Manchester United 2, Everton 0
Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford both scored half penalties earned by Alejandro Garnacho as Manchester United punished a wasteful Everton.
Everton created a plethora of chances but failed to breach Andre Onana’s goal despite racking up 23 shots against a porous looking United who remain sixth in the Premier League but are now five points clear of West Ham in 7th but eight points behind Aston Villa in fourth.
The Reds have conceded 20 or more shots on goal in five of the last six Premier League games so while this was a win United were far from good defensively which doesn’t bode well for the visit of Liverpool in the FA Cup next week.
The Toffees’ tactic of switching ends backfired on them as Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford scored first half spot kicks in front of the Stretford End to give United a big first half lead.
Alejandro Garnacho became the first Manchester United player to win two penalties in the same Premier League game while it was the first time that the Reds had two different penalty scorers in the same half of a Premier League game.
But it was not all one sided as Everton recorded 11 shots in the first half alone against the porous Reds who were reliant on Jonny Evans and Andre Onana and some wasteful shots by the Toffees to keep a clean sheet.
Everton had started strongly and should have been at least a goal to the good by the time United scored.
Dwight McNeil’s early cross was almost converted by Amadou Onana but United goalkeeper Andre Onana pounced on the ball before Ben Godfrey could turn the loose ball in.
James Tarkowski’s swipe caught Alejandro Garnacho to give away a penalty after 10 minutes, Bruno Fernandes stepped up and made sure Jordan Pickford couldn’t reach his spot kick which rolled into the bottom corner for his eighth goal of the season.
United couldn’t stem the flow of Everton attacks though and the Toffees tried to respond to going a goal down.
McNeil’s curling volley went wide while Andre Onana saved from James Garner with Amadou Onana blazing the rebound over the bar.
Fernandes almost had his second goal from a set piece after Garnacho was fouled again just outside the box – Pickford reached it with a spectacular one handed save to keep it out.
McNeil also drove a long shot wide before United had another penalty thanks to a mazy run by Garenacho into the area where Godfrey brought him down for another spot kick.
This time it was Marcus Rashford who stepped up and staggered his run up to try and and outfox Pickford and used the hesitation to slot him into the bottom left corner to give United 2-0 lead after 36 minutes – his seventh goal of the season.
Garnacho had a claim for a third penalty after Vitaliy Mykolenko slid in trying to intercept his cutback.
Andre Gomes, Dominic Calvert_lewin, and Lewis Dobbin replaced Jack Harrison, Doucoure, and Beto after 61 minutes.
Fernandes had a great chance saved by Pickford soon after this and the Everton keeper had to dive on the loose ball as chaos ensured from the resulting corner and Lindelof’s toe poke almost crept past him with Evans following in for the rebound.
Ashley Young replaced James Garner with 15 minutes to go – the former United player was given warm applause from Old Trafford as he comes on.
And Calvert-Lewin air kicked a point blank chance to scored after a quick reaction cross by Dobbin.
Antony replaced Garnacho with 7 minutes to go and Willy Kambwala replaced Evans who went off to popular applause with a minute to go as United saw out the win after a penalty appeal by Rashford was ruled out because he had been offside when running onto the original through ball.
Embed from Getty ImagesTEAM NEWS – Manchester United 2, Everton 0
Omari Forson was missing with injury from the match day squad as Manchester United named an unchanged starting line up for the game against Everton.
Teams changed ends before kick off, Everton presumably winning the toss and switching ends.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 2, Everton 0
Andre Onana: 8. Bravely collected the ball in a challenge with Ben Godfrey and flung himself at a cross by Abdoulaye Doucoure. Saved from James Garner and Dominic Calvert-Lewin and earned the clean sheet with too little help from his defence.
Diogo Dalot: 6. Solid presence down the right. Got forward occasionally.
Raphael Varane: 6. Struggled a bit with balls into the box.
Jonny Evans: 7. Another game for the veteran who had Beto to look after, and his opponent certainly could and did outpace him at times. Vital block on Dwight McNeil in first half added time. Looked tired as he was replaced late on.
Victor Lindelof: 6. Stuck at left back again but gamely did his best. Had a long range shot saved by Jordan Pickford and a closer range one dived on by the Everton keeper.
Kobbie Mainoo: 6. Covered plenty of ground. Almost got on the end of a cutback from Scott McTominay. Big round of applause from Old Trafford as he walked round to come off.
Casemiro: 7. Back header at a Bruno Fernandes corner collected by Jordan Pickford. Bit isolated in midfield at times but looked to be getting back to his old self. Low shot blocked by Onana.
Scott McTominay: 6. Expansive with the passes forward.
Bruno Fernandes: 8. Nominal false 9 role again. Eased himself in with spot kick, somewhat less successful with other efforts. Superb free kick saved by Jordan Pickford. Not so great with helping midfield shore things up and an error led to a Ben Godfrey shot on goal.
Alejandro Garnacho: 8. A danger from both flanks. Won a penalty from James Tarkowski and a free kick in dangerous spot after being fouled by Andre Onana before drawing a foul from Ben Godfrey for a second spot kick. Could have won a third penalty for handball but his appeal was waved away. Blazed over and arrived too late two two great chances to get on the scoresheet himself.
Marcus Rashford: 7. Got on the end of a long ball out of the United defence but Jack Harrison got back to put the ball out for a corner. Confidence boosting first half penalty will have helped a lot. Looks like he had earned an injury time penalty right at the end when Jarrad Branthawaite slid in but he had been offside then receiving the original through ball.
Sofyan Ambrabat (on for Kobbie Mainoo, 78): No time to mark.
Antony (on for Alejandro Garnacho, 83): No time to mark
Willy Kambwala (on for Jonny Evans, 89): No time to mark
GOALS – Manchester United 2, Everton 0
Man Utd 1, Everton 0: 12. Bruno Fernandes tucked away a spot kick into the bottom right hand corner beyond the reach of Jordan Pickford after James Tarkowski blatantly tripped Alejandro Garnacho in the Everton area.
Man Utd 2, Everton 0: 36. Alejandro Garnacho’s mazy run ended with a foul from Ben Godfrey and another penalty. Marcus Rashford stuttered his run up and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner from the penalty spot after Jordan Pickford hesitated.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 2, Everton 0
Man Utd: Onana, Dalot, Varane, Evans (Kambwala 89), Lindelof, Mainoo (Sofyan Amrabat 78), Casemiro, McTominay, Fernandes (C), Garnacho (Antony 83), Rashford
Man Utd Subs not used: Bayindir, Mee, Eriksen, Diallo, Collyer, Ogunneye
Booked: McTominay 69 (foul on Amadou Onana)
Goals: Fernandes pen 12; Rashford pen 36
Everton: Pickford, Godfrey, Tarkowski (C), Branthwaite, Mykolenko (Chermiti 88), Harrison (Dobbin 61), Onana, Garner (Young 75), McNeil, Doucoure (Gomes 61), Beto (Calvert-Lewin 61)
Everton Subs not used: Virginia, Patterson, Keane, Coleman
Booked: Onana 27 (foul on Alejandro Garnacho); Doucoure 37 (dissent)
Referee: Simon Hooper
Attendance: 73,601