Man Utd's struggles at home give hope to Everton's Koeman
REUTERS - Everton manager Ronald Koeman is hoping his team can capitalise on Manchester United's struggles at home when the two sides meet at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Tuesday.
United, who are fifth in the table, have drawn eight of their 15 home games in the league this season, and Koeman urged his team to try and impose themselves on the contest from the outset.
"We know that they have difficulties at home," the Dutchman told a news conference on Monday. "We like to play in our way; that means we like to dominate the game."
United will have striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic available again after a three-game suspension, while Everton will be without midfielders Morgan Schneiderlin, Aaron Lennon and James McCarthy. Right-back Seamus Coleman is out for the season after breaking his leg on international duty.
The slew of injuries led Koeman to start the relatively inexperienced Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Tom Davies, Matthew Pennington and Mason Holgate in Everton's 3-1 defeat by Liverpool in the Merseyside derby on Saturday.
Despite the chastening nature of the defeat, Koeman said he would keep faith with his youngsters against United.
"We will have the same players available as the weekend. I knew the team to start – a really young team – and that's different to the one if I had all the players available.
"To compete against a strong team is always difficult. But I try to be realistic about the situation of the team, its progress, and the project of Everton," said Koeman.
"I am a manager who if a young player is developing and we have injury problems it is an opportunity for the young players. Everybody is always talking about the Academy of Everton. I'm Dutch, I'm not afraid to give a chance to young players."
(Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru; editing by Mark Heinrich)