Chris Sutton predicts ‘ferocious’ Everton vs ‘shell-shocked’ Manchester United result
Chris Sutton has predicted the spoils to be shared when Everton face Manchester United this weekend despite his positive assessment of the Toffees.
Frank Lampard has his side unbeaten in six and coming off two consecutive wins, while Erik Ten Hag’s four-game winning streak came to an emphatic end last weekend (2 October) when Erling Haaland and Phil Foden hat-tricks won the Manchester derby 6-3 for City.
Sutton says they looked “shell-shocked” at times at the Etihad, and while he is impressed with what the Everton boss is building on Merseyside, with the best defensive record in the league, he expects the “ferocious” approach from the home side to only be good enough for a 1-1 draw.
For his weekly BBC Sport predictions column he said: “Everton were not at their best against Southampton last time out, but they still got the win and I see some really good signs when I watch Frank Lampard’s side.
“They don’t concede many goals – seven in eight league matches, which is the best defensive record in the top flight – and that means they are always in the game even though they don’t create many chances.
“Manchester United looked shell-shocked at times during last weekend’s Manchester derby but City can do that to anyone, and I still think United have made some progress under Erik ten Hag in the past few weeks.
“I never thought they had cracked it after those four wins on the bounce they had between August and September. Similarly, I don’t think they are in crisis just because a team as good as City took them apart – they are somewhere in between.
“I am expecting Everton to be quite ferocious in the way they attack United, especially under the lights at Goodison Park, but I am thinking the points are going to be shared.”
Scotland defender and “closet” United fan Ryan Porteous is competing this week and has gone for a 2-0 away win, saying: “I am obviously going with United here! I think they will shut up shop for this one.”
Opportunity
It’s a measure of the massive improvements made under Lampard that a draw prediction now feels disappointing.
Both teams endured fairly miserable starts to the season, although Everton’s was a lot less spectacular and arguably far more justified than the one at Old Trafford, but have been much-improved lately.
Where the Toffees differ is that their positive growth hasn’t been ended with a thrashing like the visitors’, and they have conceded half the number of goals so far this season despite having played a game more.
They also won this fixture last year via an Anthony Gordon goal, and this will be the first return to Goodison Park since for Cristiano Ronaldo, who was recently charged by the FA for an altercation with a fan following the final whistle.
While the extra game is obviously relevant, Lampard would see his side leapfrog United with a win, so there feels like plenty of context that points to this winning run continuing, especially after the Red Devils laboured to a 3-2 Europa League result at Omonia on Thursday night (6 October).
Jordan Pickford will need to be in good form to get a positive result as ever, but some fans might be hoping he isn’t too eye-catching along the way, as the Manchester side have been considering him as a potential replacement for David de Gea, and a stand-out showing here might help inform their decision.