Erik ten Hag has admitted qualifying for the Champions League is not in United’s hands this season and he reiterated every game from now until the end of the season must be approached like a cup final.
Jonny Evans and Marcus Rashford played through knocks to face Manchester City last weekend and they were both substituted in the second half, but they returned to training in midweek.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Ten Hag confirmed the pair would be in contention to feature against Everton and they have both made the starting team for the clash.
United are 11 points behind fourth place Aston Villa and Ten Hag was asked about the top four race by TNT Sports ahead of kick-off on Saturday afternoon.
“We had a setback against Fulham and now we have to pick up,” he said. “Everyone is killing everyone in this league and there are still many games to play, but we have to win.
“It’s not in our hands, that’s clear, but we have to catch up and every game is a final. Today, we have to win this final and then see what the opposition will do. We need to put pressure on them and a lot can happen.”
He added about Everton: “The threats are clear from them, their set plays and counter-attacks are very good. They are a very fit team, but it’s about us and when we play with Bruno there, it’s about how we get box occupation and how we get runs behind, so Bruno has to do it.
“But we also know Bruno will go and get the ball and then we run in behind from wide players, or in the second line, like from Scott [McTominay], who is very good at it. Also the third line, like from Diogo [Dalot], so we need the movements.”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
