21/04/2016 - ManUtd.com, Gareth Evans
FA CUP PREVIEW: UNITED V EVERTON
Scene-setter : United and Everton will meetbin the FA Cup for the 12th time in total and a third occasion at the semi-final stage, with the winners facing either Crystal Palace or Watford in the final on 21 May.
Both clubs will be keen to enjoy cup
success, too; while United remain just one
place outside the Champions League
positions, the Reds have not lifted the
world’s most famous knockout trophy
since 2004. And Everton will wish to seize
the opportunity to compensate for a
campaign which has ultimately been one
of under-achievement in mid-table.
Form guide: United go into the tie on the
back of a run of five wins in the last six
matches – including the FA Cup sixth-
round success at West Ham United just
over a week ago – and morale will have
been boosted ahead of the weekend by
Wednesday night’s 2-0 victory over fellow
semi-finalists Crystal Palace .
Everton spent the same evening in the worst possible way, as they suffered a thumping 4-0 defeat following a Merseyside derby performance at Anfield that manager Roberto Martinez described as "embarrassing". The Toffees are now
without a win since they themselves
progressed in the FA Cup by seeing off
Chelsea on 12 March.
Last meetings : The Reds have enjoyed the better of things in the two league meetings with Everton this season, winning 3-0 at Goodison Park in mid-October and triumphing at Old Trafford three weekends ago, courtesy of a single Anthony Martial goal.
Latest team news: Louis van Gaal made
changes for the win over Palace by
bringing in Matteo Darmian (who netted
United’s second goal, and his first for the
club, on the night), Jesse Lingard and
Martial for Marcos Rojo, Marouane Fellaini
and Memphis Depay, so it will be
interesting to see which of those six will
start on Saturday. Luke Shaw, Adnan
Januzaj, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Will
Keane will likely be the only absentees as
the knock sustained by Chris Smalling in
the closing stages on Wednesday night
was not serious.
For Everton, centre-back
Ramiro Funes Mori is suspended after
being sent off against Liverpool and
Martinez is also set to be without Gareth
Barry, Tyias Browning, Seamus Coleman
and Tony Hibbert, though Phil Jagielka and John Stones could return following a
hamstring injury and illness, respectively.
Views from the dressing room : “I think it is a big game and every player wants to play in this kind of match. But we have to be focused and ready because Everton are a great team.” – Darmian, speaking after
Wednesday's victory against Palace.
“I know how important the FA Cup is for
our fans. We don’t have players in the
dressing room who have won it for United.
I was talking to Michael Carrick about it
and he told me he wants to win and get to
Wembley. We realise how important it is for us as players and for our fans to win a
trophy.” – Ander Herrera
View from the opposition : “We’re going to make sure we make up for this
performance today in front of our fans at
Wembley.” – Martinez , speaking after the
Merseyside derby defeat.
Danger man : Despite recent fitness
concerns, Romelu Lukaku is expected to
feature on Saturday and, having scored
both goals to dispose of former club
Chelsea in the previous round, the Belgian
striker is sure to present a threat to
United’s defence.
Sub-plots: The two clubs are no strangers to each other so far as FA Cup meetings at Wembley are concerned, having previously contested two finals and one semi-final there. The finals ended in 1-0 victories for United in 1985 and Everton in 1995 – with United’s win coming courtesy of a goal by future Evertonian Norman Whiteside, in a match that is also remembered because Reds defender Kevin Moran became the first player to be sent off at the competition’s ultimate stage. The semi-final meeting, in 2009, saw Everton –
managed by future United boss David
Moyes – triumph 4-2 on penalties.
Roads to the semis : United have played
one more match than Everton to reach this
stage, after the Reds required a replay to
overcome West Ham in the previous round.
The Toffees, meanwhile, have yet to
concede a goal in this season’s
competition following four straight wins.