Match Preview : Everton v Man Utd
Goodison Park
Saturday, 28 April
Kick-off: 1245 BST
Everton have recalled keeper Iain Turner from his loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday and he will step in for Tim Howard, who is ineligible.
Andy Johnson is having intensive treatment on his sprained ankle but seems certain to miss the game.
Manchester United team news to follow later.
Everton (from): Turner, Hibbert, Yobo, Stubbs, Lescott, Naysmith, Arteta, Carsley, Neville, Osman, Fernandes, Beattie, McFadden, Wright, Van der Meyde, De Silva, Anderson, Valente, Vidarsson.
Everton manager David Moyes:
“I do relish these games but I wish it was me chasing these trophies and not Sir Alex.
“The aim is to try to get us a side that does that.
“We all have to stand back and admire what Manchester United have done and how well their manager and their players have done.”
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson after eight of his squad were named in the PFA Team of the Year:
“These awards tell you what is happening until February (when the votes are cast).
“What we have to do now is be great in April and May.
“If the players do not smell the scent of something big in their lives now then they never will. It is a great opportunity for them.”
BIG-MATCH FACTS
EVERTON host table topping Manchester United, in this 1245 hours kick off. Unusually the on going race for the Premiership title will be fought out over Saturday lunchtime, as the other protagonists, Chelsea, welcome Bolton to Stamford Bridge for an identical start time.
David Moyes’ side are in pole position for Uefa Cup qualification at fifth in the table, equal on points with Bolton and three ahead of Reading, but they could have been in a stronger position had they not had their seven-match unbeaten run of alternate wins and losses broken by West Ham last Saturday. They have not suffered back-to-back losses in 17 Premiership outings, and are vying for a fourth successive home League victory.
The Toffees have only beaten Manchester United twice in 14 attempts at Goodison Park. Duncan Ferguson scored the only goal in both victories on 25 February 1995 and 20 April 2005.
MANCHESTER UNITED go into this clash three points ahead of Chelsea, with Manchester City and Chelsea to visit and West Ham to host after this, while the Blues must go to Arsenal before hosting the Red Devils and Everton. The treble chasing Old Trafford club will want to follow-up the 3-2 home win over AC Milan in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday, with a further victory here, having dropped two points against Middlesbrough last weekend, and lost their last away League engagement at Portsmouth.
If Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were to win all four of their remaining League matches, they would end the campaign on 94 points - two more than they’ve ever accrued before in a Premier League season. United have won eight of the last 10 top flight engagements, and have won one more away than Everton have achieved at home.
United have won 11 of their 14 Premiership visits to Everton, including last season’s when Wayne Rooney was booed each time he touched the ball. The former blue set up one goal and scored the other in a 0-2 victory. They also beat the Toffees 3-0 at Old Trafford in November, but that margin of victory camouflages the fact that they had to struggle for the three points. Nevertheless it sets up the possibility of a ninth Premiership ‘double’ over the Merseysiders and first since 2003-04.
REFEREE
Alan Wiley (Burntwood, Staffordshire)
SEQUENCES/RECENT FORM
EVERTON
5th 54 points
Highest achievable after Saturday’s matches: 5th
Lowest could fall: 6th
1. Conceded one goal in each of the last five League games.
2. Failed to score in one of the last 10 Premiership outings (against West Ham last time out).
3. Three goals short of totalling 700 scored in Premier League history.
4. Last lost successive Premiership matches against Portsmouth (a) and Chelsea (h) on 9 and 17 December respectively.
5. Maximum points from the last three fixtures would bring their total to 63 - two more than the previous Premiership best of 61, achieved in 1995-96 when sixth, and 2004-05, when fourth.
6. Drawn more Premiership matches than any other club in the top half of the table (12). Only Aston Villa (16) and Fulham (15) have finished level more often.
7. Won the last three home top flight games against Arsenal, Fulham and Charlton.
8. Failed to score in only two home top tier outings this season.
9. Yet to be ‘doubled’ this season.
10. Just two fixtures remain after this against Portsmouth (h) and Chelsea (a).
MANCHESTER UNITED
1st 82 points
Highest achievable after Saturday’s matches: 1st
Lowest could realistically fall: 1st
1. Lost one of the last 10 Premiership matches.
2. Won more Premiership matches this season than any other club (26), drawn fewer (four), dropped fewer points (20), scored more goals (78), at one every 39 minutes on average, and boast the highest aggregate of 102 goals (78 for, 24 against), at three per match.
3. Lost four top flight matches - only Chelsea have been defeated less often (three times).
5. Failed to score in just two Premiership matches this season, but on the longest current run since firing a blank of 16 matches. Missed the target in one of 29.
6. Not been involved in a goalless draw in the highest League this season, and currently on the longest run without a no score draw in the highest echelon (35 matches). Also, the only club to hold a 100% record when a Premiership clean sheet has been kept - won 14 of 14.
7. Own the joint longest list of different scorers of Premiership goals this term of 16 players, alongside Tottenham’s.
8. Third in the Premiership’s “Last Six Current Form” table with 13 points out of the 18. They trail Chelsea (16 points), and Liverpool (14).
9. Scored more away top League goals than any other club (32), equal with Chelsea on total of away defeats (three) and trail the Blues on points gained away from home (35 to Chelsea’s 39) and on matches won on the road (11 to Chelsea’s 12).
10. Already beaten 10 clubs home and away in this League season - Wigan, Aston Villa, Watford, Tottenham, Charlton, Fulham, Liverpool, Bolton, Blackburn and Sheffield United.
KEY PLAYER NOTES/POTENTIAL MILESTONES
EVERTON
Squad profiles
Andrew JOHNSON is Everton’s top scorer with 12 goals - 11 in the Premiership.
Joseph YOBO is the only player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Everton’s Premiership matches this season.
If on the field from the outset, YOBO will be making his 150th start for the Toffees.
If named in the 11, James BEATTIE will be making his 250th club career start (Blackburn, Southampton and Everton).
If and when he next plays, Alessandro PISTONE will be making his 150th career Premiership appearance (Newcastle and Everton).
Tim HOWARD is on loan to Everton from Manchester United, and therefore ineligible for this game.
The match also provides the opportunity for Phil NEVILLE to face his former club. The England midfielder spent the first 11 seasons of his career at Old Trafford, making 389 appearances (263 in the Premiership) and scored eight goals (five in the League), before joining Everton in August 2005.
If he participates, Victor ANICHEBE will be playing on his 19th birthday.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Cristiano RONALDO and Wayne ROONEY are Manchester United’s joint top scorers with 22 goals each.
RONALDO is the club’s leading marksman in the Premiership with 16. The Portugal World Cup star is three behind Chelsea’s Didier Drogba at the head of the race for the Barclays Golden Boot.
RONALDO needs a double to total 50 goals for the Red Devils.
ROONEY returns once again to his former club, where he made 77 appearances (67 in the Premiership) and scored 17 goals (15 League) at the outset of his career, until his £20m move to Old Trafford in August 2004.
Paul SCHOLES is one goal short of holding the record outright as Manchester United’s highest scorer of Premier League goals. He has netted 95 and equalled Ruud van Nistelrooy’s total. Ryan GIGGS has scored 93 times in the Premiership.
GIGGS is a double short of 100 League goals.
If selected in the 11, Gary NEVILLE will be making his 350th Premiership start - all for the Red Devils.
If involved, Louis SAHA will be making his 100th appearance for the Old Trafford club.
If he plays, John O’SHEA will be appearing two days before turning 26.
LAST SEASON’S CORRESPONDING GAME
Everton 0-2 Manchester United
13 August 2005 - Ref: Graham Poll
Man United scorers: van Nistelrooy 43, Rooney 46
THIS SEASON’S REVERSE FIXTURE
Manchester United 3-0 Everton
29 November 2006 - Ref: Mark Halsey
Man United scorers: Ronaldo 39, Evra 63, O’Shea 89
HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS
Home and away
League: Everton 52 wins, Man United 66, Draws 37
Prem: Everton 3 wins, Man United 22, Draws 4
at Everton only
League: Everton 37 wins, Man United 23, Draws 17
Prem: Everton 2 wins, Man United 11, Draws 1
The “League” figures in these Head to Head totals include all Premiership matches
By : bbc.co.uk
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By : soccerway.com
