Everton are in a good streak of form under David Moyes and they seem primed to spoil Manchester United's weekend in the early match on Saturday in the Premier League.
Moyes has led a significant upturn in Everton's performances in the last month, with the Toffees now sitting in 14th place in the league, one spot above the struggling Red Devils.
Ruben Amorim's team suffered their 12th defeat of a tough league season last Sunday against Tottenham and they could be facing more difficulties at Goodison Park.
Team news
Everton are still dealing with a long injury list, with Iliman Ndiaye, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dwight McNeil, Orel Mangala, and Seamus Coleman all sidelined.
Abdoulaye Doucoure is back in contention after serving his one-game suspension for his red card against Liverpool.
Amad Diallo was the latest United player to be ruled out for an extended period before the Spurs game, joining Kobbie Mainoo, Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Jonny Evans, and Mason Mount in the treatment room.
Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer are also nursing injuries, but Amorim will hope Christian Eriksen and Leny Yoro can return for the Everton match after recovering from illness.
The stats
Everton have triumphed over Tottenham, Brighton, Leicester, and Crystal Palace, and tied with Liverpool in their recent run of five games without defeat.
The two teams are side by side in 14th and 15th place in the league, with Everton a point ahead in the standings.
United have won the last six encounters between the sides, while Everton have failed to score in their previous four matches against the Red Devils.
United have suffered 12 defeats in their 25 Premier League games this season, the most losses in the first 25 matches of a league season since they were defeated 13 times in 1973-74 — the year they were relegated.
Prediction
Manchester United are positioned just three spots above the relegation zone and while they are unlikely to get pulled into the battle to avoid relegation, this season has been one to forget for the 20-time English champions.
Since taking over in early November, Amorim's time in charge has been deeply disappointing, with the former Sporting boss struggling to make an impact following the departure of Erik ten Hag.
In contrast, Moyes has revitalized Everton since taking over from Sean Dyche, with a record of four wins, one draw, and two losses in his seven matches back at Goodison Park.
During that period, Everton secured victories against Brighton and Crystal Palace, and they earned a well-deserved 2-2 draw against league leaders Liverpool with James Tarkowski's exceptional injury-time goal in the most recent Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
United's numerous injury concerns have compounded Amorim's challenges, and while the Portuguese coach may have faith in a brighter future in the long run, more difficulties appear to be in store for them on Saturday.