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78’ – Everton corner, partly cleared, Gana blasts a ball off Sesko for another corner.
Beto replaces Iroegbunam, KDH corner cleared, falls to Gueye who miscues his volley wide.

76’ – George with a slashing run wins a corner. KDH ball into the box claimed again by Lammens.
Everton have the ball and ref stops play for a United sub, who has not even left the bench yet! Pickford has something to say about it and is booked for dissent! Blues, I kid you not, the bizarre refereeing continues here.
Mbeumo goes off for Mazraoui.

73’ – Tyrique George replaces Harrison Armstrong. Everton immediately win a corner on the left. Garner puts it into the six-yard box, but Lammens claims confidently.
Blues frustrated, as they did appear to be in ascendancy when they conceded there.

72’ – A United counter and Mbeumo holds off Keane for long enough to set up Sesko who is obviously faster than Tarkowski, and the United sub slots home, 1-0 to United. Too easy, and the Blues are caught out with their high line.

71’ – Ndiaye wriggles away beautifully and slides a ball across the box.. Garner attempt blocked by Cunha.

69’ – Armstrong wins a corner off Fernandes and more argy-bargy between the pair, ref over to defuse things. Garner deep corner, Tarky hooks it back into the box and Lammens collects.

67’ – KDH fouled in midfield, Garner puts the ball in the box, tame header taken by the goalie.

64’ – KDH shot in the box blocked by Dalot, corner on the right. KDH lined up to take, and JB barged over by Dalot. Ref England talking to both of them, and JB goes right beside Lammens again. Lammens punches it clear, Gueye shot into the crowd is blocked.
United break through Cunha at pace and as Everton are scrambling to defend the forward slips on the slick surface and the danger passes.

60’ – Has there ever been a zero-sum player like Iroegbunam? All the good work he does with his tackles and interceptions is undone by his abysmal distribution.

57’ – The flopping is getting just ridiculous. Now Mbeumo runs into Tarky and falls down like he’s been mown down by a tractor-trailer. Where are the yellow cards for diving Mr Darren England, we ask.
Change for United, with Sesko on for Amad, this will see the striker go in the middle and Mbeumo out wide for JB to deal with.

55’ – Dalot gets behind JB but his ball into the middle is poor and Keane can clear. Whew.

51’ – Multiple miscues as first Gana and KDH can’t clear, then Tarky makes a hash of clearing the cross and Mbeumo fires a shot from three yards out over the bar! Whew.

48’ – Shaw falls down after Garner touches him and again Hill Dickinson is irate. You wouldn’t have thought a chubby little b*stard like Shaw would go down that easily but that’s football for you nowadays.

46’ – Gana gets us started, no changes to either side.
Big up-and-under creates pressure for the Blues, Ndiaye centres for KDH, who finds Armstrong for a shot. He hits it low but it’s too close to Lammens and he gathers.

Halftime Thoughts – Quality desperately lacking in the final third for the Blues. They haven’t been wholly convincing in their own half either, with United creating a few chances for themselves too.

45+3’ – Halftime whistle goes with much further ado. Everton nil, Manchester United nil at the break.

45+1’ – Maguire with a pick play on Branthwaite that springs Amad, ref doesn’t see it though. Cross is cleared by the Blues.

45’ – Amad goes down easily and a foul is given, KDH disagrees and the howls of derision will tell you how the Blues feel about it.
Three minutes to be added on.

42’ – Everton steal the ball again and counter with speed, Ndiaye finds Garner and he wins a corner on the right. KDH inswinger, Lammens unconvincing punch, and now KDH wins a throw on the right. Blocked cross allows United to counter and long ball down the middle pierces the backline, but Pickford is quick to come out and clear.

40’ – Shaw drags Ndiaye down, foul by the touchline. Lovely ball into the box by Garner, but no Everton shirts close to it.

38’ – Gana fouled by Amad and Everton have a freekick about thirty-plus yards out, central position. Garner tries a shot directly, but Lammens does well to collect. A dipping, bouncing shot would have caused more trouble.

35’ – Better the last few minutes with both JB and Garner pushing up adding bodies in possession. For not the first or last time tonight, Iroegbunam steals the ball and then promptly gives it back away with a poor pass.
Dalot finds Mbeumo with a shot from distance, goes wide.

30’ – Branthwaite tugs back Amad to give up a freekick on the edge of the box. Fernandes over the ball, low into the box and cleared, rebound from Dalot is volleyed and not very far wide of the post.
Maguire goes down easily from the goakick and once again the crowd howls in protest at referee Darren England’s decision.

29’ – Good passing from the Blues finds Barry out wide on the left, he centres for KDH and his backheel for an overlapping Gana is just cut out. Nice move. The crowd is definitely into it.

26’ – Lovely diagonal from Keane falls beyond Shaw but Ndiaye can’t control it. Ili hasn’t been too involved so far but gets the ball again and is swarmed by five red shirts, wants a foul but gets nothing.

22’ – At the quarter mark of the game and Barry fouled on the edge of the attacking third. Possession is 73% to the visitors. Barry is off getting the strapping on his left shoulder adjusted, and Garner’s freekick is cleared.

20’ – United allowed to set up, move the ball to their right but a shot has to be charged down before the Blues can clear. All United right now with Everton struggling to hold possession.

18’ – Iro with an excellent tackle to win the ball and KDH sets off with the ball, but with space opening up trips and falls on the ball. Ugh.

12’ – Barry again puts Lammens under pressure to clear and the Blues can almost fashion a chance but Maguire beats Gana to the ball and wins a foul.
Tarky wins a header over Amad and falls heavily, looks winded on the ground there.

10’ – As we’d expected after seeing the lineup, Everton are in the 4-2-3-1 with Branthwaite and Garner as the fullbacks, Armstrong at left wing with Irogebunam and Gana in the middle.

9’ – Dalot cuts in and his cross-shot is parried away by Pickford.

7’ – Barry and KDH combine to steal the ball in the attacking third, but Armstrong can’t retain the ball. United are seeing more of the possession, with Everton comfortable pressing them to try nick it in dangerous areas.

4’ – Ooof defensive shambles! United move into Everton’s box, Mbeumo puts it back into the box, Cunha’s shot blocked, falls to Amad whose shot is only partly saved by Pickford, squirms loose and Tarkowski has to clear off the line.

2’ – Dewsbury-Hall presses Yoro and Everton have a throw. The pressure is working and the crowd are loving it too.

1’ – United kick off, attacking the steep South Stand. Barry charges down Lemmens clearance and the ball could have gone anywhere, but is out for a goalkick!

The siren has gone off, Z-Cars serenades the players onto the pitch as the home crowd are in full voice tonight. Wayne Rooney is in the house too.

Starting Lineups

Everton – David Moyes is always full of surprises isn’t he? Do we have a centrehalf playing fullback (Branthwaite), and a central midfielder as the other fullback (Garner)?! Let’s throw in a central midfielder out on the wing for good measure.

Moyes says Charly Alcaraz picked up an injury in training yesterday, so he’s out tonight.

Manchester United – Michael Carrick sticks with what has been working for him so far.

Match Preview

After a nearly two week break, Everton return with a Premier League game hosting Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium looking to bounce back after a frustrating loss where they gave up a halftime lead to go down 2-1 against bogey club AFC Bournemouth.

Manchester United have had a good recent run since sacking Ruben Amorim under caretaker manager and former player Michael Carrick, climbing up to 5th in the table eight points ahead of the Blues on 37 pts in ninth place.

Any points today would see Everton move up to eighth, and would be welcome given how congested the middle of the table is – Brighton are in 14th place on 34 points, just three behind the Blues.

The injury situation remains about the same for the Blues with only Jack Grealish out for the season, with Jake O’Brien suspended for the game. The visitors will be minus Patrick Dorgu, Matthijs De Ligt and likely Mason Mount too.

Match Details

Competition: Premier League Matchweek 27

Date and start time: Monday, February 23rd at 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m ET / 8:00 p.m. BST

Stadium: Hill Dickinson Stadium, Merseyside, England, United Kingdom

Capacity: 52,769

Weather: 49°F/9°C, light rain, 25% chance of precipitation, 5 mph winds

How to Watch/Listen

TV: USA Network, UNIVERSO, TeleXitos – United States; Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League – United Kingdom; Fubo– Canada, beIN Sports HD 1, SuperSport Premier League ROA, SuperSport MaXimo 1 & 2

Radio: evertontv, TalkSport Radio UK

Live stream: Fubo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, UNIVERSO NOW, Sky Go UK, NOW, SKY GO Extra, Sky Ultra HD, ESPN Play Sur, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, DStv Now, RUSH, Jio Hotstar

Gamethread: There will be a live blog for this game, with our coverage continuing after the final whistle with the match recap and reaction.

*Royal Blue Mersey has affiliate partnerships and may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links provided.

Information from LiveSoccerTV.com

Last Meeting

The two sides had met at Old Trafford in a bizarre game earlier this season where Idrissa Gana Gueye was sent off in the first quarter hour for slapping his own teammate Michael Keane following a defensive mix-up. The Toffees though overcame being a man-down to score through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and then held their lead to nab an away win.

In United’s final visit to Goodison Park, the two sides had battled to a 2-2 draw with the Blues racing into a two-goal lead after half an hour with Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure scoring, but then let United back into the game to nab a point through Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte.

Following the release of the updated Rivals300 rankings for the Class of 2027, there has been some significant movement among the 5-star recruits this cycle.

Five-Star Plus+ cornerback John Meredith IIIstill sits as the No. 1 prospect in the country in the Rivals Industry Ranking. But behind him there are a pair of new players in the top five, headlined by Ohio State EDGE commit David Jacobs moving up from No. 10 all the way to No. 2.

Three new players moved into five-star status with 20 players currently tabbed as five-stars. And in the coming months, that will expand to the full 32 to match the first round of the NFL Draft. The full list of five-stars can be found below:

The Rivals Industry Ranking is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all three primary recruiting media services. The Rivals Industry Ranking is the industry’s most advanced, complete, and unbiased measurement. It equally weights the primary recruiting media services as follows: Rivals (33%), 247Sports (33%), and ESPN (33%). 

1. CB John Meredith III

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 2
247Sports: No. 6
ESPN: No. 3
School:North Crowley (Fort Worth, TX)
Scouting Summary: Long and dynamic corner prospect with elite length and top-end speed. Can cover any body type at receiver that lines up against him. 6-foot-2, 180-plus pounds with 33-inch arms. Ran sub-22 in the 200m and jumped over 43 feet in the triple jump during his sophomore track and field season. Has the speed and hip fluidity to cover more sudden receivers and the physicality and length to handle bigger-bodied options. Excellent ball skills and ability to attack the football in the air. Needs to continue developing footwork and instincts in man coverage but has all the physical and athletic tools coaches covet at the position.

2. EDGE David Jacobs – Ohio State

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 12
247Sports: No. 1
ESPN: No. 4
School:Blessed Trinity Catholic (Roswell, GA)
Scout’s Take: “Jacobs looks to have one of the highest floors of the group and has done enough to earn a fifth star for Rivals. Jacobs is one of the more physically-developed edge rusher prospects in the cycle, checking in at around 6-foot-5, 235 pounds. He had a great junior season at Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity, racking up 24 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. The Buckeye pledge has a quick first step and quality bend. He also had back-to-back good showings at the Under Armour All-America Game and the Polynesian Bowl in January. While Jacobs lacks prototypical length for top prospects at the position (sub 32-inch arms), the level of polish and high floor make him one of the safer bets of the 2027 edge rusher group at this point.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

3. IOL Maxwell Hiller

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 8
247Sports: No. 4
ESPN: No. 7
School:Coatesville (Coatesville, PA)
Scouting Summary: “Hiller adds a fifth star from Rivals and ascends into the top 10 of the Rivals300. The 6-foot-5 305-pounder had dominant film as a junior at Coatesville (Pa.) High that is deserving of being ranked as the top interior offensive lineman in 2027 at this juncture. Hiller pairs his ready-to-play size with plus movement skills and elite play strength. He locks on defensive linemen and imposes his will, driving defenders out of the play with regularity. Hiller is a nasty, physical competitor who works to finish blocks with authority. The coordination and hand placement also stand out. Given his advanced skill set, Hiller could be equipped for an early impact at the college level.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

4. OT Mark Matthews

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 3
247Sports: No. 3
ESPN: No. 10
School:St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Scouting Summary: High-upside offensive tackle prospect with top-notch physical and athletic tools for the position. Measured in at 6-foot-6 and around 280 pounds with plus length before his junior season. Added nearly 15 pounds to his frame early on in the offseason before his junior year. Has an ideal build for an offensive lineman with little bad weight and considerable mass in his lower body, helping to create a strong base. Tests as a strong athlete in the combine setting. New to football, first playing the sport as a freshman in high school. Took over the left tackle spot at South Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas as a sophomore. A twitchy mover with outstanding movement skills. Already flashes an effortless kick slide despite playing offensive line for less than one year. Projects as a high-end pass protector. Played defensive line as a freshman before becoming an offensive lineman. Shows impressive competitiveness in the camp setting. Has a basketball background. Will need to continue adding play strength and working on his hand placement. Younger for the cycle, turning 16 years old in April of his sophomore year.

5. RB Kemon Spell – Georgia

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 11
247Sports: No. 7
ESPN: No. 8
School:McKeesport (McKeesport, PA)
Scouting Summary: All-encompassing running back that can win with power and elusiveness on inside and outside runs. 5-foot-9, 200-plus pounds with tremendous twitch and leg drive. Plays with low pad level and an excellent center of gravity in order to deliver blows and take them himself. Has breakaway speed in order to hit the homerun. Ran sub-11 in the 100m during his sophomore track season. Shows the ability to catch the ball away from his frame as a pass catcher. Has all the physical and athletic tools to make an immediate impact at the next level and beyond. Younger prospect for the cycle.

6. WR Monshun Sales

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 9
247Sports: No. 5
ESPN: No. 16
School:Lawrence North (Indianapolis, IN)
Scout’s Take: “Sales touts arguably the highest upside of any wide receiver prospect in the 2027 cycle. He’s a freaky athlete with sub-22.0 second speed in the 200 meters at 6-foot-4.5, 205 pounds. Sales is a vapor trail on Friday nights, showing the ability to take the top off defenses, by way of blistering man coverage on vertical routes. His ball skills have continued to improve, as he showed the ability to make adjustments and win in contested catch situations as a junior. We also like that Sales shows physicality at safety, working as a two-way player at Indianapolis Lawrence North.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

7. CB Joshua Dobson

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 7
247Sports: No. 12
ESPN: No. 5
School:William Amos Hough (Cornelius, NC)
Scouting Summary: Technically refined corner prospect with rare top-end speed and physical build. 6-foot-1, 180-plus pounds with over a 6-foot-5 wingspan. Excellent weight distribution throughout his frame. Can run with anyone on the field. Ran 10.78 in the 100m during his sophomore track season. Explosive and fluid athlete with tremendous change of direction. Very calm footwork and patience in coverage. Does an excellent job locating the football and playing through the receiver’s hands. Needs to continue developing physicality in run support, but is extremely advanced in cover ability.

8. DL Jalen Brewster – Texas Tech

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 1
247Sports: No. 17
ESPN: No. 1
School:Cedar Hill (Cedar Hill, TX)
Scouting Summary: Uber-athletic defensive line prospect with true game-wrecking ability. Measured in at around 6-foot-3, 300 pounds prior to his junior season. Tests as an elite athlete in the combine setting, easily cracking 5.0 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Carries that athleticism over to the field where he has flashes of dominance on Friday nights. Lines up all over the defensive line for Cedar Hill (Texas) while facing top competition. Dangerous pass rusher from any spot. Combines explosive get-off with the movement skills of a much smaller player, carrying elite testing numbers directly onto the field. Consistently collapses pockets and disrupts plays before they develop. Has legitimate game-wrecking moments on film. The quickness to dart into the backfield and the speed to hunt down ball carriers is eye-popping. May not possess premier length. Father was a third-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys. Tracking as the top defensive line prospect early on in the 2027 cycle with the upside to be an early NFL Draft pick.

9. WR Easton Royal – Texas

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 5
247Sports: No. 24
ESPN: No. 12
School:Brother Martin (New Orleans, LA)
Scouting Summary: The most dynamic pass-catcher early in the 2027 cycle and a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Measured at around 5-foot-11, 185 pounds prior to his junior season. One of the fastest top prospects in the cycle, running a scintillating 10.3-second mark in the 100 meters as a sophomore. Brings that elite speed to the gridiron—lethal on vertical routes, easily pulling away from defensive backs downfield. Tough to tackle in the open field and will take it the distance if he finds space at the second level. Shows natural shiftiness as a route-runner, giving him the ability to separate at every level. Among the more productive top wide receivers in the 2027 cycle as a junior. Can continue improving his ability to attack catches with his arms extended, but has shown an expanded catch radius with several highlight-reel grabs. One of the youngest top prospects in the class with a late July birthday prior to his freshman season of college football. Athleticism, budding polish, and big-play ability make him one of the top overall playmakers in the cycle with the potential to develop into a first-round NFL Draft pick.

10. OT Kennedy Brown

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 15
247Sports: No. 15
ESPN: No. 2
School:Kingwood (Houston, TX)
Scouting Summary: Explosive and long-armed offensive tackle prospect with rare reach, heavy hands, and the athletic ability to dominate both phases up front. Measured around 6-foot-3, 280 pounds prior to his junior season with a wingspan over 7 feet and 11-inch hands. Tested as a good athlete in the combine setting. Worked at right tackle as a sophomore before moving to left tackle as a junior. Shows excellent striking power, using his length and punch to stun defensive linemen at the point of attack. Moves easily to the second level and looks to finish blocks with effort and physicality. Shorter than the typical top tackle prospect but makes up for it with elite reach and functional strength. Had some lapses in pass protection on junior film after transitioning to the left side, but the athletic traits and power profile remain evident. Projects as one of the top offensive line prospects in the 2027 cycle.

11. QB Elijah Haven

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 96
247Sports: No. 2
ESPN: No. 6
School:Dunham School (Baton Rouge, LA)
The Skinny: “Haven logged visits back to Auburn and Alabama last month, and is hammering out dates to return to both contenders this spring. The same goes for Florida and Kentucky, as the Rivals Industry Ranking No. 1 passer moves closer and closer toward locking in his college decision. Alabama has been the team in pole position after consecutive game-day visits in October and November, and another needle-moving visit back to Tuscaloosa for junior day last month. Haven’s next few visits are expected to be the final stops before locking in his commitment.” — Sam Spiegelman, Rivals National Analyst

12. TE Ahmad Hudson

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 52
247Sports: No. 9
ESPN: No. 22
School:Ruston (Ruston, LA)
The Skinny: “Nebraska is setting the pace in the recruitment of Hudson since his last visit to Lincoln in November. Nebraska was in line to get Hudson back to campus for a basketball game before weather derailed travel plans. Texas A&M and LSU continue to chip away with Hudson, a legacy target for the Tigers. LSU is going to be a threat for Hudson until he signs and are making strides behind the scenes to close the gap here.” — Sam Spiegelman, Rivals National Analyst

13. OT Cooper Hackett – Oklahoma

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 6
247Sports: No. 28
ESPN: No. 27
School:Fort Gibson (Fort Gibson, OK)
Scouting Summary: Hyper-athletic offensive tackle prospect with rare natural movement skills and a frame that points to immense long-term upside as one of the highest-ceiling linemen early in the 2027 cycle. Measured around 6-foot-7, 260 pounds with elite length (arms over 34 inches) and big hands prior to his junior season. Has the frame to add significant mass once in a college strength program. Lines up at right tackle for his high school, where his athletic traits immediately stand out. Moves with rare fluidity for his size and plays with surprising power through his lower half, generating torque and leverage at the point of attack. Shows balance and body control that project well to the next level. Displays loose flexibility and consistently lowers his pads to handle shorter defenders. Plays with a physical edge and looks to finish blocks through the whistle. Further showcases his athleticism as a disruptive defensive end. Doubles as a talented basketball player on the high school and AAU circuit who can run the court and play above the rim. Will need to add considerable mass and adjust to stronger competition at the next level, which could delay early playing time. Possesses an outstanding developmental profile with the big frame, movement skills, and multi-sport coordination that give him the upside to develop into an early-round NFL Draft pick.

14. IOL Albert Simien

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 10
247Sports: No. 34
ESPN: No. 25
School:Sam Houston (Lake Charles, LA)
Scouting Summary: Dominant interior offensive line prospect whose combination of length, functional mobility, and balance makes him one of the top linemen in the 2027 cycle. Measured just under 6-foot-3 and around 270 pounds prior to his junior season with plus length, including 34-inch arms. Lines up at left tackle for his high school, where he consistently controls the line of scrimmage. Dominant run blocker who manipulates defenders with his length, strength, and coordination. Moves easily to the second level and maintains leverage to seal running lanes. Has outstanding lower body flexibility as a mover. Equally effective in pass protection with controlled feet and strong balance in his set. Rarely off-platform and plays with a calm, steady demeanor. Shows up as a better athlete on the field than he tests in combine settings. Does not overwhelm from a stature standpoint and is slightly shorter than ideal for a top interior prospect, but compensates with technique, consistency, and competitive toughness. Well-rounded game, positional versatility, and dominant film make him one of the safest offensive line prospects in the 2027 cycle.

15. EDGE Zyron Forstall

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 146
247Sports: No. 8
ESPN: No. 11
School:IMG Academy (Fla.)
Scouting Summary: Electric pass rusher who is already showing signs of dominance as a high school underclassman. Measured in at 6-foot-3.5, 235 pounds prior to his junior season. Registers as a strong athlete in the combine setting. An apex predator off the edge. Flashes excellent first-step quickness, knifing into the backfield with regularity. Considerable power at the point of attack. Sinks his hips and drives through offensive linemen. Lives behind the line of scrimmage, where he’s an emphatic, physical finisher. Has shown early signs of a pass rush skill set with an explosive spin move. Also lines up as an off-ball linebacker at times. Motor runs white hot. Stalks down ball carriers from sideline to sideline. Totaled nearly 30 tackles for loss and double-digit sacks as a sophomore. Has game-wrecking qualities, forcing fumbles at a high rate. Looks to be one of the top overall prospects in the 2027 cycle early on.