Andros Townsend earns Everton draw at Old Trafford

Everton's Andros Townsend (right) celebrates scoring the equaliser. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA 

Man United 1 Everton 1

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s bold decision to start Anthony Martial paid off but still his Manchester United team cannot shake off their early-season woes.

Leading thanks to a late first-half goal from the French international - his first in 16 United appearances - the Reds were caught out by the most basic of sucker punches.

From United’s own 64th minute corner, Demarai Gray broke upfield, winning the ball far too easily in a challenge with Fred, and sent Abdoulaye Doucoure racing clear.

The Everton midfielder spotted the supporting run of Andros Townsend and selflessly fed him the ball with the winger giving David de Gea no chance thanks to a superbly-judged finish.

It was a sickening blow for Solskjaer who is still to see United hit their full stride after the busy summer transfer activity led to such optimism around his club at the start of the campaign.

His decision to leave Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba on the bench was bold but his selection of Martial on the left was even bolder.

Manchester United's Anthony Martial (centre) celebrates scoring. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA

When Martial missed an easy early header, and Edinson Cavani followed suit with the game goalless, it looked like those choices might backfire.

But in the 42nd minute, Mason Greenwood fed Bruno Fernandes whose brilliant pass allowed Martial to sprint in from the left and beat Jordan Pickford with a deflected shot.

United failed to capitalise on that, however, and Everton thought they had scored a winner five minutes from time, only for VAR to judge Yerry Mina offside in converting the ball.

Earlier in the half, Solskjaer had gone for broke by throwing on Jadon Sancho and Ronaldo off the bench, while Pogba would follow them onto the field after the Everton equaliser.

Manchester United's Jadon Sancho (left) and Everton's Michael Keane battle for the ball. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA

But the concerns United have, especially in a defence that was sorely missing the injured Harry Maguire, remain a growing concern.

Rafa Benitez’s side created a string of good chances, with De Gea forced to make a fine diving save from Gray’s long-range shot.

Pickford, meanwhile, made a superb diving stop to keep out Cavani’s first-half header, after Martial had opened the game by nodding wide from six yards, but the England keeper was not tested too frequently after that.

MAN UNITED (4-2-3-1): De Gea 6; Wan-Bissaka 5, Varane 6, Lindelof 6, Shaw 5; McTominay 7, Fred 5 (Pogba 70, 6); Greenwood 8, Fernandes 7, Martial 7 (Sancho 56, 7); Cavani 6 (Ronaldo 57, 6).

Substitutes (not used): Bailly, Lingard, Henderson, Telles, Matic, van de Beek.

EVERTON (4-4-1-1): Pickford 6; Godfrey 5, Mina 7, Keane 7, Digne 6; Townsend 7, Doucoure 8, Allan 6, Gordon 6 (Davies 71, 6); Gray 9 (Dobbin 90), Rondon 5. 

Substitutes (not used): Begovic, Lonergan, Kenny, Holgate, Gbamin, Branthwaite, Whitaker.