Sir Alex Ferguson has tipped rivals Chelsea to take the English Premier League title, but he says Everton will surprise this season.
The Toffees had high expectations on them breaking into the European placings last season, but after a slow start, they finished eighth, two points away from a Europa League spot.
But Ferguson said the unavailability of key players was the reasoning behind David Moyes' men's poor start last campaign, and a fully fit Everton would be a dangerous team to play.
"The first half of last season was nightmare for them with the injuries to major players like Arteta and Jagielka," Ferguson said on Friday.
"They were big losses to them and now all these players are fit they could be an interesting prospect for the season."
Furthermore, Ferguson then endorsed fellow Merseyside and fellow under-achiever from last season Liverpool as another likely improver.
"So given that I expect Everton to do very well this season, you would expect Liverpool to improve with Roy Hodgson, I would expect that."
Ferguson agreed the rise of United's new Portugese signing Bebe has been quite spectacular, coming from a homeless team, to a third-division side in his home country, to Old Trafford.
"It is [a fairytale] when you read the background of the boy," he said.
"But it's one of these things that when we identify someone with potential we normally would assess over a longer period, but we've got a good scout in Portugal."
"He's very bright and he's got tremendous instinct about the boy, and we've worked on that impulse."
The Scot said it was a blessing in disguise for his side to open their season on Monday night, the week after several of his stars were on international duty.
"Javier Hernandez was in Mexico, Park Ji-sung has been in South Korea, Rafael Da Silva was in Brazil, Jonny Evans played for Northern Ireland in Montenegro and Nemanja Vidic had a match in Serbia," he said.
"You are always wondering how these players come back and you have to wait until the Friday for a training session."