Ruben Amorim reflects on his year at Manchester United, noting significant progress but acknowledging the need for more control. As he marks this milestone with a match against Everton at Old Trafford,
Amorim aims for victory. Under his leadership, United have secured 12 wins in 38 Premier League games, with only three teams achieving fewer victories during this period. The team has also conceded 60 goals, ranking them joint-fifth worst.
Despite these challenges, Amorim remains optimistic about the team's development. "We are showing [improvement] but the important thing is it doesn't matter what we did in the recent games," he stated. He emphasises the importance of playing each game with intensity and focus, striving for dominance and competitiveness in every aspect of their play.
United are currently unbeaten in their last five league matches, although they have drawn their last two games. Meanwhile, Everton recently ended their winless streak by defeating Fulham 2-0 at home. David Moyes, who had a brief stint at United in 2013-14, expressed support for Amorim's tenure. "When you're at the big clubs, you have to win," Moyes said, highlighting the pressure managers face at top clubs.
Moyes appreciates that Amorim has been given time to settle in and believes that managers perform better when afforded patience. "I always hope managers are given the time to see if they can make it work," he added. This sentiment underscores the importance of stability and support for managers in achieving success.
For Manchester United, Bryan Mbeumo stands out as a key player this season. He has contributed to more Premier League goals than any other United player with six (five goals and one assist). However, Mbeumo has yet to score or assist against Everton despite facing them eight times.
On the Everton side, Jack Grealish has been influential with four assists from five chances created in his first three league appearances this season. Despite creating 19 chances in seven subsequent games, none have resulted in goals. Grealish ranks second in expected assists (2.48) across the league.
Match Prediction and Historical Context
The history between these teams favours Manchester United, who have won 42 Premier League games against Everton—the most any side has against another team in the competition. This includes a decisive 4-0 victory in their last meeting at Old Trafford. Everton's record against United is less favourable; they have won just one of their last 12 encounters.
United's recent home form is strong with four consecutive wins at Old Trafford—more than their previous 13 home matches combined (three wins). They last achieved a longer winning streak between April and August 2023 with eight victories.
Scoring Trends and Probabilities
The Red Devils have shown resilience by avoiding defeat after conceding first in their last two matches—a feat not achieved consecutively since Manchester City did so in 2012. No team has scored more first-half goals than United this season (11), while they have conceded more second-half goals than any other team (14).
The Opta win probability suggests a favourable outcome for Manchester United with a 50.9% chance of winning against Everton's 24.2%. A draw stands at a probability of 24.9%, indicating a competitive match ahead.
