Why James Garner and Bruno Fernandes hold the keys to victory in Everton vs Man Utd

[p]With [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barry-thierno/KYQuxWEL/"]Thierno Barry[/a] now the club's only recognised striker after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moyes-david/hUGEt9yf/"]David Moyes[/a] allowed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/beto/EPUEfWCc/"]Beto[/a] to leave the club, and a move for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/balgun-folarin/rVZLmUsU/"]Folarin Balogun[/a] fell through at the 11th hour, it's clear that the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/everton/KluSTr9s/"]Toffees[/a] are going to have their work cut out.[/p][infobox id="c5ce5f5a-ccb6-468f-9fce-bb4a330c372a" /][h2]Everton have only won three of the last 22 games vs Man Utd[/h2][p]Particularly when you consider that they've only won three of the last 22 meetings against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Red Devils[/a] (D7, L12).[/p][p]Barry's xG of 1.93 in the Premier League this season is certainly something for Everton to lean into, with the 23-year-old Frenchman only being surpassed in this regard by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/isak-alexander/p41IV42c/"]Alexander Isak[/a] (2.08) and United's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbeumo-bryan/8KDrOl80/"]Bryan Mbeumo[/a] (2.26), when you exclude penalties.[/p][image alt="Everton v Man Utd - Recent head-to-head results" id="4d3d1e4e-940f-4397-8ce3-c711cf38f078" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="7f96feb2-f588-41e4-bb5e-8afbfab387d0" original-width="2160" original-height="2702" /][p]Mbeumo has enjoyed a super start to his 2026/27 season, with the 39 runs that he's already made in behind opposition defences being the most of any player in the league thus far.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carrick-michael/phM8NElP/"]Michael Carrick[/a]'s side can also head to the Hill Dickinson Stadium with confidence, knowing that they've won six of the last eight Premier League games against the Merseysiders (D1, L1), and have kept clean sheets in five of those games.[/p][h2]Incredible turnaround under Michael Carrick[/h2][p]It will be Carrick's 20th Premier League game in charge of the club in this spell of his managerial career, and the 42 points amassed since he took over from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/amorim-ruben/EiIHi8vU/"]Ruben Amorim[/a] can't be matched by any other manager in the league, so the Geordie is clearly doing something right.[/p][p]One area to watch will be the battle between [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dibling-tyler/SIOR1GlO/"]Tyler Dibling[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shaw-luke/88iLXV0O/"]Luke Shaw[/a].[/p][embed guid="1a24513f-6901-429f-9d5c-cccefe2e9c3c" url="https://x.com/ManUtd/status/2095760520867680282" social-type="twitter" /][p]It seems fairly clear that United were looking for a replacement for the left-back during the summer window, but were unable to secure any preferred targets.[/p][p]Dibling will want to take advantage of Shaw's lack of composure and consistent loss of possession when an opponent puts him under pressure.[/p][h2]Moyes on the verge of setting unwanted record[/h2][p]During 2025/26, for example, the defender lost the ball on 346 separate occasions, and whilst United's defence as a unit is still not up to the standard required, it seems evident that Shaw is the weakest link at present.[/p][p]It's been five years since Everton won their opening two home games of a league season, though it would be the second time the hosts will have won two in a row at their new stadium, were they to defeat United.[/p][image alt="Everton v Man Utd - Win probability" id="d1a7eef4-ded6-4fb6-91ac-06329567002c" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="11b34af3-8b16-4ac9-8933-73fec5f7ece0" original-width="2160" original-height="2702" /][p]Both teams, in fact, have had more direct attacks this season (six) than any other clubs in the English top-flight, with Everton already showing under Moyes how quick they can be in the transitional phases of the game.[/p][p]The Scot's former club are something of a nemesis to him, however, given that he's already lost 23 EPL games against them, and were he to be on the receiving end of another defeat, he'd equal [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/harry-redknapp/Sjzw61L7/"]Harry Redknapp[/a]'s record of the most league losses to them.[/p][h2]Fernandes and Garner to determine the outcome?[/h2][p]Clearly, if the hosts are to stand any chance of earning all three points, they need to limit [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-bruno/GYvAMDm2/"]Bruno Fernandes[/a]' influence on the game.[/p][p]The Portuguese already has 11 goal contributions in 13 Premier League matches against Everton (6G, 5A), which equals the output of United greats, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/beckham-david/S0VmZ6TT/"]David Beckham[/a] (4G, 7A) and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/giggs-ryan/EJMq0XR5/"]Ryan Giggs[/a] (7G, 4A).[/p][p]When he's allowed to get into his stride, Bruno will dictate proceedings from the middle of the pitch with ease, supplementing the attack as often as United's possession will allow.[/p][embed guid="0f7ad613-f7e8-4482-be01-6e593a5d35ef" url="https://x.com/ManUtd/status/2095196555070595456" social-type="twitter" /][p]Former United ace, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garner-james/zctP50uI/"]James Garner[/a], may well be the man tasked with trying to stop his contemporary, and that could be a battle for the ages.[/p][p]Bruno not only attempted more passes than any United player last season (2,128), but he also recovered the ball more times than anyone else (175), and had the joint-third most goals in the squad.[/p][p]Garner led the way at Everton with 202 ball recoveries and 2,059 passes (with an 88.3% success rate, which was better than Bruno's 82.1%).[/p][embed guid="46c9b774-0f0e-4dee-9ab4-bd38769acd80" url="https://x.com/Everton/status/2095119556750475616" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norgaard-christian/E3lsxLi7/"]Christian Norgaard[/a] is the only player who'll be missing from Everton's lineup, with returning loan signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/grealish-jack/QVKaRfO9/"]Jack Grealish[/a] and new permanent capture [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maitland-niles-ainsley/CnBQp2sj/"]Ainsley Maitland-Niles[/a] likely to feature. There's even a possibility that the hosts could've signed free agent [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vardy-jamie/fP3OohgD/"]Jamie Vardy[/a] in time to make his debut in this game.[/p][p]For the visitors, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/traore-amad/I5Rhq1WL/"]Amad Diallo[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-ligt-matthijs/hhRKVBXN/"]Matthijs de Ligt[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ugarte-manuel/IksYqIr8/"]Manuel Ugarte[/a] and new signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baleba-carlos/UwTdoLQl/"]Carlos Baleba[/a] are definitely out, whilst [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mount-mason/lOA8VKIK/"]Mason Mount[/a] will have a late fitness test to determine his availability.[/p][infobox id="8a8311c3-81b3-440e-8b49-36091db073d1" /]