Garnacho stunner ensures Manchester United add to Everton's woes
WONDER GOAL: Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho scores a wonder goal.Photo credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire
A MOMENT of individual genius from Alejandro Garnacho was the highlight of an impressive Manchester United performance which reminded Evertonians of the size of the task facing their club in the wake of their recent points deduction.
A contentious Marcus Rashford penalty and Anthony Martial’s first league goal of the season added to a result which maintains Erik ten Hag’s recent recovery, in the league at least.
But the Premier League’s decision to dock Sean Dyche’s side 10 points for their well-publicised financial “crimes,” sparked a furious, and admirable, reaction from supporters incensed at what they see as the injustice of that penalty.
And, as United made it five wins from their last six Premier League games, Dyche was left joint-bottom of the league table with his former club Burnley and facing a long slog to extricate themselves from that perilous position.
By the time Everton supporters made their most impressive and committed protest against recent events, via a lengthy tenth minute demonstration, their team were already behind.
The opening goal came after a little over two minutes and featured a finish that will certainly feature in goal of the season discussions for the remainder of this campaign.
Defender Victor Lindelof started the move, with a sweeping, cross-field pass for Rashford who moved Diogo Dalot down to the right-hand by-line with a quick pass.
The full-back’s cross picked out Garnacho, 15 yards out at a wide angle, and he connected with an outrageous overhead volley that flew into the top corner of the home goal.
The opening quickly diluted what had been a febrile pre-match build-up and early hostility, aimed more at the Premier League, following their recent punishment of Everton, than towards United.
Supporters’ groups handed out placards, bearing the word “corrupt” alongside a Premier League badge, which were frequently displayed, especially after ten minutes with that particular protest representing one minute for every point Everton have been docked.
The Premier League anthem before kick-off was drowned out by a chorus of boos and, despite the poor start, their team at least responded to the occasion before the interval.
In fact, the major surprise by half-time was that United still held their one-goal advantage, after Everton squandered a string of openings late in the first period.
Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin started the procession with a header straight at Andre Onana before the keeper saved well from the striker and Dwight McNeil’s follow-up shot was cleared off the line by Kobbie Mainoo.
The teenage midfielder, making his first league start for United, was producing an impressive debut but Everton pressed on, with Abdoulaye Doucouré pulling a shot wide, Calvert-Lewin heading over again and Idrissa Gueye missing horribly.
The long catalogue of misses was made to look all the more costly after 56 minutes when Rashford doubled United’s lead in controversial fashion, after Anthony Martial was initially shown a yellow card for simulation.
The striker went down after contact from Ashley Young and, following a VAR check and look at his monitor, referee John Brooks reversed his decision and awarded the spot kick.
Rashford, who had not taken a Premier League penalty for over three years, was given responsibility ahead of Bruno Fernandes and converted in impressive fashion.
Gueye forced a good save out of Onana soon after, as Everton sought a route backed into the contest and the two goalscorers might have wrapped up the result on 71 minutes when Rashford sprinted down the left and crossed for Garnacho to volley a difficult chance into the side-netting.
There was no such mistake after 75 minutes when substitute Facundo Pellistri played a pass to Fernandes whose clever ball put Martial clean through on goal for a neat, chipped finish.
Pickford 6; Young 5 (Patterson 73, 5), Tarkowski 6, Branthwaite 7, Mykolenko 6; Harrison 5, Garner 6, Gueye 6, McNeil 5 (Danjuma 73, 5); Doucoure 6 (Dobbin 89); Calvert-Lewin 8 (Chermiti 82).
Keane, Virginia, Godfrey, Coleman, Hunt.
Onana 7; Dalot 6, Lindelof 7, Maguire 6, Shaw 6 (Wan-Bissaka 76, 5); McTominay 6, Mainoo 9; Rashford 7, Fernandes 6, Garnacho 8; Martial 7 (Mejbri 84).
Bayindir, Reguilon, Varane, van de Beek, Hugill.
J Brooks 6.
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