Marco Silva is not taking the threat of Romelu Lukaku or Manchester United lightly as he leads his Everton side to Old Trafford targeting a fourth successive Premier League win.
The powerful former Everton striker has drawn a blank on his last eight United starts and his woes in front of goal have mirrored United's travails this season, with the club sitting 10th in the table.
Everton are one point and two places better off courtesy of their recent hot streak, but Silva remains wary of how menacing United can be and is paying no attention to Lukaku's goal drought.
"Man United is always dangerous, always a very good team and always a strong side for all the opponents they can play against," the Everton manager said.
"When you are talking about Lukaku, when a striker doesn't score in the last games it is normal to criticise him, it happened the same with some of our strikers before.
"But I think Lukaku and the Man United team have the quality to do the good things. We have to do everything that we can to achieve a good result and to stop them.
"A good result for us is always thinking we can win the game."
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United manager Jose Mourinho has come under scrutiny for the club's modest start to the campaign, yet Silva is convinced his fellow Portuguese can turn the tide.
"He's a good friend, good man and a very good manager," Silva added. "For me it's clear, Jose is changing nothing in his behaviour from what I can see.
"I think he's the same coach who brought fantastic success to Chelsea twice, did the same at Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
"Now it is a different challenge for him at Man United and he's doing his best for sure to achieve what he wants."
Everton have not won four in a row in the top-flight for more than two years but Silva insists the chance to do so will have no bearing on his game plan.
"Nothing changes in our plan, in our week, because we can do the four in a row or not, we prepare all the weeks in the same way: to do our maximum and with a big ambition during the week to prepare well," he said.
Everton have no new injury or suspension concerns, a welcome relief for Silva after the start of his reign was blighted by issues to several first-team players.
"Everything is OK," Silva said. "Finally everything is OK, all of them are OK.
"It's really important for me, it's important for us as a squad, the competition is harder inside every day and it is what I want. In this way we can grow and get better every day."
Mourinho's United have won only one of their last seven games across competitions and the Portuguese will be without the services of forward Alexis Sanchez for the match at Old Trafford, although Jesse Lingard is in line to return after a month-long absence.
The Chile international Sanchez missed the midweek defeat to Juventus in the Uefa Champions League while Diogo Dalot and Marouane Fellaini are also doubts
Lingard could return along with Scott McTominay on Sunday, but Phil Jones looks set to miss another match. Tahith Chong was on the bench on Tuesday for the first time in a competitive match, although captain Antonio Valencia was conspicuous by his absence from the squad against Juventus.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Burnley host high-flying Chelsea while Arsenal meet fellow Londoners Crystal Palace looking to for a 12th straight win in all competitions.
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)
Engine 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch
Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm
Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est)
Emiratisation at work
Emiratisation was introduced in the UAE more than 10 years ago
It aims to boost the number of citizens in the workforce particularly in the private sector.
Growing the number of Emiratis in the workplace will help the UAE reduce dependence on overseas workers
The Cabinet in December last year, approved a national fund for Emirati jobseekers and guaranteed citizens working in the private sector a comparable pension
President Sheikh Khalifa has described Emiratisation as “a true measure for success”.
During the UAE’s 48th National Day, Sheikh Khalifa named education, entrepreneurship, Emiratisation and space travel among cornerstones of national development
More than 80 per cent of Emiratis work in the federal or local government as per 2017 statistics
The Emiratisation programme includes the creation of 20,000 new jobs for UAE citizens
UAE citizens will be given priority in managerial positions in the government sphere
The purpose is to raise the contribution of UAE nationals in the job market and create a diverse workforce of citizens
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Company%20profile
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059