When Everton paused operations to allow the November international break to take shape, Sean Dyche will have been delighted with a rich purple patch that had lifted his side into 14th place in the Premier League, with three victories from five matches.
Calamity struck, and one week ago Everton were hit with a ten-point deduction – effective immediately – for a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
Dyche said that he was "shocked" by the decision but appeared stoical in his demeanour; from a footballing perspective, the Toffees have hit form and there is no reason why this cannot continue.
With Manchester United making the trip to Goodison Park, the hosts will be determined to respond in the most emphatic fashion with a victory, with three points possibly lifting the club right back out of the danger zone.
Amadou Onana's style of play
Unfortunately, it looks unlikely that Amadou Onana will have recovered from an injury in time to earn a start from the outset against Erik ten Hag's men, with Dyche saying: "Ama's calf, I don't think will be right. It's still sore."
It's a big setback, there's no doubt about that, with the Belgian midfielder described as a "one-man army" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his rock-solid performances in the engine room.
Onana has been excellent across his 11 starts in the Premier League this term, completing 85% of his passes, averaging 2.5 tackles and 6.5 ball recoveries per game and winning a whopping 65% of his duels, as per Sofascore.
The £100k-per-week machine has actually been on Man United's radar this year, and it's a bitter blow for Dyche's team that he will not be able to strut his stuff against his suitors.
Harrison dropped in Everton's predicted lineup vs Man Utd
Everton boss Sean Dyche could look to add a little more steal to his midfield this weekend.
ByAdam Scully
That being said, Everton do hold a star capable of thriving in his place, with Idrissa Gueye likely to get the nod…
Idrissa Gueye's season in numbers
Aged 34, Gueye might be getting on a bit now but he's still proving that he can do a job on the biggest stage, having earned nine starting appearances in the Premier League this season, scoring the winning goal off the bench at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace last time out.
As per FBref, the Senegalese star ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles and the top 21% for interceptions per 90, punctuating the importance of placing him in the centre against Erik ten Hag's side.
Once dubbed a "machine" who "never stops running" by his former Paris Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel, Gueye has chalked up 176 appearances in the Premier League and has won a wealth of trophies in France and clinched the African Cup of Nations with his country in 2022.
He's a veteran, through and through, and while Onana's absence will be felt, Gueye could ensure that such a loss is not detrimental, especially considering that he has completed 87% of his passes this year, has won 59% of his ground duels and averages 2.3 tackles and 6.7 recoveries each fixture.
If the £80k-per-week Gueye's street smarts and composure are at their best, then Everton could find that the perfect start to life after the point deduction begins with victory over United.
