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Antonio Valencia and Leighton Baines fight for the ball. PA Wire/Press Association Images
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Everton v Manchester United, Premier League

United could have overtaken Arsenal with an away win but they did not have it easy against Roberto Martinez and his team.

THE TOFFEES HOSTED Louis van Gaal’s men at Goodison Park. 

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail ben@the42.ie, tweet @football_iepost a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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Good afternoon. The Premier League’s top two teams face off at the Emirates at 4pm but, first up, we’ve got the meeting of Everton and Manchester United. 24 points separate the clubs, lying in 12th and 4th place respectively, but this fixture has been kind to the Toffees in recent years. They are looking for their third consecutive home victory over the Red Devils.

Kick-off is just under 45 minutes away.

“We’re all looking forward to the game, whereas a few months ago we may not have been,” Seamus Coleman has just told Sky Sports.

We always do well against Man United, especially at home but they are playing very well at the minute. They’re in a better run of form than they were when they came here last year.”

That defeat 12 months ago effectively ended David Moyes’ disappointing spell with United. Killybegs man Coleman starts at full-back for the home side.

Teams are in:

Everton: Howard, Coleman, Stones, Jagielka, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Lennon, Barkley, Osman, Lukaku. Subs: Robles, Kone, Mirallas, Naismith, Besic, Garbutt, Alcaraz.

Man United: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, McNair, Shaw, Blind, Mata, Ander Herrera, Fellaini, Young, Rooney. Subs: Di Maria, Falcao, Januzaj, van Persie, Valdes, Blackett, Pereira.

Amanda Holden is an Everton fan. Who knew?!

Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Everton v Manchester United - Goodison Park PA Wire / Press Association Images PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

This fixture sees three players, Wayne Rooney, Marouane Fellaini and Tim Howard, face their former club.

For Belgian midfielder Fellaini, it’s his first game at Goodison Park since leaving the club in September 2013.

He is 22/1 to be shown a red card. That’s all I’m saying.

Soccer - Capital One Cup - Second Round - Everton v Stevenage - Goodison Park EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

Right, hit me with your predictions. How do you see this going?


Poll Results:

Man United win (526)
Everton win (517)
Draw (179)

Here come the teams…

Referee Andre Marriner flips the coin with the two captains before a minute’s silence is held.

Captains Everton Man United

We’re up and running. Fellaini finds a yard or two of space 25 yards out in the first minute but his shot is blocked down.

Strong running from Valencia earns the away side the first corner of the afternoon. It’s taken short and the ball is cleared to set up an Everton attack…

GOAL! Everton 1-0 Manchester United (James McCarthy)

Everton are in front! They catch United with a quick counter attack and Coleman’s pass finds its way to international team-mate McCarthy.  His persistence takes him by challenges from McNair and Blind before he prods the ball home.

It’s only his third Premier League goal for the club.

HassKh / Vine

Great chance for United but Fellaini blazes over after winning the ball off Barry.

Fellaini is the first man into Mr Marriner’s book for a foul on Barkley and Lukaku attempts a shot from the free-kick. It falls to the feet of Osman and his and his effort is straight at De Gea.

United work the ball well from the left to a central position and Blind shoots from outside the box but Howard collects with ease.

Free-kick to Man United 30 yards out from goal and Mata delivers. Smalling rises highest but the Everton goalkeeper has a routine save to make.

Young crosses to Rooney but Barry gets there first to head behind for a corner. Once again, however, Fellaini is penalised. This time for a shove in the box.

Lukaku’s shot is saved by De Gea and, down the other end, Young fires over.

Coleman is picked out by Lennon and he attempts to find Lukaku but Smalling gets back in time to snuff out the danger.

Everton 2-0 Manchester United (John Stones) 

It’s a second. From Lennon’s corner, John Stones gets across the front post to head in. Young attempts to head off the line but puts it in of the underside of the post.

HassKh / Vine

Roy Keane is at Goodison Park and the Ireland assistant boss appears to be enjoying himself.

Keane laugh

Lennon beats the offside trap and threads a pass to Barkley but he leans but and curls a strike high into the stand.

Half-time: Everton 2-0 Manchester United 

United have had the lion’s share of possession (62%) but they haven’t made it count.

And we’re back. LvG has opted to take off Fellaini with Radamel Falcao taking his place. The Colombian striker has endured a disappointing career thus far but now would be a great time to endear himself to fans with a couple of goals.

Howard makes himself big to block Rooney’s effort from close range.

A vital tackle from Shaw leaves both he and Barkley needing treatment. It was well-timed by the former Southampton full-back, however.

Young and Shaw combine with a good overlapping run and the latter feeds Mata but his shot is blocked.

Angel Di Maria is on for Mata. The Spaniard has had a quiet afternoon.

Meanwhile, De Gea saves from Barkley’s long-range effort and Shaw gets book for pulling back Lennon.

They do appear to be missing their midfield linchpin.

Everton have just brought on Kevin Mirallas for for Leon Osman.

GOAL! Everton 3-0 Manchester United (Mirallas) 

Substitute Mirallas adds a third. Barkley looks to play in Lukaku, but he holds his run after straying offside. Mirallas then latches onto the loose ball and blasts past De Gea.

Was Lukaku involved?

HassKh / Vine

Super finish from Falcao, who rounds Howard and finds the back of the net from an acute angle. But he was offside when Blind’s block came his way so it won’t count.

Mirallas comes agonisingly close to doubling his tally after a brilliant run, but De Gead gets a palm to his dipping shot.

Lukaku and Barkley off, Kone and Naismith on. Robin van Persie (remember him?) is also on for Rooney.

Just the three minutes of added time now, and this one is going the way of the home side.

Full-time: Everton 3-0 Manchester United 

A bad day at the office for Man United. Plenty of possession, particularly in the first half, but they were unable to turn it into goals and a couple of defensive errors cost them dearly. But take nothing away from Everton. They had their gameplan spot on and were terrific for 93 minutes, which was epitomised by a superb performance from James McCarthy.

Everton are up to tenth with those three points while Man United remain in fourth.

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