Manchester United can play in the third position up front for only the fourth time against Everton

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Does Martial begin?

Most would consider Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Anthony Ten Hag as Eric ten Hag’s favorite players, but they’ve only started three times together. Coincidentally, two of those matches were against Everton.

Martial didn’t feature until the first half at Goodison Park in October but played in Anthony to equalise. Martial has been training with his teammates for four weeks, but until Wednesday night, he wasn’t considered “fit for the game” to start for Ten Hag.

Everton are Martial’s boys. He has scored seven goals in 15 matches against them.

Read more: United provide injury updates on Shaw and Eriksen

short break

United will not play again for five days after today in the longest gap between games they will see all season, provided they overtake 13th-placed Sevilla in La Liga and reach the semi-finals of the Europa League.

Ten Hag surprised many by making just one change against Brentford and there is little reason for more rotations today. Martial has to start sooner or later, Tyrell Malacia is a great target and their midfield could be improved but there is little appetite for change elsewhere.

No change in midfield?

With his fourth try, Scott McTominay and Marcel Sabitzer got the balance right in midfield against Brentford. While he remains at United, McTominay is best used in a defensive-minded role and Sabitzer, a more technical midfielder, has classically contributed to United’s last two matches against Fulham and Brentford.

Fred has gone more than three weeks without a start, and next week Ten Hag will be able to call Casemiro and Christian Eriksen. Suddenly, the situation in United’s midfield is looking more favourable.

Eriksen back?

Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final first leg could have been occasion for Christian Eriksen to start again for United, but he could have a turn today against a more resolute Everton side under Sean Dyche. Everton have not lost any of their last four matches, and the first half against Chelsea and Tottenham was goalless.

Up to third place?

Saturday’s kick-off time of 12:30 was Jose Mourinho’s favorite in England and today is only his second at Old Trafford all season. The advantage United have is that a win would, at least temporarily, lift them into second place as Newcastle travel to Brentford at 3pm.

In a season in which Chelsea and Liverpool are suffering their worst domestic campaigns of the century and Tottenham are completely uninspired, United must finish third.

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