Manchester United bounced back from two consecutive Premier League defeats by seeing off Everton 2-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday. Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford both scored from the spot as the Toffees fluffed their lines in front of goal despite looking dangerous. Here, Express Sport takes you through four key talking points from the contest…
Man Utd trio excel
Three performances in particular stood out for the Red Devils on a day which saw them go within eight points of fourth place – albeit having played more games than the two teams ahead of them.
Andre Onana can feel proud of his clean sheet against an Everton side that threatened throughout, and his brave work early on to stifle a close-range Ben Godfrey chance was especially eye-catching.
Alejandro Garnacho’s dancing feet earned two penalties for the hosts as he continues to establish himself as perhaps the key attacking force at the club, particularly with Rasmus Hojlund injured. And Fernandes put in a captain’s display, scoring from the spot and nearly doubling his tally from a free-kick which brought the best out of Jordan Pickford.
Bruno leaves Pickford looking silly
Everton stopper Pickford is a big personality, and pitchside microphones picked up his cheeky remarks while Fernandes was waiting to take his spot-kick. Firstly, Pickford was heard asking supporters behind the goal which way the Portuguese would go.
Then he turned around and asked Fernandes himself, shouting: “Bruno, which side?” In the end, Pickford ended up diving to his left – the correct way – but Fernandes had the last laugh by slotting it past him anyway with a deadly finish into the bottom corner.
The United skipper is now the club’s all-time top scorer from the spot, with 29 conversions to his name.
Garnacho breaks new ground
The 19-year-old is a tricky customer at the best of times, but Everton found him nigh on impossible to deal with. James Tarkowski was the first to come a cropper, sticking out a clumsy leg after Garnacho chopped back onto his right foot in the penalty area, and conceding a penalty.
Godfrey made a similar mistake before the end of the first half, taking down Garnacho for a stonewall spot-kick. The youngster consequently became the first player to win two penalties in the same Premier League game for United.
Old Trafford concern
United’s home ground was unusually flat on Saturday afternoon, despite Erik ten Hag’s players picking up three valuable points. Aside from the two penalties being converted, the support was generally subdued in the stands.
Things will surely pick up when bitter rivals Liverpool come to town next weekend, but Ten Hag may need the help of United’s fans if he is to drag them to a top-four finish by the end of the season.
