MANCHESTER UNITED'S Premier League revival came shuddering to a halt with a thumping derby defeat last weekend and they now face a test of nerve against an Everton side who are starting to show some backbone under Frank Lampard.
A run of four successive league wins came to an end for Erik Ten Hag's side at the Etihad as champions Manchester City dished out a 6-3 beating to underline the gulf in class between the rivals.
Turning United into a side capable of going toe to toe with Pep Guardiola's men was always going to take time and the task now for Ten Hag is bouncing back from that dispiriting derby loss.
The Old Trafford giants responded with a 3-2 victory over Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday night, a game that saw both main bets land for our man Mark, but Everton will prove a tougher nut to crack at Goodison.
Having just avoided the drop last season, it looked like being another tough campaign for the Toffees when they lost their first two Premier League matches to Chelsea and Aston Villa.
But the response since then has been terrific, with Lampard's side going seven games unbeaten in all competitions. They head into this game on the back of successive league wins over West Ham and Southampton, boosting hopes that Everton can finally start looking up the table rather than down.
How the bookies view it
Despite their fine run of form, Everton are outsiders for this one at 11/4 with SBK. Manchester United's best price is just 17/16 with VBet while the draw pays 11/4 at SpreadEx.
Recent head to head
There hasn't been much between these sides in recent years with the last nine meetings producing two Everton victories, three Manchester United wins and four draws. The Toffees had the edge last season, winning 1-0 at home after a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
Players to watch
Neal Maupay netted Everton's winner in their last home game against West Ham and should lead the line again here. The former Brighton striker is 13/5 with Bet365 for anytime scorer.
Manchester United have played without a recognised centre-forward for most of the season but Anthony Martial could get a run up top after returning from injury. He scored twice off the bench in the derby then followed it up with another goal in Cyprus just seconds after coming on. The Frenchman is 11/5 with Bet365 to keep his hot streak going at Goodison.
Anything else catch the eye?
Lampard has concentrated on making Everton harder to beat, with James Tarkowski and Conor Coady looking shrewd signings in defence. The Toffees have only conceded more than one goal in a game just once this season so I'd be surprised if this was a thriller. Under 2.5 goals appeals at evens with BoyleSports while betting against BTTS pays 5/4 at BetVictor.
The half-time draw has landed in Everton's last three games and that bet stands a chance here, paying a best 5/4 with William Hill. I'd expect it to be a battle in midfield and the 9/10 on offer at Unibet for over 9.5 Everton fouls looks good value.
This English Premier League match between Everton and Manchester United will be played on Oct 9, 2022 and kick off at 19:00. Check below for our tipsters best Everton vs Manchester United prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
