Manchester United 3, Everton 3
Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a 95th minute equaliser for Everton after it looked like Scott McTominay had won it for Manchester United.
Embed from Getty ImagesGoals by Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes had initially put Manchester United into a commanding first half lead but they lost Paul Pogba to injury and Everton pegged them back with two quick strikes by Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez at the start of the second half.
McTominay popped up and headed United into a lead with 20 minutes to go but United’s title challenge took a late blow when they failed to stop Calvert-Lewin equalising deep into injury time with virtually the last kick of the game.
The equaliser denied the Reds the chance to finish the day level on points with City – they will instead be looking over their shoulders at Leicester City in third – three points behind them with a game in hand.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was disappointed at the way the game ended but while he praised the attackers on both sides he said United should have scored more – and also played down their title hopes despite the Reds being three points clear of the Foxes.
He said: “We’ve come a long way, we shouldn’t be considered as title challengers. We have to get better as a team and see where we and up – we need to stop conceding easy goals.
“We played some good football in the second half but we conceded three goals from three shots on target.
“You always have players like Richarlison and [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin running at you, after their quick 2 goals we reacted well.
“We had to get the ball into the corner and see it out but we didn’t.”
The Norwegian was clearly frustrated at the game management aspect of a game that he had expected his side to see out.
“During the game you expect Everton to have moments but it was disappointing.
“I wouldn’t blame anyone on the goals but we could have done better to defend all of them.
“They tried to overload the midfield with James [Rodriguez] and Richarlison but we went into the break 2-0 up and we didn’t deserve it.
“After they scored two we played some good stuff – scoring from a set piece which they usually don’t concede – but we should have scored a fourth.
“I thought the front four caused them problems but that wasn’t the problem.”
But he stopped short of blaming both defences even though goalkeeping errors on both sides looked to have contributed to the six goal thriller.
“Results create the mood. The last kick of the ball makes us go home really disappointed after a long thump up the middle.”
Pogba replaced Fred in the one change from Tuesday’s record equalling 9-0 Premier League thrashing of Southampton at Old Trafford.
It was the 63rd anniversary of the tragic Munich air disaster and there was a moment of remembrance before kick off in Manchester.
There was no shortage of effort for the opening 20 minutes but there was precious little goalmouth action before Edinson Cavani hit his third goal in as many games against the Toffees.
The Uruguayan headed home from three yards out after 24 minutes having evaded Michael Keane to score his 7th goal of the season, after Marcus Rashford curled in a cross to the back post.
It was one way traffic without Tuesday’s goals as United continued to pin the Toffees back for the rest of the half.
Cavani was bundled over by Lucas Digne and Bruno Fernandes swung another ball in from the right but Robin Olsen was alert and saved the goal attempt.
There was concern for the Reds though as Pogba went down after passing the ball, and walked off clutching his right thigh after 39 minutes.
Richarlison tried an audacious shot from wide on the left after Victor Lindelöf lost the ball but his effort rolled wide of the back post under the watchful gaze of David De Gea.
Fernandes punished them again before the interval when he took the ball off Aaron Wan-Bissaka and, without any pressing from Everton, coolly curled the ball past Olsen from 20 yards out.
It was the talismanic Portuguese midfielder’s 18th goal of the season – and his fourth Premier League goal against the Toffees in three appearances.
But Olsen wasn’t the only keeper having an off night, and De Gea would be sorely tested after the break.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave them a little hope right before half time when he broke the United offside trap but fired wide – one of very few bright moments in an timid performance by Carlo Ancelotti’s men.
Luke Shaw’s rasping strike was tipped away by Olsen as the Reds looked to put the game to bad from the start of the second half.
Everton comeback twice in the second half to earn a last gasp draw through Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Abdoualye Docoure got Everton back in the game after a ball in behind Harry Maguire was run down by Calvert-Lewin who squared it across the face of goal and De Gea’s poor parry only let the ball run to the Frenchman who had a tap in from close range to notch up his third goal of the season.
And the Blues were level 3 minutes later when Doucoure cut the ball back from the right for James Rodriguez to hammer in the equaliser from 15 yards out after bringing the ball down for his fifth goal of the season.
Olsen blocked a shot from close range by Rashford after 63 minutes as United tried to retake the lead after they reasserted themselves on the game.
Rodriguez was replaced after 69 minutes by Glyfi Sigurdsson but the Reds were soon in the lead after Scott McTominay’s looping header from a Shaw free kick crept inside the back post with Olsen seemingly slipping as he failed to stop the Scotland International from scoring his 6th goal of the season – his 4th goal in his last 5 Premier League appearances at Old Trafford.
Alex Iwobi replaced Tom Davies in Everton’s second change, with 15 minutes to go but Fernandes chipped the ball over the top of Olsen’s goal while Rashford drilled the ball wide of the back post as United went for the kill.
Rashford won a free kick with 10 minutes to go but Fernandes blasted the close range free kick over the bar.
Everton’s final change saw Josh King replace Doucoure with 9 minutes to go and Digne hit the side netting while Richarlison was off target after he rounded Lindelof late on.
There was late drama for United as Calvert-Lewin stabbed home from 5 yards out after Axel Tuanzebe, on to see out the win, gave away a free kick for a foul on Josh King and Digne launched the free kick into the box with Olsen joining in the fray before Keane flicked the ball on to the Everton striker’s stomach – and Calvert-Lewin made no mistake to equalise past a poor De Gea.
It was only the second time in Premier League history that United let slip a 2+ goal lead at half time to fail to win after a 2-2 draw against West Brom in October 2010.
The result left the Reds two points behind league leaders City who have two games in hand.
GOALS – Manchester United 3, Everton 3
Man Utd 1, Everton 0: 24. Edinson Cavani was at his predatory best as he ghosted in at the back post to head home Marcus Rashford’s right wing cross.
Man Utd 2, Everton 0: 45. Bruno Fernandes was left with plenty of time to pick his spot and curl the second goal past Robin Olsen.
Man Utd 2, Everton 1: 49. Abdoulaye Doucoure had a tap in from close range after David De Gea parried out Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s cross from the left after a pass got behind Harry Maguire.
Man Utd 2, Everton 2: 52. James Rodriguez had plenty of time to control a cutback from Abdoulaye Doucoure before hammering it past David De Gea from 15 yards out.
Man Utd 3, Everton 2: 70. Scott McTominay’s looping header from Luke Shaw’s free kick beat Robin Olsen who seemed to slip as he tried to get across the goalmouth to try and palm the ball away.
Man Utd 3, Everton 3: 90+5. Dominic Calvert-Lewin reacted first to Michael Keane’s touch from Lucas Digne’s last gasp free kick to stab the ball past David De Gea from 5 yards out.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 3, Everton 3
Man Utd: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Pogba (Fred 39), Greenwood (Tuanzebe 90+3), Fernandes, Rashford, Cavani
Man Utd subs not used: Henderson, Martial, James, Telles, Matic, Williams, van de Beek
Bookings: Shaw (obstruction on Mason Holgate, 73); Tuanzebe 90+5 (foul on Josh King)
Goals: Cavani 24; Fernandes 45; McTominay 70
Everton: Olsen, Holgate, Keane, Godfrey, Digne, Doucoure (King 81), Davies (Iwobi 75), Gomes, Rodriguez (Sigurdsson 69), Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison
Everton subs not used: Virginia, Delph, Mina, Nkounkou, Bernard, Coleman
Booking: Keane (foul on Marcus Rashford, 80)
Goals: Doucoure 49; Rodriguez 52; Calvert-Lewin 90+5
Referee: Jonathan Moss