Everton 0 Man Utd 3
The Toffees welcomed Man Utd to Goodison Park after a torrid international break. Everton were deducted ten points for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules, something which they admitted to doing.
As a result, their fans all held aloft cards with the Premier League logo on and the word ‘corrupt’. The truth of the matter is that their sanction was harsh but the only genuine wrongdoing by the league is that they have not applied the same set of rules to Chelsea and Man City as yet.
To make matters worse for the Everton fans, early in the game, Rashford fed Dalot down the line. He clipped a cross into the box which was met by a sublime overhead kick by Garnacho which saw the ball head into the top corner.
It was a definite goal of the season contender, that is for sure. Some may question whether a goalkeeper with normal sized arms would have saved it but nevertheless it was a priceless goal for the Argentine youngster. Everton’s resident T-Rex 0 Garnacho 1.
Credit: @ManUtd
Calvert-Lewin got down the left wing and neatly cut inside but opted to go for goal himself with Onana making a comfortable save. It seems weird even saying that when it comes to the Cameroonian shot-stopper.
Everton won their first corner of the game and Calvert-Lewin had a completely free header but planted it straight at the Man Utd keeper. What a chance that was for The Toffees to draw level and the striker knew it.
The hosts lofted a ball towards their talisman as he got lucky with a ricochet, he struck a shot towards the bottom corner of the goal but Onana got down well to save. McNeil followed up and his deflected effort was cleared off the line by Mainoo.
It looked like Everton really could not buy a goal at the moment, which is just as well, as that would not do their financial position any good with the powers that be. Harrison then found Doucoure in the box but his side-footed effort went just wide of the post.
As the second half started, Fernandes fed the ball into Martial who went down in the box. The referee acted immediately and showed the Man Utd striker a yellow card for simulation. This really was classic Premier League refereeing.
VAR checked the incident and got the message into the officials earpiece ‘John, you’ve dropped a clanger, time to go and watch TV and make it look like you’ve had an epiphany’. John Brooks headed to the monitor and came back onto the pitch with his decision.
Credit: @ManUtd
You could be forgiven that he lost the plot and had now decided he was playing charades, in which case this one was a TV show, but he was reversing his decision. Martial’s yellow card was rescinded and a penalty was awarded.
Bruno Fernandes then picked the ball up and walked towards Marcus Rashford and handed it to him like some early Christmas present. Fortunately for the United captain, he slotted it home as ten Hag did not look happy with his actions in the crowd in his Peaky Blinders hat.
Everton continued to carve out chances and Gueye struck a thunderbolt towards the top corner from outside the box. It was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Onana in acrobatic style as the keeper seemingly had started to put his demons behind him.
Rashford came striding down the wing once again and played a ball into the back post where Garnacho met it on the volley. Sadly his effort nestled into the side netting. Man Utd did not have to wait long to add to their tally however.
Pellistri did well down the right, finding Fernandes, who on this occasion turned provider. His ball into the path of Rashford was inch-perfect and the striker dinked the ball over Pickford to all but seal Everton’s fate, if it wasn’t already decided.
The Toffees did not give up to their credit and Mykolenko shot from the edge of the box, only to see his effort come back off the crossbar. It summed up the way things are going currently for Sean Dyche’s side as the whole world seems to be against them.
It is starting to look like it will be a long and painful season for Everton fans, if only points were awarded for chances created. Man Utd continued their pursuit of the top four with the victory and should take some confidence from this into their trip to Turkey this week.
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