Saturday, 20th February 2010 – KO: 12:45

My biggest concern about this match after I watched the treatment Liverpool received from one or two of the players was that we might come away with a few injuries and as Rooney is likely to be the one targetted more than any other United player, that remains a big worry.

Everton of course did us a massive favour in their last game by beating Chelsea in their last game but we can expect no more favours in this game.

After a poor start to the season due to an horrendous injury list, Everton have been steadily making up for lost time and now find themselves in with a slight chance of a Europa League spot next season.

However, the injury list has started up again for them with the sickening news that Fellaini is going to be out until next season with some kind of ankle injury and the dangerous Tim Cahill is also going to miss a few games with a claf problem.

Ironically, the one player who we could never get to play in two successive games due to various injuries – Louis Saha – has enjoyed a good run of games since going to Everton and is on fire in front of goal this season with 15 goals in all competitions next to his name. He certainly appears to be the one to be wary of going into this game.

As for ourselves, Ferdinand is suspended (this is the last game of his ban) and Nani is also suspended. Giggs is obviously still injured.

The big question remains over Vidic – he has been training well all week and could make his return but we seem to have heard this before every game for the last few weeks and then something always seems to crop up just before the match.

In any case, the defense of Brown and Evans has been coping well in the absence of Rio and Vidic for much of the last couple of months so it shouldn’t be a great problem if he fails to appear again.

The loss of Nani is not so major. He has enjoyed a purple patch of late but his performance against AC Milan showed some signs of the old Nani returning and I have no doubt that Valencia would have played in this match even had Nani not been suspended.

The midfield is going to be interesting for this one. Fergie has been using the 4-5-1 formation away from home with Scholes or Giggs alternating alongside Carrick and Fletcher but Scholes played the full 90 minutes against AC Milan and I doubt he will play the full 90 minutes again here. With Park likely to take the left side of midfield and Anderson playing on Thursday night for the reserves, I can only think that either Gibson might play or we might just go for a 4-4-2 formation.

Owen and Berbatov have hardly had a look in recently as the attack has turned into the Wayne Rooney show. It is impossible to imagine Rooney being given a breather and certainly not for this match but perhaps he might find himself paired with either Owen or (more likely) Berbatov for this one?

Our record against Everton is actually extremely good – even at their place – they have beaten us just once (1-0 at Goodison in 2005) in our last 29 Premier League meetings and whilst I expect Everton and the lively Saha to give us some problems I just feel that we are on the type of roll at the moment that is going to take something more than Everton possess (especially given their key injuries) to stop it.

There’s always the chance that this one could end in a draw (I simply cannot see an Everton win) but I think the price about the United win is worth taking.

The bet is 3 points United to win @ 1.85 with Canbet

The main problem with reviewing this game is where to start.

Fergie did indeed go for the 4-4-2 in the end and I have no problems with that, in fact, I came quite close to predicting the team here but I would not have guessed Neville ahead of Rafael – I can only assume that Rafael was given a break after the runaround he was given by Ronaldinho in midweek.

However, if that was the case then why not bring in the (benched) Vidic for Evans? Evans looked completely out of sorts against AC Milan and he looked even more nervous out here today.

He wasn’t the only one as Rooney seemed incredibly nervous which is very strange for him and just about every touch he took was overhit. Perhaps in the past he has come to Everton merely wanting to show that he has come on a bit. This time he came to show his fellow Evertonians that he was perhaps the best player in the world.

It seems a contradiction to suggest that Berbatov should not have played today because he scored our goal but I saw plenty to suggest that he simply does not suit our current style today.

Many times he was well behind the play when he should have been streaking into the box or thereabouts.

All things considered, Everton beat us fair and square today. Their passing and movement was what we expect from Manchester United but we just didn’t make it happen. Everton fully deserved their win.

Perhaps after the intensity of the San Siro, this was just a game too far, too soon for us. We have had a massive fixture list in recent weeks and it is good to see the back of it.

As far as Everton go, I hope they can string a few results together and make a real go of that European spot because they are a far better side than their current position suggests.

With luck on the injury front next season, they could be right up there again. Good luck to them, they deserve it.

As for us, it’s back to the drawing board. A bit of a breather again would not go amiss but it is now full steam ahead and silverware beckons within the week.