After what feels like three decades, United are finally back in action 🙌. We travel to Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time on Monday night.

Monday night.

That still feels like a bloody long time 😐.

Perhaps that’s not the worst thing after what was, let’s be honest, a pretty mediocre display at West Ham. It took a late Benjamin Šeško strike to spare our blushes and while the unbeaten run rolls on, the performance raised a few eyebrows.

Michael Carrick remains firmly in the good books. Five games. Five unbeaten. Top four. Progress is obvious.

But momentum can shift quickly.

Dropping points last time out has allowed the gap to 6th to shrink to just 3 points. Which makes this one feel HUGE.

Not dramatic-season-defining huge, but statement big.

Everton away is a must-win.

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Predicted Lineup

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One of the reasons we dropped points at West Ham, in my opinion, was a lack of rotation.

Yes, you can’t criticise a manager for sticking with a side that had won four on the bounce. But with just three days between games, fresh legs might have made the difference.

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I expect Carrick to keep faith with most of the team.

But I do think we’ll see one change.

Šeško in for Cunha.

I said it in the last preview. Cunha has looked far more dangerous as an impact substitute recently. Šeško, meanwhile, has been electric off the bench, scoring in two of his last three appearances. At some point, impact has to turn into opportunity.

He deserves the start.

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Maguire, despite coming off with a knock, was spotted in training and should be fit enough to feature.

But here’s where I’d go further. One change isn’t enough.

It’s time we start leaning into the future.

Yoro came on at West Ham and was arguably the reason we escaped with a point. Two last-ditch tackles prevented the Hammers from walking away with all 3 points. And it's mainly because of his recovery pace that allowed him to get into position for those tackles. This is why I want to see him, or Heaven start.

They should be getting more consistent minutes now. Not just cameos.

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The same goes at right-back.

Dalot has been solid, but solid isn’t always enough. Mazraoui feels more aggressive defensively, more proactive in duels, and more assured when we’re under pressure.

But do I believe will Carrick make those bolder calls?

Absolutely not ❌.

If I’m honest, I wouldn’t be shocked if we saw the exact same XI again.

But if we want to evolve rather than just survive games, this feels like the moment to start trusting the wider squad.

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Approach

We cannot play transition football against a team that doesn’t want the ball.

Everton, like West Ham, will likely concede possession, sit compact and force us to break them down. If we approach it cautiously and wait for moments, we’ll end up playing into their hands.

This is why selection matters.

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If Yoro or Heaven start, we gain recovery pace. That allows us to hold a higher line without constantly fearing balls in behind. Both are strong aerially, so we don’t lose presence when dealing with direct play — but we gain mobility.

That’s important in a game where the initiative will be ours.

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The false nine system works best when we’re the side countering. The fluidity causes chaos in transition. But against a deep block, that same fluidity can become congestion.

We need a focal point. That’s why I’d start Šeško.

At 6ft 5, he gives us a genuine outlet. He wins flick-ons, he occupies centre-backs, he provides a target for crosses, and we do deliver plenty into the box.

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When he scored at West Ham, it was instinctive striker play. That’s something you can’t replicate with a roaming forward.

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Width will also be key. Everton will likely crowd central areas, so stretching the pitch becomes vital. Wingers staying wide with full-backs overlapping and crosses coming in early.

Šeško gives those deliveries purpose.

And while his hold-up play still needs refinement, when he does secure possession he brings runners into play which helps sustain pressure rather than reset it.

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We need to see more than just moments to bail us out.

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Form

The draw last time out kept us in 4th, but the cushion is shrinking.

Liverpool’s win over Sunderland means the gap to 6th is now just 3 points. What looked comfortable two weeks ago suddenly feels fragile.

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Yet we are still unbeaten this year. Nine without defeat, in fact, with the last loss coming against Villa just before Christmas.

Meanwhile, Villa dropping points means 3rd is only five away.

Up and down the table, it’s tight.

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But momentum isn’t invincibility.

West Ham was the first time since the Leeds draw at the turn of the year that we failed to score at least twice. That attacking fluency slowed.

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Chelsea should beat Burnley. Liverpool have a tricky trip to Forest — and a new manager bounce can be unpredictable — but realistically, we have to assume our rivals pick up points.

Which makes Monday night heavier.

Midweek hasn’t been kind to us either. In eight games during the week, we’ve won just twice. Five draws. One defeat.

That defeat? Everton.

There’s also a bigger pattern.

Against mid-table sides (West Ham (twice), Everton, Wolves, Leeds, Burnley, Fulham, Bournemouth, Brentford, Forest and Spurs) we’ve dropped points eleven times.

That’s why this top-four race is tighter than it should be.

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Away from home, we’re 8th. 18 points from 13 matches. Only three defeats — joint second-fewest in the league — but too many draws.

22 scored. 22 conceded.

Perfectly balanced.

Almost too balanced.

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Historically, though, this fixture favours us. Before the recent loss at Old Trafford, we hadn’t been beaten by Everton since 2022. Three losses in seven years. Six wins. Five draws along with those victories.

The record is strong but the margins right now aren’t.

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Everton

David Moyes’ side sit 8th, quietly having a very solid season.

After 26 matches: 10 wins, seven draws and nine defeats. That’s fewer draws than us, but more losses than almost anyone else in the current top 10.

They’re competitive, but not consistent.

Recent form is steady. Just one defeat in their last five, though three of those have been draws. This show that they’re difficult to beat, even if they’re not blowing teams away.

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And we all know what to expect.

Moyes won’t overcomplicate this. He'll know United struggle against a low block and compact shape. He'll then look to counter quickly and make it physical all whilst testing our patience.

It worked at Old Trafford earlier in the season — even with ten men.

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However, this is not the same United side.

Under Carrick, there’s more intent. More bravery. More willingness to push for a result. We won’t see the passive approach that cost us previously.

They shouldn’t expect the same game.

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One player to watch is Iliman Ndiaye. Quick, technical, fearless in tight spaces. Exactly the type of player who can punish hesitation between the lines.

And if we’re slow going backwards, he’ll cause us all sorts of problems.

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Prediction

Prove Us Wrong. Just as the subtitle says because we’ve been here before.

Momentum building. Expectations rising. Then a stumble.

If Carrick and this group want us to believe this isn’t just a new-manager bounce, this is the type of game they have to win.

Not just scrape through. Win convincingly.

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But here’s the honest part.

I’m not fully convinced.

The West Ham performance lingers. The midweek record worries me. And Goodison — sorry, Hill Dickinson Stadium — won’t make it easy.

I can see this being tight. Cagey. Frustrating.

1–1.

I hope I’m wrong.

Actually, I’d love to be wrong, but until this team proves it can handle expectation consistently, the doubt will remain.

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Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall | Image via Everton official X (@Everton)

Hill Dickinson Stadium | Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images via United In Focus

Lisandro Martinez | Image via Manchester United official X (@ManUtd)