Everton must stop the rot against United

Following two demoralising defeats on the trot, Everton must end that run of poor form and seek a return to winning ways when they host Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday.

After a brilliant start to the 2020-21 season, Everton have stumbled to successive losses at Southampton and Newcastle United, which have checked their early momentum.

Apart from the fact that the Toffees lost both matches, it’s the manner of those defeats that is most concerning. The Blues didn’t deserve anything from either game.

It is the return of the old Everton I had hoped perhaps too optimistically, had been overcome when we were watching the new-look team demolish their early-season opponents.

That old mentality was once more on display with too many players again lacking the energy, commitment and determination to find a way to get a result.

Now they have a chance to return to winning ways against a very inconsistent and under-pressure United team coming off the back of an embarrassing defeat in Europe last night.

Based on the noises coming out of the club, the Toffees will have their Colombian forward James Rodriguez back on Saturday, although it’s not yet certain whether he will be able to start. Obviously we all hope he is able to start and last the whole match but it looks unlikely.

And it looks as though both first-choice full-backs, Seamus Coleman and Lucas Digne are also in line to return to the team after injury and suspension respectively have kept them out.

Coleman’s return will help Rodriguez too, as the Irishman’s experience and defensive solidity together with his attacking support for his Colombian team mate on the right hand side, has become crucial to enabling Rodriguez to be most effective.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti has another player fit again in central defender Jarrad Branthwaite as well as recent signing Ben Godfrey, if he should decide to break up the centre-back partnership of Micheal Keane and Yerry Mina, which again looked wobbly last weekend.

So that means the Blues boss can pick nearer his first choice eleven, the only exceptions being Richarlison who is serving the final match of his three-game ban and Andre Gomes who is still a doubt after another knock.

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Aside then from those two, Everton will be able to field a significantly stronger side than last weekend when they take on the Red Devils at Goodison Park.

As for those opponents, United seem to be going through another of the many mini-crisis, which seem to punctuate their situation these days.

Some terrible early season results have seen them rooted in the lower half of the Premier League and facing a struggle to secure Champions League football again next season. That’s considered a crucial requirement because of their football status and financial position.

Despite a few better recent results, Wednesday night’s defeat has re-opened a long-standing debate about whether manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaar is the right man for the job at Old Trafford.

United are very inconsistent and a wounded team can be dangerous, but this does give the Toffees a good chance to try and take advantage and return to winning ways on Saturday. With another international break coming up, it’s important Everton get a result this weekend as another defeat would be very damaging to morale and possibly see the team drop out of the top four as well.