Ronaldo's 700th goal secures victory for United at Everton
700 UP: Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the game for his 700th club goal of his career during the Premier League match at Goodison Park, Liverpool. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire
Cristiano Ronaldo claimed the 700th club goal of his extraordinary career as Erik ten Hag saw his unpredictable Manchester United move to within a point of the top four at Goodison Park.
Twenty years and two days after scoring his first goal, for Sporting Lisbon, the 37-year-old reached that extraordinary landmark in timely fashion with his first league goal of this difficult season for new manager ten Hag.
After Antony had equalised for the visitors, Ronaldo shot United in front on 43 minutes, after Everton’s earlier goalscorer Alex Iwobi, tried an ill-advised step-over midway into the United half and was simply pick-pocketed by Casemiro.
The Brazilian pounced, slipped a ball forward to Ronaldo who sped away from a disorganised Everton defence and pushed the ball past Jordan Pickford, who was beaten a little too easily.
Still, the England keeper was certainly not the first to be embarrassed in such a way as Ronaldo hit the seven century mark in a game ten Hag badly needed to win after last week’s 6-3 Etihad embarrassment.
Ten Hag’s hopes of seeing his team bounce back from that appalling display in last weekend’s Manchester derby did not start well.
And when Iwobi scored a quite magnificent opening goal after just five minutes, memories of that six goal defeat must have come flooding back.
Casemiro, finally handed his first Premier League start after inexplicably being left benched since his summer move from Real Madrid, showed why ten Hag might have been reluctant to throw him into the hurly burly of the Premier League so quickly.
The veteran midfielder dawdled on a pass from Antony and was dispossessed by a thundering challenge from Amadou Onana.
Demari Gray took over the ball, found Iwobi and the in-form midfielder deposited a stunning strike past David de Gea from 25 yards.
It was a lead Everton needed to hold, and they did, but only for 10 minutes, when careless play of their own gifted United the equaliser.
Idrissa Gueye gave the ball away needlessly in the centre circle, effectively passing directly to Bruno Fernandes who quickly sent Anthony Martial racing upfield.
The striker, in turn, slipped in Antony and the Brazilian winger beat Pickford with a confident finish, his third goal in as many games for the Reds.
Gueye went one better, or worse, just four minutes later, passing the ball directly to Christian Eriksen whose low shot skidded across the sodden Goodison surface and was well saved by a diving Pickford.
There were also a couple of half chances for Martial, one saved, one mis-hit wide, but they were the last involvements for the Frenchman who limped off after just 26 minutes and was replaced by Ronaldo.
But at least United had responded impressively to a miserable start, with Bruno even putting the ball in the Everton goal after 37 minutes, only for the effort to be cancelled for an obvious, earlier offside by Ronaldo.
And Casemiro should have headed United in front just before the interval, diving to meet a breathtaking, floated pass from Marcus Rashford but succeeding only in nodding wide from eight yards.
It did not matter, with the historic 700th goal only moments away and United deservedly ahead at the break.
Even the worrying loss of the injury-plagued Martial could not detract from a very impressive first half from United and the feel good factor of Ronaldo back on the scoresheet on the league front.
After the restart, Ronaldo came within a fraction of playing Antony clear in on goal and Onana became the game’s first booking after losing the ball in another example of Everton imploding.
Casemiro’s far-post cross was headed wide by Ronaldo, with Bruno probably better positioned for the attempt, before Everton finally carved out some chances of their own.
Deep crosses from Vitalii Mykolenko presented Seamus Coleman and Anthony Gordon with half-chances but neither tested de Gea.
Rashford thought he had wrapped up the three points on 80 minutes but his effort was ruled out by VAR for handball as he rode a tackle from James Tarkowski and the ball struck his body.
Pickford 5; Coleman 6 (Garner 75, 6), Coady 6, Tarkowski 6, Mykolenko 7; Onana 5, Gueye 5 (Calvert-Lewin 75, 5), Iwobi 6; Gray 5, Maupay 5 (Rondon 84), Gordon 5 (McNeil 67, 6).
Keane, Begovic, Davies, Vinagre, John.
De Gea 6; Dalot 6, Lindelof 6, Martinez 7, Shaw 7; Casemiro 6, Eriksen 7 (McTominay 81); Antony 8 (Varane 90), Fernandes 7, Rashford 7; Martial 7 (Ronaldo 28, 7).
Malacia, Fred, Heaton, Sancho, Pellistri, Elanga.
D Coote 7.
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