Before Everton appointed new boss Carlo Ancelotti, we would have looked ahead to this fixture and assumed that only one team had anything riding on it. It’s not been the greatest of campaigns for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United but a recent uplift in form means that they remain in touching distance of a Champions League berth.
Everton were in the wrong half of the table but a string of positive results under Ancelotti means that the Toffees have a genuine chance of European soccer next season.
This Everton vs Man Utd preview will take a look at the form guide in a moment but first let’s check the moneyline odds for Sunday’s game (9am ET kick off).
EFC vs MUFC Moneyline Odds
All three possible results are odds against so we can claim a nice return if we make the right call. It’s tight but home advantage has helped to make Everton the narrow favorites and you can pick up Ancelotti’s men at around +150 (6/4).
Manchester United are at +170 to +180 (9/5) while the draw finishes it off and it goes as high as +240 (12/5) in places.
When teams are so closely matched it’s tempting just to opt for the draw but we suspect Manchester United will edge this. Form is good in both camps but Solskjaer’s side are looking more solid following some shrewd deals in the January transfer market. We will elaborate as we move through this match preview but for now, let’s look at some likely prop bets.
Everton vs Man Utd Prop Bets
Goals have started to flow for Everton since the new manager arrived and the home team give us a number of options in the first goalscorer betting. For most recommended offshore American oddsmakers, Brazilian attacker Richarlison is the favorite to open the scoring on Sunday and those outlets who have quoted odds have put him between +400 (4/1) and +500 (5/1).
Richarlison isn’t a prolific goalscorer but he has a happy habit of finding the net in important games such as these. A reasonable return of 10 goals in 25 EPL games this season suggests he is Everton’s biggest threat.
Just behind the market leader is Manchester United’s Anthony Martial who has extra responsibility up front due to the long term injury absence of Marcus Rashford. The French international isn’t necessarily recognized as an ‘out-and-out goalscorer’ but he’s been impressive this season with 10 goals in 21 league games.
Those are the favorites but there are plenty of goal scoring options at longer odds, including Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes. The EPL welcomed many new arrivals in the January transfer window but this is the man who has impressed us most. As a midfielder, he is not the most likely source of goals but two strikes in his first five games for United suggests that Fernandes can be backed to score at any time in 90 minutes.
Both Teams to Score will be a popular bet and it is one where Everton would have delivered in all of their last five matches. However, as we will see, Manchester United’s defense is a tough prospect and we are not convinced BTTS will land.
Instead, we will focus on total goals for our final betting tip and we’ll be backing the over 3.5 line. Man Utd and Everton have both hit 11 goals in their last five matches and we are looking for another high scorer. As mentioned, we’re not confident enough to go for Both Teams to Score but United have enough firepower to deliver the profit for over 3.5 goals.
Key Defensive Stat
One stat that really stands out for us is the fact that Manchester United have shut out their opponents in four of their last five games. Only one goal has been conceded in that period and that’s a problem for Everton on Sunday. The change has started with Bruno Fernandes who has made United a more cohesive unit while the coach’s tactic of picking a settled defense and not changing personnel is starting to pay off.
It is a challenge that the Toffees could rise to: Everton have been more potent under Ancelotti but this is the key to this contest. Man Utd’s defense is at the top of its game and if it can maintain current form, the points will be leaving Goodison Park with the visiting team
Our Preview’s Everton vs Man Utd Predictions, Betting Odds & Picks Verdict
There is talk of a transformation at Everton and it is true that Carlo Ancelotti has changed things around at Goodison. At the same time, Manchester United’s improvement has gone under the radar and the Red Devils will be happy for that to continue.
Eleven goals in five games, three wins in that time and only one goal conceded suggests that United are the team to challenge for fourth place. Everton at home are a tough prospect for any side but the away team’s form makes them our preferred pick for Sunday’s encounter. These are our EFC vs MUFC predictions and recommended bets:
- Manchester United to win @ best odds of +185 with Bovada.
- Bruno Fernandes to score at any time @ +240 with Bovada or BetOnline.
- Go for over 3.5 goals in the match @ +250 (5/2) with Bovada.
Matt Harris is a golf and soccer expert for USA Betting. His other area of specialist knowledge is cricket. He is well known in sports journalism and contributes articles to a plethora of big-name websites and media outlets. Titles that he writes or has written for include: Betfair, BetVictor, Unibet & Just Bookies.