Sweet Toffees point as United lose ground

Manchester Utd 0 Everton 0

The constant chatter around Old Trafford before this noon showdown was the Rooney transfer saga and Bobby Robson’s departure from Newcastle.

The veteran manager’s exit would appear to give United the edge in a bid to secure the England and Everton striker’s signature before the transfer window closes today. United have made a second bid, believed to be £25m, and are awaiting a response from Everton.

With Arsenal and Chelsea having perfect records United knew a home victory was vital even this early in the campaign. However, they made heavy weather of it and have lost ground.

Everton began brightly and Alessandro Pistone raced forward in the fourth minute only to see his header clear the bar. Then United youngster Jonathan Spector lost possession in the middle of the park and Kevin Kilbane raced clear on goal. Goalkeeper Tim Howard was alert to the danger and raced out to get in a timely challenge on the Republic of Ireland winger.

The home side stepped up the pressure and Paul Scholes released Gary Neville inside the area. Neville sent his effort wide of the target when Scholes was looking for his England colleague to play the ball back to him.

However, Everton were looking dangerous on the counter-attack and Leon Osman, who scored twice at the weekend, found space on the edge of the area. He whipped in a shot that beat Howard but went narrowly wide.

Tim Cahill was next to show and Howard got down quickly to block his effort as the visiting fans voiced their approval. Kleberson found space on the left for United but his cross carried little weight and Nigel Martyn was able to make a comfortable save.

The Brazilian then took his game up a gear in the 39th minute and found Louis Saha with a neat little delivery after a good run. It was a clear chance but from six yards the former Fulham striker steered a header wide.

Kleberson got in on the act again two minutes later when he whipped the ball in to the back post. Everton defender Tony Hibbert was perfectly placed and made the clearance under pressure from Alan Smith.

Marcus Bent tried his luck from distance for Everton at the start of the second half only to see his effort clear the bar. Then it was the turn of United’s 18-year-old American defender, Spector, to have the crowd on its feet. He advanced deep into the Everton half and hammered in a shot that was only marginally wide of the target.

John O’Shea lofted the ball forward in an attempt to find Saha only for Martyn to take a clean catch. Cristiano Ronaldo suddenly burst into life after 53 minutes and almost made the breakthrough for United. He jinked past two defenders and thumped in a shot that came back off the post with Martyn scrambling desperately.

Everton then had strong appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Dermot Gallagher when Mikael Silvestre appeared to handle a cross from Carsley.

Everton continued to look threatening when they did go forward especially in the air now Duncan Ferguson had replaced Bent. Alex Ferguson rang the changes in the 63rd minute bringing on Ryan Giggs and David Bellion for Darren Fletcher and Kleberson.

Certainly without Giggs, United had looked short of width with Ronaldo often forced inside. But in the space of two minutes Scholes found the side-netting and Smith rattled a shot against the post. United were stepping up the pace at a crucial stage and Smith was beginning to find an extra yard or two.

He got away from his marker in the 79th minute but his header went wide of the target. Giggs was beginning to win a lot of possession and delivered some good crosses into the penalty area.Then Stubbs almost turned a header past Martyn before the veteran goalkeeper pushed a shot from Scholes onto the post.

MAN UTD: Howard, Gary Neville, Silvestre, O’Shea, Spector, Fletcher (Giggs 64), Scholes, Kleberson (Djemba-Djemba 64), Ronaldo (Bellion 81), Smith, Saha.

EVERTON: Martyn, Hibbert, Weir, Stubbs, Pistone, Osman, Watson, Carsley, Kilbane, Cahill (Naysmith 70), Bent (Ferguson 54).

Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).