BREAKING NEWS: injury blow for David moyes as TWO Everton key players who singlehandedly destroyed Man United at Old Trafford last time now ruled out of tomorrow’s game due to injury
David Moyes has confirmed that Seamus Coleman is a fit and viable alternative to Jake O’Brien at right-back as he ponders his line-up for the visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium of Manchester United.
The Red Devils, rejuvenated under interim boss, Michael Carrick, travel to Everton’s new waterfront home for the first time for Monday night’s televised match where they will be hoping to avoid suffering a first Premier League double at the hands of the Toffees for 12 years.
Everton beat United home and away during Roberto Martinez’s reign in the 2013/14 season, Moyes’s one and only campaign in charge at Old Trafford, and they will be hoping to repeat the feat by winning at Bramley-Moore Dock for the first time in 2026.
Dispiriting home defeats to Brentford, Bournemouth and Sunderland and disappointing draws against relegation-threatened Wolves and Leeds have left Evertonians and pundits alike scratching their heads over the Blues’ home form.
However, with the 1878s fan group planning an array of flags and banners in the spirit of creating a Goodison Park-style atmosphere, the stage will be set for Moyes’s current charges to elevate their game and go hell for leather for all three points.
O’Brien will be the only enforced change to the manager’s side as he serves a one-match ban following his sending off against the Cherries last time out which will mean one of Coleman, Nathan Patterson or James Garner getting the nod in that role.
Moyes was asked about the decision he will need to make for Monday during his press conference at Finch Farm yesterday and he specifically mentioned Coleman, although the Irishman hasn’t played any minutes since starting the reverse fixture in Manchester in November when he sustained a hamstring injury and was forced off after just 10 minutes.
As such, he would be a surprise inclusion in the starting XI, with Patterson the most likely to be selected given Garner’s form in central midfield where he has emerged this season as the anchor for the Blues in the middle of the park.
With Jack Grealish the only injury absentee, Moyes has a practically full squad from which to round out the rest of his line-up against a United team that is seven matches unbeaten since Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim last month and have lifted themselves out of the bottom half of the table and into Champions League contention.
