Everton 0 Man United 1
Get the three points and get out. This game was following in the footsteps of the West Ham one in the first half with United once again playing at walking pace with attacks breaking down over and over again due to silly mistakes on the ball from everyone going forward, the same can be said for Everton who’s lack of quality going forward in the attack was clear for everyone to see. Very little happened in the first half other than an Amad shot getting cleared off the line from Tarkowski and a long-range Dalot shot going just the other side of the post as with both teams feeling the effects of not playing for two weeks. The second half was moving the same way until the ball fell to Cunha from an Everton corner who then sprayed the ball nearly 60 yards to Mbeumo who was 1 on 1 with Michael Keane until Benjamin Sesko caught up flying past Tarkowski with Mbeumo laying it off to Sesko who finished calmly for the only goal of the game. Everton didn’t really create anything from open-play relying on corners to try and score but Lammens was calm in the United net collecting corner after corner to get United’s first away clean sheet all season.
Alright can Sesko start now. I feel like I’m getting deja-vu every time I write about United these days asking Michael Carrick to start Benjamin Sesko. I’ve got to say I was flabbergasted not to see him in the 11 after scoring the equaliser against West Ham a couple of weeks ago, Carrick went with the same frontline of Cunha-Mbeumo-Amad and it was a complete disaster yet again as all three of them were below par in the attack along with Bruno Fernandes. Amad in particular looked miles off the pace on the right and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the one to make way for Sesko on Sunday against Crystal Palace. Mbeumo as well yet again looked uncomfortable playing up front against Keane and Tarkowski who won every ball that went up there unsurprisingly. As soon as he went on the right he assisted the winner for Sesko and he looks far more comfortable in his natural position in right-wing. If Sesko doesn’t start on Sunday there has to be question marks around Michael Carrick’s team selection, I’m serious.
A severe lack of quality costs Everton. I don’t think Everton played too badly over the 90 minutes but it was just that final action with a pass or a shot that just lacked that bit of quality to open up United on the night. They had no shortage of chances from set-pieces racking up 10 corners over the game but they did the same thing with every one crowding the six-yard box with just about every player on the pitch and swinging it in there, Lammens was colossal in the United net and just came out and either collected the cross or punched it to safety. Everton really struggled to get Ndiaye the ball throughout the game but any time he did get it he looked by far Everton’s most dangerous player winning multiple free-kicks and getting the better of Luke Shaw quite a few times. Everton are just simply better away from home at the minute in the league when the onus is on the home team to come forward and attack with Everton looking to counter. Moyes has to find a way of being more attacking at home or the fans will turn on him quickly if he keeps losing at home.
United finally have a solid goalkeeper. Over the past few seasons Andre Onana has put United fans including me through hell on a weekly basis with some of the most comical errors you will ever see from any goalkeeper, he single-handedly eliminated United from the Champions League group-stage in his first seasons with mistakes in both games against Galatasaray and against Bayern Munich which should have seen him sold in that January but nevertheless he survived all the way to this season with his last game summing up his time nicely against Grimsby as he made two mistakes and conceded 12 penalties as United crashed out in the most embarrassing circumstances possible. From then I would have taken just about any goalkeeper on Earth as a replacement but United opted for Senne Lammens from Belgium to take over as number 1 in the United goal. I must say I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see just how easy he’s taken to United so far with tonight being his best performance in a United shirt in my opinion. He claimed everything in the air along with catching a number of shots as well as tipping over a Michael Keane long shot which looked in the top corner, a good start to his United career for Senne Lammens.
Top 3 is well and truly in sights for United. This game was crucial for United to win after Chelsea and Villa dropped points over the weekend along with Liverpool winning late at Forest and it leaves United in a nice spot 3 points ahead of both Chelsea and Liverpool with Aston Villa ahead by the same number. If things go United’s way they could be 6 points clear of Chelsea come Sunday evening if they beat Palace at home with Chelsea having to go to the Emirates to face the league leaders Arsenal. All 3 teams in and around United also have other competitions to play in over the next few months in Europe and the FA Cup, United only have the league to focus on so there’s no reason they shouldn’t at least finish in that top 4 and aim for that 3rd spot come May.