EVERTON 0, MANCHESTER UNITED 2
Paul Pogba put in a captain’s performance in the second half as Manchester United dug deep and fired two goals by Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard past a stubborn Everton side in their first fixture of 2018 at Goodison Park – their first Premier League win in four games.
Pogba captained United with Ashley Young suspended after accepting a FA violent conduct charge for elbowing Dusan Tadic during the Southampton game. Marcus Rashford, who Mourinho claimed was tired after the game against the Saints, was on the bench as Anthony Martial led the line for the Reds.
Everton’s eight match unbeaten run had come to an end at Bournemouth last Saturday when they lost 2-1 to a late Ryan Fraser winner but Manchester United had only won once in their last five visits to Goodison Park, a 3-0 win two seasons ago under previous Reds boss Louis Van Gaal. Wayne Rooney had played the second half in the Bournemouth game after a spell out of the side with illness.
Two of the goalscorers the last time United beat Everton at Goodison Park are now on Everton’s books – Rooney and Morgan Schneiderlin, while Ander Herrera had been out of favour recently but returned to the starting lineup as part of three changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Southampton – Marcos Rojo, Herrera, and Anthony Martial came in for suspended Young, injured Romelu Lukaku, and out-of-sorts Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Everton made seven changes.
The Reds were hoping to turn around a poor run of three Premier League draws in a row against Leicester City, Burnley and Southampton in which boss Jose Mourinho bemoaned the lack referring decisions going their way.
Mourinho had never before lost a Premier League encounter against a Sam Allardyce side, remaining unbeaten in 11 meetings and in truth the result didn’t look in much doubt after the Reds’ first goal.
At least this game started in good spirits despite the poor weather conditions. Both sides needed a result today but while intent might have been there the weather conditions and punishing match schedule must have had an impact on a sluggish first half hugely reminiscent of Louis Van Gaal’s United reign in which neither side’s goalkeepers – David De Gea or Jordan Pickford – had much to do.
United had to be on their game to unpick Allardyce’s defensive lock but their attacking players fell into the Goodison trap during the first half.
Key passes went astray and when shots did come in they were hopeful efforts. Only Marcos Rojo’s header from Jesse Lingard’s set piece came close to a goal and Pickford had a simple catch to make while Mason Holgate’s tame effort was barely worthy of a shot.
Things improved in the second period as Juan Mata’s dipping 25 yarder was deflected out for a corner shortly after the restart and the Spaniard’s next punt in the 51st minute shaved the outside of Pickford’s back post to give the away fans something to shout about but the Reds were already taking full control of the second half when they scored.
Pogba, pushed further upfield, finally had some joy with a cutback from the left edge of the box and he found Martial unmarked 20 yards out. The French connection worked with Martial driving a shot past a diving Pickford to give some joy to the travelling fans after 57 minutes.
It was the Frenchman’s first goal since November at Watford – his ninth strike of the season.
Martial returned the favour with a cross from the left eight minutes later but the ball skimmed off the head of Pogba with the goal at his mercy.
Everton had already sacrificed Wayne Rooney to get more mobility into the midfield and they finally pepped up in the last quarter with the Reds succumbing to a high press as they retreated and gave chances away.
Oumar Niasse’s header flew wide from Mason Holgate’s cross while Nikola Vlasic’s shot was saved by De Gea as the Reds couldn’t keep Everton at bay.
Jesse Lingard had already tested Pickford with a similar shot but he ended the Everton renaissance after 81 minutes, though, with a 25 yard shot that kept low and beat Pickford at his back post after rounding Michael Keane for his 10th goal of the season.
Relief, then for the travelling United fans as the Reds avoided a winless Christmas fixtures period and gained a little ground on lead leaders Manchester City by closing the gap to 12 points and leapfrogging Chelsea into second place.
EVERTON VS MANCHESTER UNITED MATCH STATS
Everton: Pickford, Holgate, Keane, Williams, Martina, Davies, Schneiderlin, Vlasic, Rooney (McCarthy 62), Bolasie (Lennon 62), Niasse
Everton Subs: Robles, Jagielka, Lennon, McCarthy, Sigurdsson, Calvert-Lewin, Kenny
Booked: Rooney 43, Holgate 84
Man Utd: De Gea, Lindelof, Jones, Rojo, Shaw, Matic, Herrera, Mata, Pogba, Lingard, Martial
Man Utd Subs: Romero, Blind, Darmian, Smalling, Tuanzebe, Mkhitaryan, Rashford
Goals: Martial 57, Lingard 81