EVERTON 0, MAN UNITED 3
Injury-hit Manchester United overcame adversity – as well as a tide of emotion at Goodison Park – to win at Everton.
Alejandro Garnacho, with a goal-of-the-season contender, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial found the net as the Reds climbed to sixth spot following their most emphatic Premier League win of the season.
And despite their indifferent form, Erik ten Hag’s side is only four points adrift of the Champions League places and six off top spot.
They have won five of their last six league games and top the division’s form table over the last six games.
It was a great all-round display with Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof solid at centre back, captain Bruno Fernandes leading by example, Kobbie Mainoo excelling on his full league debut while Garnacho was a constant threat raiding down the left.
And the loss leaves Everton, who this week were docked 10 points for financial breaches, rooted in the relegation places.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt was a great win for United with ten Hag, banned from the touchline, watching from the directors’, box.
Ten Hag enthused about Garnacho’s goal saying: “Probably goal of the season. Also the build-up, not just the finish, was very good. The finish is fantastic.
“After the start of the game, we were too easy-going. I criticised the team at half-time. They thought they were already there. You can’t do that. You have to do 100 minutes on the pitch. Second half we did very well.
“Our three offensive players scored. That’s what we need. It will help us as a team.”
On how much Rashford needed his goal, ten Hag added: “A lot. You see also how great captain Bruno is. He assessed his team-mate needed that goal.
“He has the confidence in Rashy who is a good penalty taker. As a team you need that leadership that you back each other.
“We have to go step by step. This is one step.”
Everton manager Sean Dyche said: “A lot of the performance was right. In the first half they had a great finish, it changed the feel of the early part of the game. Then we got a grip on the game. We had chances but couldn’t take them.
“A pretty decent performance from our point of view.
“This season we’ve created a lot of chances and not scored goals. Our mentality will serve us well this season.
“Ten points taken away from anyone will change their season. Until the appeals process goes through we have to play away the noise.”
United made three changes to the side that edged past Luton last time out.
Teenage midfielder Mainoo made his first league start with left-back Luke Shaw also returning following a long spell out through injury.
Rasmus Hojlund failed to recover from a hamstring injury so Martial came in up front.
Everton made one change from the side that beat Crystal Palace before the international break and it is an enforced one.
Midfielder Amadou Onana had not recovered from a calf injury so Idrissa Gueye started.
There was an electric atmosphere at Goodison Park in the light of events earlier in the week.
And the playing of the Premier League anthem was drowned out by a chorus of deafening boos.
But the home fans were silenced when the Reds went ahead after two minutes and 16 seconds with a goal-of-the-season contender.
It was United’s fastest Premier League goal since March 7, 2021 when Bruno Fernandes scored in a 2-0 win at Manchester City.
Marcus Rashford and Diogo Dalot linked down the right and the latter pulled the ball back to Garnacho who found the net with a spectacular overhead kick from 16 yards, his second goal of the season.
A protest planned for the 10th minute went ahead with fans waving placards bearing the word ‘corrupt’. It was to mark the 10 points the Toffees have been deducted.
This was followed by fireworks being set off outside the ground as the protests continued.
United came close to a second when Shaw’s spectacular volley narrowly cleared the crossbar after Bruno Fernandes floated a corner to the edge of the box.
Everton started to crank up the pressure after half an hour as Andre Onana made a good save to deny Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dwight McNeil’s follow up was cleared off the line by Mainoo and not long after Abdoulaye Doucoure sliced a shot wide when it looked as though he could not miss.
Calvert-Lewin went close again with a header from Ashley Young’s cross as Everton continued to press for an equaliser.
United doubled their lead in the 56th minute through a controversial Rashford penalty.
Referee John Brooks initially booked Martial for a dive following a challenge by Ashley Young.
VAR checked and sent Brooks to the pitchside monitor after which he cancelled the yellow card and pointed to the spot with Rashford making no mistake for only his second goal of the season.
Onana then pulled off a terrific save to turn a drive from Idrissa Gueye over the crossbar.
United made their first two changes in the 72nd minute as Garnacho and Mainoo made way for Sofyan Amrabat and Facundo Pellistri.
Uruguayan Pellistri had been on for less than three minutes when he linked with Fernandes who slipped a pass to send Martial clear as he lifted the ball over the advancing Jordan Pickford.
It was his ninth goal against Everton, the most he has scored against any one club.
United made a third change with Aaron Wan-Bissaka replacing Shaw, soon followed by Martial making way for Hannibal.
Everton were denied a goal with 13 minutes left when a shot from Vitali Mykolenko struck the crossbar.
The Toffees were denied a consolation in stoppage time when Youssef Chermiti and Jack Harrison failed to convert presentable chances.