There is the full time whistle and United have scraped home once again as they clinch three crucial points courtesy of the forehead of Nemanja Vidic. Final score at Goodison Park is Everton 0 - 1 Manchester United.

United are happy to play down the clock as Ronaldo runs the ball towards the corner flag.

There will be three minutes of added time.

Everton have their chance and McFadden shoots and Van Der Sar makes a great save but it drops for Yobo who somehow manages to divert it wide.

Ronaldo dances his way around Baines and shoots left footed but staright at Wessels once more.

Meanwhile James McFadden is finally introduced in place of Phil Neville, can he save them?

Gerard Pique is replacing Nani - who was a sub himself - to give more height to the United back four.

Nemanja Vidic arrives near post to power home Nani's devilish corner and give United what could be a decisive lead.

The lack of goalmouth action is almost alarming with the quality of attacker on show from both sides.

Another long range Ronaldo free-kick clips the top of the wall and drifts harmlessly through to Wessels.

Sir Alex is very unhappy with his side's lack of creativity and is out on the touchline.

Also Victor Anichebe will come on for Yakubu who has looked ineffectual today and struggled to get involved.

Steven Pienaar is going to come on for Leon Osman to provide a bit more creativity in the midfield for Everton.

The passback from Brown is a little underhit and Yakubu is almost in before Van Der Sar but the keeper gets their just in time.

Ronaldo beats two and then goes to the floor and is booked for a dive as he leaves his foot in to try and ensure contact from Baines.

Still the game is struggling to get going as would be hoped and that is becoming frustrating for both sets of fans.

Phil Neville has picked up a booking for a foul on Ronaldo as the Portuguese looked to accelerate away.

Saha has a half chance as he turns and shoots right footed but he slices it wildly and its actually out for a throw.

Everton break quickly as Yakubu shrugs off Vidic but Ferdinand gets across well to intercept the Nigerian's pass to Johnson and clears.

Ryan Giggs who has again been a bit off colour is replaced by Louis Saha who should provide more of an aerial threat for United.

Louis Saha is all but ready to come on but Tevez now comes alive with a drop of the shoulder and lets fly from 25 yards although straight at Wessels.

Although this second half has been slightly better than the first, both sides are struggling to get into their rhythm and surely a change will come soon.

United are starting to purr a bit now and Scholes has a great chance on the volley from the penalty spot but blazes it over.

Nani with a tackle on Arteta breaks by himself and now feeds Ronaldo across the box and a quick stepover and flashes the ball across goal and Tevez can't quite get on the end of it.

Saha is warming up on the touchline, but Carrick gets Giggs in down the right channel and shoots across goal from an angle but it is always running wide of the post.

Good approach play from United but rather like their season so far there is a lack of options in the box and Nani's cross is easily dealt with.

Arteta is popping up everywhere but his delivery has not been of its usual high quality but if he gets one right then United could be in trouble.

Everton have made a much brighter start to the second half and look the more dangerous side at the moment.

Arteta whips a corner in and Johnson flicks it on at the near post and Scholes is in the right place to hack it off the line but that was close for Everton.

The first shot of the half is from Jagielka and although he strikes it well and low it is always wide.

The second half is underway and surely it can only get better than that first period, which was only a fraction better than awful.

A very poor first half from both sides, that United have possibly shaded as they have had a few half chances but both managers will surely make changes and it can't be long until Louis Saha appears.

There is all sorts going on now with players throwing the ball at each other and the referee should probably just blow the whistle and get it over with.

Three minutes of injury time have been indicated.

Everton do have it in the net through Osman but the goal is disallowed as their had already been an infringement in the build up.

And Scholes is in danger now as he slides in and fouls Arteta but it is not another booking, despite the shouts otherwise from the home fans.

Paul Scholes has picked up his customary booking as he throws the ball away in dissent at a decision against him.

Silvestre has been forced off and we can only hope it is not too serious and Nani will replace him, pushing Evra back to left back.

Mikael Silvestre is lying down and it doesn't look too good for the French full back as there was no-one around him when he went down and it could be knee ligament damage.

Both sides are starting to look very scrappy and the ball is being given away far too easily.

Giggs and Scholes do brilliantly to put Evra in behind, but the flag is up, although it looked very harsh as replays suggest the Frenchman was about half a yard onside.

United are beginning to get on top of Everton and their confidence is growing slowly but surely and it will be interesting to see whether they find their usual stride.

From the corner Giggs lofts it back post and it falls for Vidic but he fails to control and the chance goes begging for the champions.

Good pressure from United now as the recycle the ball well and Scholes finds Carrick on the edge of the box and Wessels tips it wide.

Ronaldo is lining up one of those all over the place free-kicks of his that can go anywhere and in this case it finds the wall and deflects for a corner.

Everton manage to get a bit of controlled possession for the first time in a while and Jagielka chances his arm but leans back and its nowhere near the target.

Everton were on the attack but Vidic makes an interception and United break as Tevez brings it forward and if the pass had been better then Ronaldo would have been in.

Wes Brown loops a cross in from the right hand side and Tevez has found some space but heading the ball is not his strength and it shows as he tamely finds the arms of Wessels.

United are trying to get Ronaldo into the game as much as possible and he - as usual - looks the biggest threat for the Red Devils but Baines is doing well against him to date.

Speaking of that, Carrick does well to find Ronaldo who twists on the edge of the box and fires it in and only a deflection off Yobo prevents that finding the bottom corner as it whistles a foot wide.

United have not really posed the Everton defence any great problems so far, which will concern Sir Alex, but it is early days and you would expect them to pick up soon.

Arteta looks dangerous - as he as all season - and he is fouled by a combination of Evra and Silvestre but unfortunately for the Toffees his ball in from the dead ball is too long.

Everton are really up for this and the fans are gettting behind them as you would expect, Johnson keeps the ball in play and Vidic is forced to make a good defensive header to prevent Yakubu getting a free header.

Yakubu feeds Baines on the left wing and he drives towards the penalty area and is brought down by Michael Carrick just a foot outside the penalty area and its a free-kick to Everton.

Patrice Evra who is deployed on the left wing today bursts past Hibbert and flashes a shot towards goal but its just wide of the near post and Wessels is comfortable.

Yakubu does superbly to chase down a long clearance and manages to get goalside of RIo Ferdinand but he can't get enough room to force a meaningful shot off.

A solid start from both sides and United possibly enjoying the better of the early possession but it is too early to tell.

Alan Wiley is today's referee and he gets the game underway with one firm blast of his whistle to a roar from the home support.

Manchester United: Van Der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Evra, Giggs, Tevez

Everton: Wessels, Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Baines, Arteta, Neville, Jagielka, Osman, Yakubu, Johnson

Sir Alex Ferguson resists the temptation to start Louis Saha or include Wayne Rooney but Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs return so Carlos Tevez will again be asked to play as the central striker for the visitors.

David Moyes makes three changes from the win at Bolton as Tony Hibbert replaces Lee Carsley while Leon Osman is favoured to Steven Pienaar and Tim Howard is injured so Steffan Wessels is between the sticks.

Everton host champions Manchester United at Goodison Park this lunchtime with the Premier League summit on their minds, but United have a good record in the blue half of Merseyside and will look to keep that up.