Manchester United 1, Everton 1
Andros Townsend cancelled out Anthony Martial’s goal as Manchester United failed to beat Everton in another disappointing Premier League game at Old Trafford.
After the late late defeat to Aston Villa last week more dropped points are the last thing United need after they dominated the game against a depleted Everton but spurned the chance to go top of the Premier League prior to Liverpool’s game against City tomorrow – they had to settle for second place before the other Saturday games kicked off.
The Toffees had kept United at bay for 43 minutes until Bruno Fernandes made his 20th Premier League assist along with 30 goals in 58 matches for the Reds – supplying the ball to Anthony Martial for a goal which broke the deadlock.
But slack defending allowed Everton to equalise after they counter attacked from a United corner and Andros Townsend was unmarked when he stroked home from 15 yards out in the second half.
And it could have been worse for the Reds as Tom Davies found himself clean through 3 minutes from the end but unselfishly squared the ball for Yerry Mina to finish only for a swift VAR check to rule that the Colombian was offside.
The irrepressible Townsend claimed it was a mark of respect to copy Ronaldo’s celebration after he scored and admitted that Rafa Benitez has challenged all the Everton players to improve.
“I’m repaying his faith in me, long may it continue.
“People on the outside probably didn’t give us a chance after seeing the teams today but we’re happy with the chances we got.
He added: “We were a bit disappointed not to take three points after seeing the disallowed goal.”
Everton boss Rafa Benitez was happy with a point and the work rate of his players who came back from a goal down and could have had more, saying: “I’m really pleased to come here and perform the way we did
“We defended well against a good team and we had chances. I didn’t see the disallowed goal at the end, maybe he should have shot and finished but we are really pleased with the effort and commitment.
“I was not thinking about conceding a goal, it was a pity just before half time, but we managed.
“We are pleased because the team reacted well and had chances to win the game.
“Andros [Townsend] is doing well, but it’s not just about one player doing well. The team performed well.
“Demarai Gray was tired after the last game but the front three fought for the team.”
With only 1 win in 4 games now, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is under pressure with Liverpool and Manchester City to come to Old Trafford next alongside games against Leicester City and Spurs.
He admitted the Reds had a better first half and said: “We started well and scored a fantastic goal but in the second half we lacked the cutting edge to get the second.
“From our own corner we conceded five seconds later.
Embed from Getty ImagesEven though United dominated possession the Reds allowed Everton to have almost as many shots on goal that they did, Solskjaer countered: “We weren’t too open, we had enough players behind the ball but didn’t deal with the tackles when we should have.
“We didn’t regroup and reorganise well enough.
“We gave them a few counter attacks, they didn’t play through us at all and counter attacked. It was the same on Wednesday night.
“We need to learn from this.
“Anthony did well, and could have had more but we couldn’t get the cutting edge.
“We don’t concede many chances but we conceded the goal – we didn’t deal with those moments and got outmuscled but this is the Premier League.”
Anthony Martial opens his Manchester United goal account with first half strike against Everton
It was a big ask for United to raise themselves again for a 3rd game in a week, just 61 hours after the end of a dramatic 95th minute winner for Cristiano Ronaldo against Villarreal on Wednesday night.
That followed a 93rd minute missed penalty for Bruno Fernandes against Aston Villa last Saturday, and conceded an injury time equaliser to make it 3-3 the last time the Toffees visited Old Trafford.
With little recovery time after Wednesday’s win over Villarreal, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made five changes including benching Ronaldo for a Premier League game for the first time since May 2007.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw, Fred, Anthony Martial, and Edinson Cavani came into the side while Diogo Dalot, Alex Telles, Paul Pogba, Jadon Sancho, and Cristiano Ronaldo stepped down.
Luke Shaw had only just returned from a shoulder injury which ruled him out of the Villarreal game as United sought to extend their unbeaten record against the Toffees to ten games.
Everton made one change from their last game, with Anthony Gordon replacing Alex Iwobi with Salomon Rondon continuing up front as injuries continued to rule out Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison.
And after a minute’s applause for Roger Hunt, the ex Liverpool and England striker who died this week aged 83, the Reds started on the front foot, driving at the Toffees who had started with 5 at the back.
Anthony Martial headed wide after a great cross from the right by Aaron Wan-Bissaka left him with just Jordan Pickford to beat but he was stretching backwards to connect with the ball.
Mason Greenwood and Scott McTominay’s crosses from the right showed that United meant business.
But traces of defensive slackness remained in United who failed to deal with an Everton counter attack Lucas Digne put Rondon through but Raphael Varane was there to make a well timed block although the Venezuelan was offside anyway.
Cavani’s chance was the first real save of the game after 21 minutes when his cushioned header from Fred’s cross was turned past the post by Pickford.
Greenwood’s low shot soon afterwards was an easy take for Pickford as United dominated the early stages without overly worrying Everton.
It got heated after Scott McTominay’s overly physical challenge on Lucas Digne left the Everton captain on the ground with both sets of players getting involved in the aftermath as Yerry Mina weighed in.
Varane cleared off the line as Andros Townsend couldn’t get a clean shot off to convert Gordon’s left wing cross while Demarai Gray fashioned his own shot on goal after sidestepping McTominay and Fred and Abdoulaye Doucoure’s shot was blocked by Wan-Bissaka.
Everton’s defensive trio Michael Keane, Yerry Mina, and Ben Godfrey played a key role in minimising the threat from the Reds’ attack – especially down the flanks as service to Cavani was neutralised effectively.
But the breakthrough came after 43 minutes, with Fernandes sliding the ball into the path of Anthony Martial whose rising shot was deflected up beyond the grasp of Pickford after it came off one of the Everton defenders who was sliding in to block it.
It was his fifth Premier League goal against Everton – and his first goal of the season – and Martial tried to double his tally with an injury time shot which was collected by Pickford.
Greenwood also forced a save out of Pickford soon after the restart until Everton steadied the ship.
Jadon Sancho and Ronaldo were introduced in a double change after 57 minutes for Martial and Cavani.
McTominay almost got to a Fernandes pass as the Red tide started to turn in the second half.
Andros Townsend hits equaliser at Old Trafford and celebrates like Ronaldo; Yerry Mina winner deemed offside
But Everton caught the Reds on the break from their own corner. Slack defending meant three Everton players broke from their own half with half hearted defending allowing Gray to muscle his way upfield to find Doucoure in space – and he had plenty of time to find Andros Townsend breaking from his own half to slot past De Gea.
Townsend was so happy with the goal he gleefully copied Ronaldo’s trademark goal celebration in front his own own fans before he curled another one past the post.
With few options left on the bench, Fred was taken off and Paul Pogba entered the fray with 20 minutes to go as United went for the win.
Rafa Benitez responded by sending on Tom Davies for Gordon but United spurned the chance of another goal when Sancho found Ronaldo down the left but the Portuguese striker shot wide.
Rondon’s battle with Varane and Victor Lindelof and Greenwood’s attempts to get into space for a shot kept the crowd on the edge of their seats and Pogba curled a late shot wide and sent a header from a corner the same way.
With three minutes to go Yerry Mina thought he had scored a late tap in but it was quickly ruled out for blatant offside after Davies opted to square the ball rather than shoot – something which left the Everton fans with their heads in their hands as the Everton midfielder should have gone for goal himself.
Relying once again on a moment of magic to win it, Sancho didn’t take a final chance to win it as he could only tamely shoot at Pickford as United tried to unpick the Everton defence with the ball cycling around Pogba and Ronaldo.
GOALS – Manchester United 1, Everton 1
Man Utd 1, Everton 0: 43. Anthony Martial’s rising shot was deflected up past the grasp of Jordan Pickford after two Everton defenders slid in to block.
Man Utd 1, Everton 1: 65. Everton counter attacked from a Bruno Fernandes corner and thanks to poor defending as Demarai Gray and Abdoulaye Doucoure found Andros Townsend who was unmarked and running in acres of space to pick his spot past David De Gea.
MATCH FACTS – Manchester United 1, Everton 1
Man Utd: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Varane, Shaw, McTominay, Fred (Pogba 70), Greenwood, Fernandes (C), Martial (Sancho 57), Cavani (Ronaldo 57)
Man Utd subs not used: Henderson, Bailly, Lingard, Telles, Matic, van de Beek
Booking: Greenwood 34 (push on Anthony Gordon)
Goal: Martial 43
Everton: Pickford, Godfrey, Digne (C), Mina, Keane, Allan, Doucoure, Townsend, Gray (Dobbin 90+2), Gordon (Davies 72), Rondon
Everton subs not used: Begovic, Lonergan, Kenny, Holgate, Gbamin, Branthwaite, Whitaker
Booking: Doucoure 76 (foul on Bruno Fernandes)
Goal: Townsend 65
Referee: Michael Oliver