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Everton 2-2 Manchester United
by James Nalton
at Goodison Park
MANCHESTER UNITED salvaged a point at Everton on Saturday afternoon thanks to second-half goals from Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte.
United looked disjointed and dishevelled in the first half while the home side continued their revival under David Moyes, going ahead through Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Before taking these jobs midway through this season, both managers knew solving the problems at their respective clubs wasn’t going to be a quick fix.
But while Ruben Amorim’s system seems to be at odds with the players he has, Moyes has found the ideal formation and style for this Everton group.
Amorim spends most of his time on the touchline looking dismayed at what the players he coaches have just done on the pitch. At the moment, Moyes’s demeanour is much the opposite.
When the two teams met at Old Trafford in December, that version of Everton under Sean Dyche provided United with a 4-0 win and a rare pick-me-up for Amorim.
The progress Everton have made since was on display in the first half.
Both Everton goals came after United simply failed to clear the ball. Some slow-motion head tennis in the box saw Doucoure edge the ball forward and Beto’s shot bounced into the ground over Onana.
Then a ball from deep by Jesper Lindstrom found Beto in stride. He squared to Jack Harrison whose shot looped into the air off Onana and Doucoure beat Harry Maguire to the ball.
Lindstrom is a key part of this Everton setup, using his pace down the flank to cover in front of right-back Jake O’Brien as well as attack in the right-wing position.
Everton missed him when he went off, highlighting a squad depth still lacking, and United found a way back into the game when Fernandes fired a free kick past Jordan Pickford.
Amorim didn’t look happy with United’s play even as they added goals, while Everton’s shape went from strong to disjointed. Moyes might have been happy to take the draw as a result.
A shirt-pull on Ashley Young by Matthijs De Ligt in the dying minutes saw a penalty given by referee Andy Madley and Everton hoped for a late winner from the spot, but it was overturned by the referee after he checked the replay and it wasn’t to be.
