Everton can maintain winning run as they take on fragile United

On Sunday evening Everton host Manchester United in a late kick-off at Goodison Park with hopes and expectations rising after two consecutive Premier League victories.

Everton are now in fact unbeatean in seven games and last weekend came from behind to secure their first three points away from home this season.

This came after a 1-0 win at home over West Ham United had finally given them their opening win of the campaign.

Blues’ fans had seen plenty of evidence since the campaign kicked-off indicating the improvements to the squad that Kevin Thelwell, Frank Lampard and his coaching staff have achieved over the last few months since the end of last season.

The Toffees’ are a side that looks and feels very different from the one that finished the end of the previous campaign when relegation had looked possible until a remarkable and emotionally draining come-from-behind win over Crystal Palace secured Premier League status.

Defensively, Everton are much stronger and better organised with the current central defensive partnership of Conor Coady and James Tarkowski looking very solid and consistent.

They are also reviving memories of some of the great pairings the Blue’s have had in the past such as Derek Mountfield and Kevin Ratcliffe in the eighties heyday or more recently Joleon Lescott and Phil Jagielka.

Meanwhile, midfield which was such a mess last season and a serious weakness, has also been transformed with new signings Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gueye both adding energy and steel. Meanwhile Alex Iwobi has been a revelation since Lampard moved him into the middle.

It’s only up front where there are still issues and obviously a lack of enough goals at the moment. The Blues’ signed Neal Maupay but didn’t add any other forwards before the transfer window closed.

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin out injured, Everton have obviously struggled to score goals and I think it is something that still needs to be addressed before this team can really progress.

Talking about Calvert-Lewin, Lampard revealed in his pre-match press conference that the former England centre-forward is now finally in contention to play on Sunday.

That’s welcome news, although I think that we will have to wait and see whether he is able to play any part in the weekend’s game.

I also think his return to fitness will pose a potential question for Lampard in terms of his tactics and formations.

One thing that Lampard has not been able to overcome is the Toffees’ incredible bad luck when it comes to injuries.

Since the start of the season he has lost the services of Calvert-Lewin, Yerry Mina, Ben Godfrey, Mason Holgate, Abdoulaye Doucure and Nathan Patterson, all of whom were regular starters under him.

These injuries though forced the manager to switch to a 4-3-3 from the five-man defence he had employed since the back end of last season and the beginning of this one.

This has I think considerably improved Everton’s performances. The Blues’ look a much more compact and effective side with this formation.

The three-man attack Lampard has employed has had success and Maupay operating alongside Anthony Gordon, Demarai Gray and Dwight McNeil has looked increasingly dangerous.

More is needed from them but hopefully as they continue to play together and increase in confidence and understanding, that will come.

Given that, I personally think the Toffees’ should continue to go with a 4-3-3 rather than start trying to accomodate Calvert-Lewin which would mean taking away either from the attack or midfield.

Perhaps instead the Blues’ should be using Calvert-Lewin as a substitute or if they need to change the situation in a game or if they want to play in a more direct way.

As for Sunday’s opponents, United are coming off the back of a humiliating 6-3 derby thrashing by neighbours Manchester City. They will then be desperate to bounce back after such a heavy defeat.and that makes them potentially very dangerous.

United have been extremely inconsistent this season with some very poor efforts and excellent performances mixed in too.

Like their hosts on Sunday, they are under yet another new manager who is trying to put his imprint on the club and turn around an underachieving team. Given all this it’s hard to know which United will turn up at Goodison Park.

However, Everton have a good recent record against these opponents at the Grand Old Lady, including last season when they gained a crucial three points in their battle against relegation.

And, if they can maintain the sort of determined and hard-working performances they have generally produced so far this season, then I think the Blues’ can record a third consecutive win. That would also be a marker for the progress this Everton team is making.