BBC Sport pundit Mark Lawrenson expects Everton to produce a feisty performance at home to Manchester United on Sunday, and feels Carlo Ancelotti can keep Bruno Fernandes quiet.
Lawrenson considers Fernandes to have been a real difference-maker for the Red Devils since his January arrival at Old Trafford, having joined on the eve of Deadline Day for an initial £47million in a deal that could rise as high as £67.7m.
The Portuguese has featured five times for United across all competitions, with three outings in the Premier League and two in the Europa League, in which he has been involved in four goals (two scored, two assisted).
United are yet to lose when Fernandes has featured, with top-flights wins over Chelsea and Watford joined by a draw at home to Wolves, while drawing with before beating Club Brugge on route to a place in the Last 16 of the Europa League.
Fernandes also carved out three key passes at Chelsea, four against Watford and three in Thursday night’s 5-0 demolition of Club Brugge, while taking two, three and four shots respectively, per WhoScored data.
But Lawrenson firmly believes Ancelotti can have Everton set up to quell the threat of the 25-year-old in front of a bouncing Goodison Park this Sunday.
“Manchester United’s form has picked up, in terms of goals and clean sheets in recent weeks, and January signing Bruno Fernandes has already made a difference,” Lawrenson noted in his column for BBC Sport.
What will the result be at home to Man Utd on Sunday?
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“He has brought the creativity that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were sadly lacking, and got the fans smiling again.
“I just fancy Everton in this one, though. They always have a real go at United in this fixture and I think Goodison Park will be rocking.
“It is their biggest home game since Carlo Ancelotti took charge and is a chance for them to show where they are at under him. They will be ready for United, you can be sure of that.”
Lawrenson not only backs the Blues to beat Manchester United on Sunday, but the former Liverpool defender also expects Ancelotti’s men to be able to keep a clean sheet having predicted a 2-0 home victory.
We have kept five clean sheets across the 13 Premier League fixtures played at Goodison Park this season, including shutting out Watford on the opening day and denying the likes of West Ham, Arsenal, Burnley and Brighton.
Our home form in 2019/20 has been the sixth-best in the English top-flight, despite half the division playing one more game than we, having claimed 24 of a possible 39 points with seven wins to three draws and three defeats.
Manchester United, meanwhile, have taken four of their eleven league wins when on the road this term to three draws and six defeats, and have only kept their opponents from scoring twice – coming at Burnley in December and last time on the road in a 2-0 win at Chelsea.
In other Everton news, the club were unsuccessful in winter moves for a one-time league winner.