 4-3 win in 2004 whilst few will forget Chris Eagles scoring United’s fourth as they came back from 2-0 down to take a huge leap toward the 2006/07 league title. United have also thrown away a lead at Goodison, with 90th minute goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta snatching a 3-3 draw in 2010. Everton’s recent record hosting United is impressive, they’ve only lost once – in 2012 – in the last six meetings and have won the last two matches on their home patch, in the aforementioned return of David Moyes and on the opening day of the 2012/13 season when Marouane Fellaini scored the winner and Robin van Persie made his United debut. **Team news:** Both teams have a couple of fitness concerns ahead of Sunday’s match. Robin van Persie could return to the starting line-up after taking a place on the bench against Chelsea and playing for the Under 21’s in midweek. Rafael and Adnan Januzaj are definitely out, both suffering injuries in the Under 21 draw with Leicester City. There will be late checks on the fitness of Michael Carrick, Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo after all three missed the defeat at Stamford Bridge. Everton will make a couple of late checks themselves with doubts over the availability of Leon Osman and Steven Pienaar.