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Manchester United got back to winning ways after recording a 3-1 away win over Everton in their Premier League fixture at the Goodison Park. The Red Devils came back from one goal behind to bounce back in style after two consecutive defeats.
Bruno Fernandes shone, as he scored a first-half brace to put Manchester United in front after Bernard had opened the scoring in the 19th minute. Fernandes later set up Edinson Cavani in the dying moments of the game, as the Matador scored his first goal for the Red Devils after an efficient counter-attack.
The hosts looked sharp in the first 10 minutes of the game and created a couple of good chances from the left flank. Their perseverance paid off greatly in the 19th minute as Bernard put them in front from a move that started off from Jordan Pickford's great long ball to striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Bernard did well to keep the ball low and beat birthday boy David de Gea at the near post.
There was a surprising drop in their intensity after scoring the goal, which allowed Manchester United to not only equalize but go one goal ahead in the following 13 minutes, via Bruno Fernandes' efforts, the equalizer was a rare header from the midfielder and the second one being a curling shot/cross that went in after striking the far post.
The game promised to be an entertaining affair and lived up to its expectations as three goals were scored in the first 32 minutes and we witnessed some great battles on the pitch, both physically and tactically. The second half was very tight at times but United prevailed in the end as they caught Everton on the counter to score a decisive third goal in the final minute of the game.
Here we present the five major talking points from Manchester United's impressive 3-1 win over Everton, as Carlo Ancelotti loses three games on the spin for the first time since 2006.
#5 Everton switched off after opening the scoring
Everton did not enjoy a lot of possession in the early stages of the game but they were good on the ball and had a direct approach to their game. Most of their opportunities were generated from the left flank, with Lucas Digne and Bernard combining effectively. It was Bernard who got the goal with his quick movement but the team completely lost its mojo after the goal.
The passes were not tidy, they afforded a lot of space to Manchester United attackers and their defending was a mess. It might be acceptable to take a breather after taking the lead but the way The Toffees switched off will be a point of concern for Carlo Ancelotti. There were some signs of lethargy in the early stages of the second half too.
#4 Manchester United punished Everton's central defenders
Manchester United scored two goals against Everton in the span of seven minutes in the first half and they were aided by some lackluster defending from the center-half duo of Mason Holgate and Michael Keane. Bruno Fernandes breezed between the two defenders to head in the equalizer after the defenders failed to read the danger and mark him.
Right-back Seamus Coleman was also to blame for the goal as he did not close down on Luke Shaw in time and allowed the defender to take a couple of extra touches, get in position and deliver an inviting cross to Fernandes.
Though Rashford didn't get a touch on Bruno's chipped effort in the 32nd minute, it was a similar situation in which the striker easily moved in between the two defenders virtually unopposed. Holgate did improve his game in the second half but there needs to be more communication between the two centre-halves going forward.
#3 Manchester United can score goals but defense remains a concern for Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Manchester United's defense was a big talking point in the buildup to the crucial game, especially after their shoddy performance against Istanbul Basaksehir, in which the defenders' lack of commitment against Demba Ba's goal has been highly criticized.
Against Everton, though the defenders held their ground well for the majority of the game, they once again conceded the first and as a result, David De Gea could not keep a clean sheet on his birthday. Bernard scored through the legs of Aaron Wan-Bissaka but the defender had a good game after that and did put in some great tackles and interceptions.
Though Manchester United secured a win here and there were a few positives to for Ole Gunnar Solskjær to take home, he needs to drill them even more to address the issues.
#2 VAR controversy as two challenges go unpunished
The inclusion of technology in aiding match officials make a proper call during games in the Premier League has helped determine multiple penalties till date, but some of the decisions regarding flagrant fouls have brought it back into the limelight.
In this game, there were two events on which the VAR could've overturned the on-field decisions. First was a reckless challenge by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who, after mishandling a cross, ended up kicking United defender Harry Maguire in the midriff in an attempt to make amends for his error. Despite huge shouts from the United players for a penalty, no action was taken.
The second event occurred just minutes after this one, as Maguire, furious over not getting a favorable decision on what he considered a clear foul, went in for a crunching tackle on Lucas Digne, who was deemed offside and eventually no action was taken by VAR.
Ever since Virgil Van Dijk was left injured from Pickford's challenge last month and the keeper got away with it, people have been urging VAR to check contentious incidents more closely, hopefully, things will improve with time.
#1 Bruno Fernandes shows his class for the Red Devils
Bruno Fernandes has continued to play a pivotal role for Manchester United ever since his move to the Old Trafford earlier this year. Tonight, he led from the front and almost single-handedly turned the match on his head with his two first-half goals and one assist in the second half.
Beyond his quick-fire double and assist, he was an influential presence in pressing the Everton midfield, winning three tackles more than anyone else for the visitors. He steps at key moments for the team and other players will be looking up to him for inspiration going forward.
