Barclays Premier League
Venue: Goodison Park Date: Saturday, 20 February 2010 Kick-off: 1245 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, full match commentary on BBC Radio Merseyside 95.8 FM, 1485 AM and DAB, Final Score, live on Sky Sports 1 & highlights on Match of the Day
TEAM NEWS
**Everton have suffered a fresh injury blow with the loss of key midfielder Tim Cahill for up to three weeks with a calf problem.**The Toffees are already without another influential midfielder, Marouane Fellaini, who will miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury.
Manchester United will be without suspended duo Rio Ferdinand and Nani.
Nemanja Vidic is back in the squad and could play for the first time in 2010 following a nerve problem in his leg.
**Everton **(from): Howard, Yobo, Baines, Distin, Neville, Pienaar, Osman, Arteta, Rodwell, Saha, Yakubu, Bilyaletdinov, Donovan, Vaughan, Gosling, Coleman, Heitinga, Baxter, Duffy, Nash.
Injured: Anichebe (back), Cahill (calf), Fellaini (ankle), Hibbert (groin), Jagielka (knee), Senderos (back)
**Man Utd **(from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster, Neville, Brown, Rafael, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Fabio, Park, Anderson, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Gibson, Rooney, Owen, Berbatov, Diouf.
Suspended: Ferdinand (one match), Nani (three matches)
Injured: Giggs (arm), Hargreaves (knee), O’Shea (thigh)
MATCH PREVIEW
The football world may be queuing up to laud Wayne Rooney’s best ever season, but the Manchester United striker can expect an altogether different reception at Goodison Park on Saturday.
“It’s always a massive test against United because they continue to set the standards, but it’s something we look forward to”
Everton captain Phil Neville
It is almost six years since Rooney left Everton, but the scars left by his defection from Merseyside to Manchester are yet to heal.
The 24-year-old’s most recent return to Goodison ended in controversy when he responded to the barracking of home fans by kissing the badge on his United shirt, before being quickly substituted.
The fiery encounter also saw United old boy Phil Neville enrage his former team-mates for a crunching tackle on Cristiano Ronaldo. Neville cites the challenge as the moment he finally won over sceptical Everton fans.
Sir Alex Ferguson will be hoping the hype surrounding Rooney’s return does not prove a distraction as his side seek to reclaim top spot.
United have only suffered one league defeat against Everton in 15 years, but will have to work for their points against David Moyes’ in-form side, who did them a favour last time out by beating Chelsea.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Everton have only won one of their last 29 Premier League meetings with United (a 1-0 victory at Goodison Park back in April 2005).
• The Toffees have lost 27 out of 35 Premier League encounters against Sir Alex Ferguson’s side and won only three.
• United have only failed to score in two of their 17 Premier League visits to Goodison, and those are the only matches the Toffees have won, both 1-0.
606: DEBATE
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Everton
• Everton are unbeaten in their last six league home matches, winning the last four.
• They have lost only one of their last 11 league outings (a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool).
• Their next goal will be their 500th in the Premier League at Goodison Park. They are also targeting their 150th Premier League win at Goodison.
Man Utd
• United have not dropped any points from winning positions this season.
• They are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League matches, their longest run of the season.
• They are the league’s top scorers with 62, second-only to their own Premier League record of 64 goals after 26 matches set in 2001/02.
• If selected, Wayne Rooney will be making his 250th Premier League appearance.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Everton
Saha: 15 goals (13 league); Cahill: 6 goals (4 league); Pienaar: 6 goals (3 league)
Man Utd
Rooney: 25 goals (21 league); Berbatov: 8 goals (8 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Howard Webb
Assistant referees: Peter Kirkup & David Richardson
Fourth official: Lee Probert
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
**Eveton **(W2-1 v Chelsea, h): Howard; Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Donovan, Arteta (Rodwell 74), Osman, Bilyaletdinov (Gosling 86), Cahill, Saha (Senderos 90). Subs not used: Nash, Vaughan, Yakubu, Coleman.
**Man Utd **(D1-1 v Aston Villa, a): Van der Sar; Rafael Da Silva, Brown, Jonathan Evans, Evra, Scholes (Valencia 46), Carrick, Fletcher, Nani, Rooney, Giggs (Berbatov 73). Subs not used: Foster, Neville, Owen, Park, Gibson.
MOST RECENT MEETING
Man Utd 3-0 Everton (21 November 2009)](http://www.paklinks.com/sport2/low/football/eng_prem/8364359.stm)
Man Utd scorers: Fletcher 35, Carrick 67, Valencia 76