Manchester United 4 – 0 Everton
Everton surrendered four goals after a promising start at Old Trafford where Beto failed to take his chances, the Blues gifting a flattering result with defensive errors that continued Ruben Amorim’s unbeaten start to life as the new Red Devils’ manager.
Everton’s increasingly beleaguered manager Sean Dyche, has finally dumped the seemingly uninterested Calvert-Lewin, with Beto starting as the lone and lonely striker up front.
Armando Broja failed to make the bench after his run-out for the Under-21s against Nottingham Forest, but Seamus Coleman returns after his recent injury problems.
The Red Devils started by somehow avoiding the obligatory ball back to their keeper, instead working it around for 89 seconds before they ventured into Everton’s half. The first good cross from Dalot was cleared by Branthwaite. McNeil gave the ball to Mianoo who tested Pickford with the first shot.
Going the other way. McNeil just ran in trouble and gave up the ball. But a good ball from Young was helped on by McNeil after Beto had advanced offside.
An easy ball over the top found Dalot and Branthwaite was the only defender determined to stop him shooting. From the corner, Amad’s volley was blocked but Everton broke through Ndiaye down the wing, Lindstrøm shot on target but from too far out, straight at Onana, no artistry or guile involved.
Doucoure did well to carry the ball down the wing and feed Beto, whose first shot was absolutely abysmal. At the other end, Amad had a great chance but screwed his shot across goal for what should have been a corner. Instead, Lindstrom won a corner that was easily repelled.
Pickford came way out wide and was lucky that Amad’s cutback was wayward. Everton had some ball possession that ended with a poor Gana pass and Rashford got behind, beating Pickford but not the brilliantly covering Branthwaite.
McNeil gave Beto a ball to savour, getting round Onana, but his difficult shot was the wrong side of the post. Everton were having a nice spell of control. Branthwaite was fouled and Lindstrøm got in a decent cross but Beto was on the wrong side of the 6-yard area.
Man Utd had a brief foray but overplayed it and then Ndiaye had a great chance to release Beto but botched his pass. Ndiaye then tried and failed to dribble through four defenders. A great run from Young ended when he passed straight to a defender.
Rashford needed close attention at the expense of a corner, from which Rashford scored, hanging back unmarked, thanks to a big interception by Branthwaite! Oh dear… Pickford had it covered.
Everton’s defending became scrappy as the Reds benefited from a jolt of newfound confidence. Mykolenko took out Amad for an obvious yellow card, Pickford doing very well to clear the ball with his feet albeit Man Utd had gone offside.
But playing out from the back, Branthwaite was shockingly ambushed by Amad and a second goal became inevitable for Zirkzee. Young was then bamboozled by Fernandes but recovered well enough to just avoid giving away a penalty with his late challenge on the Man Utd captain.
Seems silly to say Everton had dominated much of the half when they collapsed so easily to give up two horrible goals — largely thanks to Jarrad Branthwaite.
With no more than 20 seconds of the second half gone, Rashford scored easily — this time Branthwaite not at fault, although well out of position!
Maino pulled back McNeil after losing the ball to him in a dangerous position. Chance for Lindstrøm to show his skill… off the wall! Beto sent Casmiro flying. He was then caught cynically by Martinez. The free-kick almost saw a chance but it was blocked.
Everton kept playing on the front foot now the game was lost, Ndiaye winning a corner that was cleared for Rashford to attack, Mykolenko blocking his shot. Gana saw yellow for his battle with Amad.
Pickford had to come out quickly to stall Fernandes. Beto was fouled by Casemiro, Lindstrøm showing his dubious prowess by putting it artlessly into the wall again. And Man Utd went up the other end after Amad stole the ball very easily off Tarkowski for Zirkzee to score a soft 4th.
Mass substitutions accompanied a mass exit by Everton fans with 20 minutes left. Mangala did well to stop Garnacho running amok. And incredibly, even Dyche finally gave Nathan Patterson a runout.
Docuoure failed to find Ndiaye with a key pass. Garnacho tried but failed to make it five. Patterson crossed far too close to Onana as O’Brien came on… Dyche using all five subs for only the second time this season.
A great cross from Patterson saw a rare diving header of old by Calvert-Lewin, but it was too close for Onana not to save it. And the teams played out the final minutes, Rashford denied a late penalty claim to end a disastrous showing for the Blues.
Manchester United: Onana; Mazraoui (56′ Shaw), De Ligt (56′ Maguire), Martinez [Y:50′]; Diallo, Casemiro (66′ Ugarte), Mainoo [Y:48′] (80′ Mount), Dalot; Fernandes (66′ Garnacho), Rashford, Zirkzee.
Subs not Used: Bayindir, Malacia, Hojlund, Antony.
Everton: Pickford, Young [Y:68′] (73′ Patterson), Branthwaite, Tarkowski (82′ O’Brien), Mykolenko [Y:39′]; Ndiaye, Gueye [Y:57′] (67′ Mangala), Doucoure, Lindstrøm (67′ Harrison); McNeil, Beto (67′ Calvert-Lewin).