Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard strike as Manchester United end concerning run with Everton win

That is it from me for now, but, with the matches still coming thick and fast, IBTimes UK will be back tomorrow evening for another four-game slate that includes Swansea vs Tottenham and Manchester City vs Watford.

Goodnight.

Everton rallied after going 1-0 down and received a notable spark from the introductions of Lennon and McCarthy. However, they lack the necessary quality going forward and will likely need more than Cenk Tosun to be competitive in the final third.

The Toffees remain ninth on 27 points and now face a cup derby meeting with Merseyside rivals Liverpool at Anfield. Their next league fixture is against Tottenham at Wembley on 13 January.

A deserved victory for United in the end, a fine start to 2018 and the perfect tonic to a disappointing festive period. In Lingard, Mourinho boasts one of the Premier League's most in-form players.

The Red Devils, still 12 points behind Manchester City having played one game more, go above Chelsea into second before the defending champions meet Arsenal on Wednesday evening.

They host Championship promotion contenders Derby in the third round of the FA Cup on Friday night and then enjoy a 10-day break before struggling Stoke visit Old Trafford.

Full-time

Everton 0-2 Manchester United

Axel Tuanzebe for Mata is Mourinho's third and final change with less than two minutes remaining.

Three minutes of additional time signalled as Jones concedes a late corner and is beaten in the air by Keane, whose header sails wide at the Gwladys Street End.

After sealing victory for his side and clashing with the aggressive McCarthy, Lingard makes way for Daley Blind.

Holgate is deservedly cautioned for a bad challenge on Lingard. We should mention that Allardyce sent on Calvert-Lewin in place of Niasse immediately after that second goal.

Everton's late momentum is killed stone dead as Lingard scores the goal that surely puts this game out of their reach with nine minutes to play.

Shaw intercepts a lazy throw-in from Holgate. Lingard then receives possession from Pogba and breezes past Keane before - much like Martial - curling a shot around Williams and into the back of the net.

It's another terrific strike.

Goal: Everton 0-2 Manchester United (Jesse Lingard)

Pickford keeps Everton in the match with a super low save to deny Lingard, who let fly under pressure from Schneiderlin after being picked out by Pogba.

Martial looked to have injured himself a few minutes ago and he now goes off to be replaced by Marcus Rashford.

McCarthy, who has helped to give Everton a real boost since replacing Rooney in a change that was booed by some home supporters, is very fortunate to avoid a booking for a kick on Mata.

The hosts apply more pressure during comfortably their best spell of the afternoon and another dangerous ball whizzes across the six-yard box.

Much better from Everton now. Matic completely miscues his clearance and Holgate shrugs off Pogba with ease before seeing a cross blocked by Rojo.

Davies' effort also hits a United body before Vlasic's centre is claimed by De Gea.

Finally some life from Everton following a strong challenge from substitute McCarthy on Pogba.

The ball goes wide and Holgate delivers a decent cross that is headed into the side netting by Niasse.

The lack of a discernible out-ball is absolutely killing Everton in this game. Their attack has just been absolutely non-existent since the second half began.

It's men against boys at the moment and Mourinho will be livid if his team fail to put this to bed.

All too easy for Pogba as he drifts in from the left wing, cuts through the Everton defence and forces another save from Pickford.

The gifted midfielder then comes within a whisker of making contact with Martial's inviting cross.

A double change from Allardyce with his side trailing 1-0 with less than 30 minutes left to play.

Bolasie makes way for Aaron Lennon and McCarthy replaces Rooney. That latter substitution is jeered by a section of the home crowd.

A succession of great touches from Pogba as United go in search of a quick second goal.

After Lingard's cross is repelled by Williams, his low pass for Mata just goes out of play.

Everton embark upon a rare attack but Rooney declines to shoot and loses possession, leading to a swift United counter.

Mata finds Pogba and the Frenchman tees up compatriot Martial for a shot that bends around Williams and nestles in the top corner with Pickford well beaten. Glorious technique - that's his ninth goal of the season.

No less than the visitors deserve for a positive start to this second half. They've been much the better side.

Goal: Everton 0-1 Manchester United (Anthony Martial)

Pogba plays an incisive one-two with Lingard before cutting inside from the left and providing a cross/shot in the direction of Martial that drifts wide of the far post.

Martina stops Herrera from prodding home Shaw's accurate cross from close range. Good combination play between the left-back and Martial there.

Woodwork!

Mata beats Pickford all ends up with a swerving left-footed strike that hits the outside of the post.

What a goal that would have been for the Common Goal founder, who netted twice at Leicester before Christmas.

An incredibly subdued atmosphere at Goodison as United knock the ball around deep inside the Everton half and probe patiently for an opening.

The Toffees have 10 men behind the ball and rigidly stick to their defensive shape, as you might expect from a team managed by Allardyce.

Negligent defending from Everton after a foray forward from Pogba. Shaw finds Mata and the diminutive Spaniard unleashes an effort that is tipped over by Pickford.

Rojo misses the target with United's next attempt.

The second half is now off and running. No changes from Allardyce or Mourinho just yet.

Not a first half that will linger long in the memory, it must be said. There's been a little bit of pace to the game at times and a few half-chances, but one shot on target for both sides rather tells the story.

Let's hope for a significant improvement in quality after the break.

Half-time

Everton 0-0 Manchester United

Jones commits a silly foul on Niasse down Everton's left flank and offers Rooney the chance to deliver one last ball into the box before the interval.

Niasse tries to make something of his weak delivery but is dispossessed by Rojo. The half-time whistle sounds.

One minute of stoppage time signalled at the end of this first half.

Lingard brings down former United teammate Morgan Schneiderlin and receives a stern word from referee Marriner.

Everton fans want a yellow card, but they won't get it.

Rooney collects the first yellow card of the game with a mistimed sliding challenge on Martial that halts a dangerous United break.

Mata's free-kick is easily headed clear by Keane.

Bolasie leaves both Matic and Rojo trailing in his wake with a jinking run. However, his cross falls to a red shirt and United survive.

The game takes on something of a frenetic pace before Lingard pulls a shot wide of Pickford's left-hand post.

An uncharacteristic error from De Gea almost opens the door for Everton.

United look for more joy down the left before Pogba's curling shot takes a slight nick off Davies and goes behind.

Rooney strains to control a woeful clearance from Williams and Herrera nips in to steal possession before bending a 25-yard shot over the bar.

Davies slips to end a promising run before seeing an insipid low ball cleared by Rojo.

Still goalless as we cross the half-hour mark on Merseyside.

Bolasie runs at Lindelof and sends in a looping cross that catches the strong wind and races out of play for a throw-in on the far side.

That is a mismatch that Everton should surely look to exploit all afternoon.

Everton's right-hand flank is exposed once more as Martial exchanges passes with Shaw and produces an inviting low cross that is palmed away by Pickford.

Martina smashes clear.

Jones fails to test Pickford with an ambitious shot from distance and Michael Keane is penalised for unfairly halting the run of the lively Lingard.

Juan Mata's free-kick is headed straight at the goalkeeper by Rojo.

Sloppy stuff from the visitors after Nemanja Matic gives the ball away inside the Everton half.

Bolasie comes forward and Rojo has to make an excellent sliding block to deny Niasse after Jones struggles to clear a heavy touch from Vlasic.

Herrera plays a lovely ball through to Martial, but the former Monaco prodigy is unable to bring it under control.

Positive, quick passing football from United.

A wild effort from Martial nestles high in the stands. Everton then earn their third corner when Davies' long-range drive deflects behind off Jones.

Lindelof makes the initial clearing header and Lingard does just enough to put off Vlasic as he pulls the trigger on a disappointing shot.

Paul Pogba makes impressive inroads into the opposition box and provides a cutback for Herrera, who allows the ball to roll through his legs with Martial lurking behind.

Everton clear before it can reach the Frenchman.

Everton held a minute's applause before kick-off to remember those connected with the club that passed away in 2017.

Rojo concedes another corner and Rooney's near-post ball is steered away from Williams by a stooping Shaw.

Young defender Holgate rises highest to head Rooney's corner over the crossbar.

It's been a positive start from Everton and their skipper.

Everton win the first corner of the game after Phil Jones deflects Rooney's effort wide. Holgate's initial strike came back off Luke Shaw.

After an early error from Herrera, Jordan Pickford smothers a through ball intended for Jesse Lingard.

Before that, Bolasie, going up against Victor Lindelof today, sent in a cross that was intercepted by David De Gea.

Referee Andre Marriner gets proceedings underway at Goodison.

Asked if United need to change their approach without the former Everton talisman, he adds: "Of course. If we don't have a player like Lukaku or a normal replacement like Zlatan, we have to play with the qualities we have, so we have to forget that we have to play without a target man because we don't have [one].

"We have what we have. We trust the players. The players are giving everything like they have done from the first minute of the season. No Lukaku and no Ibrahimovic means we have no no.9 as you normally call a target man that we usually play [with], so we have to change."

A positive update from Mourinho on Lukaku ahead of kick-off...

"I would say a week [out for Lukaku]. It's nothing really important - just a little protection, but no problem."

Ashley Williams, Mason Holgate, Tom Davies, Bolasie, Nikola Vlasic and Oumar Niasse also come in for Everton as Phil Jagielka, Jonjoe Kenny, McCarthy, Aaron Lennon, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are all relegated to the bench.

Gueye misses out altogether.

Mourinho swaps three, with Marcos Rojo, Anthony Martial and Ander Herrera replacing Young, Lukaku and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Darmian and Smalling are both deemed fit enough for the bench.

Seven changes in total from Allardyce, with Rooney starting and captaining Everton against his former club.

Official lineups are due to drop in just a couple of minutes. Stand by...

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (knee) is set to spend another month in the treatment room, while Ashley Young will begin a three-match suspension handed down after he admitted an FA charge of violent conduct following his elbow on Saints midfielder Dusan Tadic that was missed by the officials but caught on video.

His argument that the length of the ban was excessive was rejected by the regulatory commission.

Eric Bailly, Marouane Fellaini, Antonio Valencia and Michael Carrick remain out, while Matteo Darmian is a doubt.

One piece of good news among the gloom is that Chris Smalling should return to the squad after recovering from the groin injury he sustained at Leicester before Christmas.

Romelu Lukaku has been denied a first return to Goodison after being stretchered off with an oxygen mask after several minutes of treatment that followed his painful clash of heads with Wesley Hoedt during Saturday's stalemate against Southampton.

He is expected to miss at least the next two matches against Everton and Derby County.

Ross Barkley is back in first-team training after a long-term hamstring problem, although he is unlikely to be available today as he bids to return to full fitness with speculation over his future ramping up again with the opening of the January transfer window.

Leighton Baines, Seamus Coleman and Ramiro Funes Mori are all still sidelined along with reserve goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

Everton are set to monitor the respective conditions of James McCarthy and Yannick Bolasie, who both recently made their long-awaited comebacks from injury.

The former lasted only 45 minutes at Bournemouth, while the latter featured as a late substitute after playing an hour against West Brom.

Idrissa Gueye will also be checked after starting at the weekend, but Cuco Martina is expected to shake off a knock.

Manchester United will have been in no mood to join in the New Year celebrations last night, with a frustrating run of three consecutive draws over the festive period, an ever-lengthening list of absentees that has made it difficult to rotate during a packed schedule and more tedious and transparent diversionary tactics from Jose Mourinho meaning that they enter 2018 on a real sour note.

With the title long since ceded to their dominant cross-city rivals, it could be that the Red Devils may now become embroiled in a battle just to retain their position in the top four unless they can improve upon recent performances that have provided something of a throwback to the much-maligned Louis van Gaal era.

Looking to prolong their misery in today's late kick-off is an Everton side that were unbeaten in seven matches under Sam Allardyce before Ryan Fraser's deflected late strike sealed a dramatic 2-1 win for struggling Bournemouth on Saturday.

The Toffees, currently perched in ninth, are without defeat in their last five home league games, winning four, and have not lost in front of their own fans since October. Allardyce's record against United and Mourinho leaves a hell of a lot to be desired, while their last triumph in this fixture came two-and-half years ago.

However, a run of three wins and only one loss from the last five Goodison meetings should give them real hope of avoiding setting a new league record of 35 defeats to the same opposition.

Stay tuned for all the latest team news and updates after kick-off on Merseyside at 17.30 GMT.