Manchester United emphatically defeated Everton 3-0 at Goodison Park in the Premier League on Sunday evening.
After just two minutes of play, the match already sparked to life when Alejandro Garnacho produced the most magical moment in United’s season to date.
Diogo Dalot’s cross soared toward the edge of the penalty box, where Garnacho struck a jaw-dropping overhead kick that sent the ball into the top right-hand corner.
After the ball entered the net, Garnacho danced to the familiar dance of his idol Cristiano Ronaldo.
Garnacho also made an expression implying that the goal was a masterpiece by waving his fingers. He is the youngest Man Utd player to score at Goodison Park, surpassing Wayne Rooney’s record. And Garnacho’s goal also reminds of Rooney’s masterpiece against Man City in February 2011, or Ronaldo’s hook against Juventus in April 2018.
.
Garnacho signaled with his finger
After that, while Everton looked to up the pressure over the next 15 minutes, United’s defence remained vigilant, with Victor Lindelof landing an impressive tackle on Calvert-Lewin and Harry Maguire making three clearances.
After 30 minutes, Calvert-Lewin got on the end of a cross to direct a threatening header towards the United net which was impressively saved by Onana.
Moments later, the Cameroonian shot-stopper saved yet another Calvert-Lewin shot before diving to block the rebounded effort by Dwight McNeil.
Although the loose ball was goal-bound, Kobbie Mainoo was quick enough to make a diving clearance off the goal-line.
Five minutes into halftime, Calvert-Lewin attempted another glancing header towards goal, but this time it went over the crossbar.
Idrissa Gueye’s shot sailed past the post a few moments later.
Obviously, if United wants to keep a clean sheet in this game, their defense has to get more compact.
Anthony Martial went down in the box six minutes after the half, seemingly at the hands of former United fullback Ashley Young.
While the referee booked Martial for diving, the VAR officials decided to take a closer look.
After assessing the foul in a touchline review, it was determined that it was in fact a foul, with Martial’s yellow card rescinded and a penalty being awarded.
Rather than regular spot-kick taker Bruno Fernandes, it was Marcus Rashford who stepped up to the penalty spot, slamming the ball into the top left corner to double United’s lead.
A few minutes later, Gueye drove in a threatening out-swinging shot from the edge of the box that Onana managed to save.
With 20 minutes to play, Diogo Dalot blocked a close-range shot from Abdoulaye Doucouré to deny the Toffees yet again.
Moments later, Rashford sprinted up the left flank and passed to Garnacho, whose shot from the right narrowly missed the goalpost.
72 minutes in, the excellent Kobbie Mainoo’s debut came to an end as he was taken off for Sofyan Amrabat.
.
He delivered a performance that will have left United fans savouring the future. Despite being just 18-years-old, he frequently looked to be the most composed Red Devils player on the pitch.
Garnacho’s emphatic performance was also brought to an end as he came off for Facundo Pellistri.
Off a quick counter-attack, Fernandes flicked a through ball to Martial who gracefully chipped the ball past Jordan Pickford for United’s third goal of the evening.
Before the restart, Shaw was taken off for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
As the match drew to a close, United fans could rest easy that for the first time this season, their team put in a dominant performance to win by a margin of more than one goal.
