Pat Nevin
Former Scotland winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

Ellis Simms has got all you need. All the main raw materials are there.

He’s strong, he’s actually very quick, his movement is good as well.

You have to score the goals. He needs to get a number of games and a couple of goals in a row would make a huge difference to them.

Image source, Getty Images

Everton have picked up 12 points in their nine Premier League matches under manager Sean Dyche (W3 D3 L3), seven more than they won in their final 12 Premier League games under Frank Lampard (5 – W1 D2 L9).

After failing to win six consecutive Premier League games in the Saturday 12.30 kick-off slot last season (D2 L4), Manchester United have won all three such games so far this term, most recently beating Manchester City 2-1 in January.

Everton have scored in each of their last nine Premier League games against Man Utd.

They've never scored in 10 consecutive league games against the Red Devils, while it's also Man Utd's longest current run without a clean sheet against a Premier League opponent.

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

Manchester United's win against Brentford didn’t have to be convincing because of what happened three of four days earlier at St James’ Park.

It was a case of getting out there and getting in the game. It didn’t matter how they won it, they just needed to get the three points.

That’s how you build confidence, that’s how you go into the next game thinking you’ve got something back.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Everton have a truly terrible record at Old Trafford.

Since winning on their first success of the rebranded Premier League era in 1992, they have won here once, bizarrely in 2014 when Manchester United were managed by their former boss David Moyes.

Everton manager Sean Dyche has a more recent victory, in 2020 when his Burnley side won here 2-0.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said he feared Christian Eriksen would miss the rest of the season after suffering an ankle injury in an FA Cup tie with Reading in January.

Eriksen returns to the United squad for Saturday's Premier League encounter with Everton at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag is happy the Denmark midfielder has returned ahead of schedule.

However, he is still upset at the manner of the injury, caused by a tackle from striker Andy Carroll.

The former Liverpool and Newcastle striker was not booked for the challenge, although he was later sent off after being shown two yellow cards.

"It was not for nothing I was so angry about that tackle," said Ten Hag. "It was a really bad tackle and a bad injury. I thought we lost him for the whole season.

"He is ahead of schedule and we are very happy with that."

Image source, Getty Images

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Dele Alli is to return to Everton this weekend for a review of an injury picked up on loan at Besiktas.

The 26-year-old joined the Turkish side on a season-long deal last summer but has failed to recapture his best form.

The former England midfielder has not played for Besiktas since 26 February and has scored only two goals in 13 games this season.

In January, Besiktas were exploring ways of cancelling Alli's loan deal at the club.

Capped 37 times by England, Alli only joined Everton from Tottenham in January 2022 and has reportedly been banished from the Besiktas first team by manager Senol Gunes, who is unhappy with the player's application.

"Dele Alli has had a good career, but he doesn't deserve to play at the moment," Gunes said in January.

Alli will he assessed by the Toffees' medical staff but it is unknown what the injury is or how long he will remain in the UK for.

James Tarkowski says there is "togetherness and desire" in the Everton team but admits he is aware of the difficult position they are in.

The Toffees have won one of their last five games and are only above the relegation zone on goal difference.

But a draw with Tottenham on Monday - where they spent a long spell with 10 men - has at least meant they have only lost one of those five fixtures.

"You’d have to be living in a box [to not pay attention to the league table]," Tarkowski told the Everton club website.

"But I don’t put too much focus on it. I try to focus more on the way we perform and the points we are going to pick up. If we do our job, then there’s no need to worry about anyone else.

"We put in a good performance on Monday and got a point from it. We always want to win games, but in that one, we will take a point after being down to 10 men for a while.

"There’s desire, hard work, commitment and togetherness in the team. They are important factors and that’s something the manager has put a massive emphasis on recently. It was on show during Monday night’s game."

Mike Hughes
Reporter, BBC Radio Merseyside Sport

Everton remain in a battle for their Premier League future. Of the many clubs still involved, the Blues have one of the most daunting set of remaining fixtures.

Not very long ago that would have been frightening. But, while Evertonians are worried, they also know this is a very different team under Sean Dyche.

Three wins, three draws and three defeats might not sound worth getting excited about but it is a massive improvement. Prior to his appointment, Everton had won once in 12 matches, were easy to play through and were seemingly on the road to nowhere.

The new manager has changed an awful lot. Some players who previously looked to have little future are playing an important role in plotting the escape route.

Abdoulaye Doucoure’s impetuous response to Harry Kane’s skullduggery against Spurs was ill-advised as he’s banned for three matches at a crucial stage of the season. But, since being recalled, he’s played with an energy and a purpose that he hasn’t displayed in a long time.

His performances have been packed with power, courage and conviction - not to mention two very important goals. Dyche will have had words about Monday night’s madness and hopefully lessons will be learned but he’s become important once again.

Michael Keane has also emerged. He looked destined to move on loan to Southampton or West Ham in January. Had they not been not relegation rivals, then it is likely he would have already left. He admitted to me this week he thought his Everton career was over.

What a difference a month makes.

His wonder goal earned Everton a valuable point and he considers it the best he’s scored. He still has some way to go to provide the consistency Dyche wants, but recent performances offer a good platform. He looks confident and appears to be enjoying his football again. He has a manager who believes in him.

Saturday lunchtime against Manchester United at Old Trafford is a real challenge but it won’t decide Everton’s future. This team is far more organised, runs faster and has an enormous appetite for hard work. The lack of centre-forward has meant that goals have been in short supply, but they are coming from unexpected sources.

Everton still have a major job to ensure Premier League survival, but they now have real hope of making it happen.

Erik ten Hag said it is his job to make sure his players have the passion and mentality he expects, but that they must show it every game.

The Dutchman was pleased with his side's "passion and desire" in their midweek win over Brentford, but said that has to be the norm.

Speaking before Saturday's game against Everton, he said: "You have to do it every game. That needs preparation but it has to be the standard when you are playing for Manchester United, so that is the demand.

"No ifs or buts, you have to do it and that is the responsibility that the players have to deliver when you play for Manchester United. You have to be accountable.

"It’s about demands. We have to match standards always. It’s about a culture that you only can be a player for Manchester United when you match those standards.

"You have to do it always. When you are not absolutely top you can do it once, but from a player who is playing at the top, competing for trophies, competing for winning the Premier League, you have to do it always, consistent.

"It’s our job to bring that mentality in."

Leon Osman
Former Everton midfielder on BT Sport

"He's a brilliant person first and foremost, off the field. He couldn't do enough for you. A real gentleman of the game and then you have that on the pitch what he's become. He's become a real character on top of the player he's always been. I wouldn't have thought that when he joined Everton in 2009 from Sligo for £60,000 as the Evertonians still sing. [He was] a real find.

"You don't see that very often this days and it took him a year or so to cement himself in the first-team squad but he hasn't looked back since. He's gone from strength to strength, captains his country as well, and every manager that comes into this club, and it's been a difficult time these past few years, he's straight into the first team. He has a real good run and only injury [ever rules] him out of the team and that's testament to what the managers think of him and the character he is."

Nathan: I understand why Dyche was upset at Kane's reaction, but I remember when he was at Burnley, they were among the worst for timewasting I've ever known. I remember a red card Granit Xhaka was given against them too when one of their players milked a small amount of contact, so I do think he's being a bit hypocritical.

Image source, BBC Sport

A new episode of The Devils' Advocate podcast is available to listen to now on BBC Sounds.

Gaz and Joe are joined by Man Utd fan Kim Burnett as they reflect on the Reds' midweek win over Brentford.

A game which Gaz feels featured "Manchester United’s best first half of the season".

"We are notoriously terrible in the first half, but at half time in that game I had no doubt we were going to win," he said.

“Brentford are a genuinely good top-10 team and we made them look Championship level."

As Martial gets more minutes under his belt following another injury layoff, the team discuss his impact on the side with United fan Kim suggesting you "can't get away" from the positive pre-season he had.

"If only he was made of balsa wood he could be fantastic and I think he would be scoring more goals than Weghorst if he was fit and had a decent run in the team," she said.

"He is capable, we saw that in pre-season, but every time he is out it just takes him a bit of time to get back into his stride and we need him now."

As for United's top-four race?

Gaz feels the team have got "four vey winnable games".

"Win those, we are full of confidence, win against Tottenham away, then it is top four and job done."

You can hear the full episode now on BBC Sounds

Everything United in one place – bookmark the page or if you’re using the app hit the bell icon for club notifications

Shay Given says he "would not think twice" about extending David de Gea's contract at Manchester United as negotiations continue with the Spain goalkeeper, whose deal expires in June.

Former Newcastle goalkeeper Given has admired De Gea's near 11-year tenure as United number one and believes that he has proved himself the right man to continue in goal at Old Trafford.

"I would extend it all day and wouldn't think twice," he told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast. "How many times have we said over the last 10 years that David is the reason United have picked up points?

"He has been phenomenal."

De Gea's future has come into question as a result of the lucrative contract he currently has and a perception that he is not as effective with his feet as other younger goalkeepers.

However, Given says that is a misnomer.

"I understand modern keepers need to play with their feet but their first job is to keep the ball out of the net," he said. "De Gea has improved with the ball and, while he's not Ederson or Alisson, he is one of the best in the world at shot-stopping.

"You have seen goalkeepers struggle in the past about being at Manchester United because of the size of the club and being scrutinised for everything. De Gea has been there so long and knows the club inside out.

"I'd definitely be trying to tie him down."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag speaking to BT Sport about the ongoing ownership saga at the club:

"It is not up to me, so I see that yeah it's a project but I also know you need results. We are in a perfect situation. We would not expect this situation when we started last year in June.

"We are om the top four, we are in the quarter-final of the Europa League, and we are in the semi-final of the FA Cup and already have a cup in our pocket. What could be better?"

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Two weeks have gone by now since the revised deadline for bids around the Manchester United strategic review.

It had been thought there would be some indication by now around next steps, either through the selection of a Preferred Bidder or, more likely, another stage of the process.

However, that is yet to materialise, with all potential purchasers waiting for the Raine Group and, by extension, the Glazer family, to make their next move.

Everton

Everton boss Sean Dyche, speaking to BT Sport: "It builds belief in what we are trying to achieve and trying to deliver [unbeaten in past four games]. It's a tough ask coming here. I think they have only lost once here in the league this season.

"Ellis Simms is still a relatively young player. He is working hard and has delivered in a couple of cameo appearances. It allows us to free up Demarai Gray as well and see what he can deliver for us.

"The main thing from our point of view is to deliver. You cannot come here and expect anything to be given. Despite a bit of noise at varying stages, they [Manchester United] are still a good outfit so we have to make sure we are delivering without worrying about them."

Image source, Getty Images

Sean Dyche has not asked Abdoulaye Doucoure to say sorry for the red card that hampered Everton against Tottenham on Monday.

The Mali international was dismissed for pushing a hand into the face of England captain Harry Kane, who has come under fire for his exaggerated reaction.

"He certainly doesn’t need to apologise," said Dyche. "He knows you can’t raise your hands.

"I thought at one point he might have snapped his [Kane’s] eyelash, which would have been tragic, but he seemed to be responding OK.

"He [Doucoure] is a very strong-minded character and I like that. When it goes wrong, he won’t be judged on that by me."

While Doucoure has shone for Everton in recent weeks, Dyche is confident his absence will open the door for someone else to impress in his place against Manchester United.

"We don’t know if he will be a miss or not," said Dyche. "It’s a great opportunity for someone else to play.

"There are a lot of good players here and I believe in them all. Openings do come around so it is who steps in and can take it."

Sean Dyche had a mighty big bee in his bonnet this week after witnessing what he felt was a prime example of gamesmanship from Harry Kane in the 1-1 draw between Everton and Spurs.

It would be fair to say that Dyche felt Kane went down a tad easily after getting a hand to the face from Abdoulaye Doucoure - an incident that resulted in the Toffees midfielder getting sent off.

I always think a manager is setting themselves up to look quite the hypocrite when commenting on other teams utilising gamesmanship. Can you say with confidence that an Everton player wouldn't have reacted the same as Kane to a hand in the face? Plus, I suspect if the Toffees are 1-0 up at Old Trafford today in injury time, they'll be more than happy to waste as much time as possible.

Maybe we'll find out this lunchtime.