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Everton embarrass woeful Manchester United to turn up the heat on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

David De Gea and Chris Smalling show their frustration after Theo Walcott scores Everton's fourth - AFP
David De Gea and Chris Smalling show their frustration after Theo Walcott scores Everton's fourth - AFP

The good news for Manchester United is that next season there will be no repetition of that midweek humiliation in Barcelona. In urgent need of points, they fell to a miserable defeat at Everton, thus effectively curtailing their attempt to qualify for the Champions League.

Out-fought, out-thought, out-manoeuvred, against a vibrant, fizzing Everton, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team were simply abject. As their European ambitions crumbled in indignity on Merseyside, this was as wretched a performance as they can have delivered in this most disappointing of seasons.

For Everton, on the other hand, here was redemption. Marco Silva’s side played with real zip, as if anxious to atone for the aberration at Fulham last weekend. By the end of 90 minutes of complete domination, every pass was greeted with delighted oles from the stands. This was what Silva had long promised to deliver: a smart, intelligent, zestful, attacking exhibition.

They had shown their intent from the off, pushing and pressing from the first whistle, forcing their visitors into an early catalogue of errors. And how United were keen to oblige. Chris Smalling passed straight into touch when trying to drive forward from defence, Phil Jones then fell over allowing Everton to win a corner, while Victor Lindelof, covering as emergency right-back, was never in the right place at the right time.

Faced with such a wobbly backline, Bernard and Richarlison, Everton’s Brazilian wide men, relished their moment, delighting in causing endless confusion. Richarlison took an early shot which David De Gea did well to parry; the ball dropped for the Brazilian who poked wide. It was a let-off which was not to last long. As was demonstrated after just 13 minutes, when the relentless, one-sided pressure got its reward.

 Everton's Richarlison scores their first goal - Credit: Reuters
Richarlison opened the scoring in acrobatic fashion Credit: Reuters

Lucas Digne hurled in a long throw to the middle of the United area, Dominic Calvert Lewin, despite being several inches smaller than his markers, headed on. And Richarlison, lurking unattended in the middle of the area, finished with a smart overhead volley.

The statistics of that goal did not make comfortable reading for Solskjaer: United have now not kept a clean sheet in 11 consecutive games, their worst sequence in 21 years; and this was now the most goals ever conceded in a Premier League season.

And things were not about to improve. Everton were full of ideas and running. United, on the other hand, had no invention, no craft, no pace. Lacklustre and disconnected, Paul Pogba was a passenger, Fred hapless and hopeless, Nemanja Matic statuesque. With the defence an accident waiting to happen and the three-man attack barely able to counter, it was like Jose Mourinho had never left.

Gylifi Sigurdsson fires the ball past David De Gea - Credit: getty images
Gylifi Sigurdsson fires the ball past David De Gea to double Everton's lead Credit: getty images

Despite the drift towards their own goal, United won their first corner after 27 minutes. It was the most false of false dawns. Marcus Rashford’s cross was headed out by Digne, Idrissa Gueye broke into the United half, he passed to Bernard who forwarded the ball to Gylfi Sigurdsson. The Icelander stepped inside a static Matic and walloped the ball past De Gea from 25 yards out.

United’s woeful condition was summed up by the attempt to retaliate. The ball was passed between Romelu Lukaku and Pogba, who laid it back to Fred. The Brazilian put it straight out into touch.

Solskjaer, who had spent much of the first half coming to the edge of his technical area and making the kind of vague gestures of a man lost in a gathering fog, made two changes at half-time in an attempt to resolve things: Ashley Young replaced Jones and Scott McTominay arrived for Fred. But the second half did not start any better for the visitors, Dalot immediately picking out Bernard.

It did not get any better for United and their rapidly diminishing Champions League qualification hopes. A half-hearted clearance from a corner fell to Digne, so far out he was practically in Stanley Park. He simply stroked the ball through a forest of limbs into the corner of De Gea’s goal. Then Smalling slipped as he attempted to close down Calvert Lewin. Five minutes later, Sigurdsson nutmegged Lindelof as he sent the substitute Theo Walcott through on the United goal. He compounded the misery with a fourth.

United’s afternoon was summed up by the fact Jordan Pickford didn’t have to make a save until the 85th minute, when his side were four up. For whoever is still in Solskjaer’s plans for next season, Thursday nights await. Champions League? You’re having a laugh.

3:25PM

Full time

I said before the game that recent results meant it was impossible to know which Everton side would show up, and it turns out that an even better team than the one that beat both Arsenal and Chelsea recently decided to give us a show today.

They were in control from start to finish, and were utterly ruthless in front of goal, fully deserving their win.

United were absolutely awful, front to back, not a single player giving any reason for Solskjaer to be happy. That was a total, utter schooling, and United - the team upon which Liverpool are relying to get a result in next week's derby - are almost out of the running for the top four. Season over?

3:19PM

90 mins - Everton 4 Manchester United 0

Four minutes will be added on.

3:16PM

87 mins - Everton 4 Manchester United 0

Pereira releases Dalot down the left with a lovely ball with the outside of his right boot, and then Dalot whips in a decent ball. It's cleared up in the and Pickford goes racing out of his box after it, manhandles McTominay, and gets away with it, before jogging back to his goal in time to save Martial's shot - which is United's first shot on target of the day. After 87 minutes.

3:13PM

84 mins - Everton 4 Manchester United 0

Digne has picked up a knock and he trudges off. Jagielka comes on for the final six minutes.

3:12PM

Ouch.

3:11PM

81 mins - Everton 4 Manchester United 0

Everton are having some fun now. Sigurdsson whips a ball in, Smalling's clearance is poor, and Coleman meets it on the volley inside the box, but hits it straight at De Gea.

3:07PM

78 mins - Everton 4 Manchester United 0

United showing a few signs of life. They break down the right, and Lukaku crosses for Martial but Keane clears for a corner... which Everton eventually deal with.

3:07PM

78 mins - Everton 4 Manchester United 0

United showing a few signs of life. They break down the right, and Lukaku crosses for Martial but Keane clears for a corner... which Everton eventually deal with.

3:06PM

77 mins - Everton 4 Manchester United 0

A change for each team:

Pereira replaces Rashford and McCarthy comes on for Gueye.

3:04PM

75 mins - Everton 4 Manchester United 0

Everton's fans are 'Ole-ing' passes and absolutely loving everything their players are doing out there. Walcott finishes off a nice move with a volley that De Gea easily saves.

3:01PM

Still 20 minutes to go, too.

3:00PM

70 mins - Everton 4 Manchester United 0

Martial has United's best chance of the game as he cuts onto his right from from the left and slaloms into the box, but he doesn't wrap his foot around it properly and sends his shot wide.

2:57PM

68 mins - Everton 4 Manchester United 0

Martial goes down far, far too easily in the box. It's a blatant dive but he gets away without a yellow. McTominay isn't so fortunate when he complains about that decision, and he goes into the referee's notebook.

2:56PM

A day to forget for United

Paul Pogba - Credit: EPA
Credit: EPA
Romelu Lukaku - Credit: EPA
Credit: EPA
David De Gea - Credit: EPA
Credit: EPA

2:54PM

GOOOOOOAAAAALLL!!!!! Everton 4 Manchester United 0 (Walcott)

Ohhhhhh myyy word!! United are all over the place. They get sucked over the to the right and leave acres and acres of space in behind. Sigurdsson traps the ball, takes one look up and sees the fresh legs of Walcott motoring through the middle. He slips him in and there's no catching Theo Walcott from there. The races away and calmly slots through De Gea's legs to make it 4-0! Wow. Wow. Wow!

2:51PM

61 mins - Everton 3 Manchester United 0

United are very much the butt of the jokes at the moment. 

2:49PM

59 mins - Everton 3 Manchester United 0

Everton are straight back on the front foot, winning another corner. Sigurdsson whips it in to the near post and Young leaves it for some reason. It almost goes straight in! De Gea only realising late on that it is curling enough to sneak inside the post, before diving with an outstretched boot to clear. The referee checks his watch for the goal-line technology, and no goal is given.

 Manchester United's David de Gea clears off the - Credit: Reuters
De Gea saves from Sigurdsson's corner Credit: Reuters

2:47PM

GOOOOOOAAAALLLLL!!!! - Everton 3 Manchester United 0 (Digne)

Everton win yet another corner, as Sigurdsson's shot is charged down. The Icelandic jogs over to take the inswinger...

He puts it right under the crossbar, and De Gea does well to punch to the edge of the box under pressure. It falls to Digne, who shoots on the volley first time and catches it so, so sweetly. De Gea is rooted to the spot as he sees it late and it flies into the bottom right corner of the net!

A hint of offside with four Everton players the wrong side of the defence and maybe, just maybe blocking De Gea's view. The goal stands, though.

2:41PM

52 mins - Everton 2 Manchester United 0

Walcott is straight into the thick of it, running into the left channel and cutting back across the box, but his ball into the middle is just behind Calvert-Lewin and goes all the way through to safety.

2:39PM

Always a strange call, this.

2:39PM

48 mins - Everton 2 Manchester United 0

Richarlison's rib problem doesn't look to have subsided during the break and he goes down again. Theo Walcott is stripped and ready to replace the scorer of today's opening goal. I'm diagnosing a potential broken rib, from literally just watching it on telly.

2:34PM

Second half

United get the second half under way.

2:34PM

Double substitution for United

Young and McTominay replace Jones (who must have got injured in that earlier tackle) and Fred. They need a miracle to get anything out of this one, though.

2:20PM

Half time

What a half that was from Everton. Totally dominant in every department, they look far, far more like a team that should be challenging for a Champions League spot. Their direct balls up to Calvert-Lewin (who has been outstanding) have caused Smalling and Jones all sorts of problems, while they have been really threatening at set-pieces. It was from a dead ball that they went ahead through Richarlison, before Sigurdsson's fine strike made it two.

For everything Everton have done well, United have been atrocious. There was barely a single positive to take from that half, and Solskjaer will be really worried about his side's top four hopes now. Remember, their next two games are against Man City and Chelsea.

Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Nemanja Matic, Diogo Dalot and Phil Jones of Manchester United react to conceding a goal to Richarlison of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Manchester United at Goodison Park  - Credit: Getty images
That was one of the worst halves of football Manchester United have had this season Credit: Getty images

 

2:17PM

45 mins + 2 - Everton 2 Manchester United 0

Richarlison has gone down holding his midriff, having taken a knock there a short while ago. The physio comes on and the forward looks in some pain.

Marco Silva will want him to wait until half time rather than replacing him straight away.

2:16PM

45 mins - Everton 2 Manchester United 0

Two minutes added on.

2:12PM

41 mins - Everton 2 Manchester United 0

De Gea throws out to Dalot who isn't concentrating and is actually just looking the complete other direction! Richarlison steals in to nick it and Everton are away again - wht are United playing at?! Richarlison works a shooting opportunity but the angle is too tight and De Gea saves easily.

2:11PM

40 mins - Everton 2 Manchester United 0

Poor old Phil Jones. He absolutely flies in to stop Bernard from getting on the end of Calvert-Lewin's through ball and looks like he did some damage in the process. After a few minutes' treatment he plods back on. Hopefully he can shake this one off.

2:09PM

38 mins - Everton 2 Manchester United 0

United win a free-kick out on the right which neither the home fans nor the perpetrator - Morgan Schneiderlin - are happy about. Rashford whips it into the box but Everton clear with ease.

2:03PM

33 mins - Everton 2 Manchester United 0

Anthony Martial's first 33 minutes:

  • Five touches

  • Five attempted passes

  • Three completed passes

  • No dribbles, shots, chances created, tackles, interceptions. Nothing.

2:00PM

GOOOOOOOOAAALLL!!!!!!!  Everton 2 Manchester United 0 (Sigurdsson)

We are nearly half an hour in and United have their first corner of the game (Everton have six).

Rashford takes, Digne clears at the front post, and off Everton go.

They are piling forwards with runners in all directions, as Gueye feeds Sigurdsson on the left. United's defenders back off, and the runners open up a path through the middle which the Icelandic cuts into. He lines up a shot from 25 yards and De Gea is slow to get down to it as it flies into the bottom corner of the net! What a strike!

Everton fans celebrate Richarlison's goal - Credit: Reuters
The Everton fans are celebrating again Credit: Reuters

1:56PM

Richarlison brought out the chicken dance to celebrate

1:55PM

24 mins - Everton 1 Manchester United 0

Rashford shoots from all of 35 yards from the free-kick. It flies five yards over the bar. A real waste.

1:53PM

23 mins - Everton 1 Manchester United 0

A first card of the game as Gueye snaps in on Fred and treads on his toe. A painful one for the Brazilian and a deserved yellow.

1:52PM

22 mins - Everton 1 Manchester United 0

Richarlison wastes a chance to cross after some good build-up involving Calvert-Lewin and Bernard, shooting from the top corner of the box, well wide of the target.

1:50PM

20 mins - Everton 1 Manchester United 0

What a ball from Pogba. It's a 60-yard diagonal that almost puts Rashford in down the left. It just won't come down for him and he does well to get a shot off, running at pace, but he can't direct it on target. A first non-blocked shot of the game for United - 20 minutes in.

1:47PM

A quiet start for Pogba, and a good point from my colleague here

1:45PM

15 mins - Everton 1 Manchester United 0

Everton are straight back on the front foot, winning yet another corner, but United scramble it clear.

1:44PM

GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAL!!!!!! Everton 1 Manchester United 0 (Richarlison)

Everton have been threatening all game so far and from another set-piece they take the lead. Digne launches a long throw-in into the box, Calvert-Lewin (whose aerial ability is often unfairly overlooked) rises highest to flick on and Richarlison finishes acrobatically on the volley, high into De Gea's net.

1:42PM

12 mins - Everton 0 Manchester United 0

Another Everton corner, this time taken by Digne. It goes all the way past the back post where Gueye sweeps up. He puts a ball back into the middle, and Richarlison escapes his marker at the back post. It falls kindly for him and he forces a good save out of De Gea, before swinging wildly at and sending the rebound wide. A let off for United.

1:39PM

10 mins - Everton 0 Manchester United 0

Everton have made far the better start here. They are yet to forge a proper chance but they are spending a lot of the game in dangerous positions. Sigurdsson, Richarlison and Coleman have begun particularly brightly. United will be happy to play on the counter, though.

1:36PM

6 mins - Everton 0 Manchester United 0

Calvert-Lewin harries Jones deep in United territory and manages to force another corner. Again Sigurdsson takes it, but again Everton can't force it towards goal. United clear and Calvert-Lewin is a little fortunate to escape a card when he takes Rashford down.

1:34PM

4 mins - Everton 0 Manchester United 0

A mix-up between Jones and Dalot allows the ball through and De Gea can't prevent the corner. Sigurdsson goes across to take, Zouma rises but can't direct a header goalwards and De Gea sweeps up.

1:33PM

3 mins - Everton 0 Manchester United 0

An early shot for Matic is charged down and Everton head straight up field with Richarlison releasing Bernard down the left. He takes on Lindelof on the outside and gets a cross into the middle but nobody has kept up with him and the chance goes begging.

1:30PM

And we're off

Everton get us started at a sun-drenched Goodison Park.

1:29PM

A couple of minutes to go

The players are out, the sun is shining and kick-off is just moments away.

1:27PM

United with the chance to go fourth

A win today would take United fourth, at least for a few hours. Anything else leaves their top four hopes hanging by a thread.

1:14PM

Rom starts against his former club

He's currently on a run of five games without a goal, having scored six goals in three games before that. He'll be hoping to end his current drought at his former club today.

12:53PM

Solskjaer suggests United plan to play on the counter today

Today we are aiming not to concede, to stay in the game, and hopefully get a goal ourselves.

Rom [Lukaku] likes to play football, he wants to prove he should be in the team. Today is a chance for everyone to say they should play against Man City and Chelsea.

We want to get into the Champions League, but the Premier League is not easy. We have to work hard. This week decides if we get back there.

12:44PM

What to make of those teams

Everton

(4-2-3-1): Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Zouma, Digne; Gueye, Schneiderlin; Richarlison, Sigurdsson, Bernard; Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Stekelenburg, Jagielka, Walcott, Tosun, McCarthy, Davies, Lookman.

It's pretty much as you were for Everton, who have caused good sides difficulty in recent weeks with fast, direct runners on the break. The loss of Gomes in midfield is not insignificant, but Schneiderlin has plenty of motivation given he is facing his former club. The fact he has only started six league games all season may affect him, though.

Man Utd

(4-3-3): De Gea; Lindelof, Smalling, Jones, Dalot; Matic, Fred, Pogba; Rashford, Martial, Lukaku.

Subs: Romero, Young, McTominay, Pereira, Lingard, Sanchez, Mata.

Right then... that United team.

I'm assuming it's a 4-3-3 with Lindelof at right-back, Solskjaer finally losing patience with (or just giving a rest to) Young. Matic's return in midfield should help free up Paul Pogba to get forward and help a forward line bursting with pace and goal threat.

12:34PM

Team news!

Two changes for Everton, as Morgan Schneiderlin starts against his former club and Michael Keane returns to the defence. Phil Jagielka and the suspended Andre Gomes drop out.

Manchester United make three changes from the defeat at Barcelona, with Diogo Dalot, Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku returning. Jesse Lingard, Scott McTominay and Ashley Young drop to the bench.

12:25PM

Five games to save their season

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was parachuted in to save Manchester United after Jose Mourinho had done his best to ruin them, but the honeymoon period is very much over now.

Five defeats in seven games have seen United dumped out of both the FA Cup and the Champions League, while their top four hopes are hanging by a thread.

To be fair, they are in a far better position than anyone would have realistically hoped for when Mourinho was sacked in December, and the fact they are still in the hunt for the top four should not be dismissed lightly.

That said, with Manchester City and Chelsea to visit Old Trafford in the coming week, today's match at Everton takes on huge significance.

Everton have beaten Arsenal and Chelsea at home in recent weeks, but also lost at relegated Fulham last time out, so who knows what to expect today.

We'll have team news for you very shortly.