Everton crashed to another disappointing home defeat as they were unable to recover after the stunning third minute opener from Alejandro Garnacho. The Goodison crowd did just about everything it could to lift the players but, in the end, sadly we have to admit that the visitors were the better side… although they didn’t need quite so much help from arguably the most inept display of officiating seen this season, and VAR yet again.
In the wake of the allegedly independent commission assessing the Blues a ten point deduction, Goodison Park this afternoon was no place for the faint hearted as a sell-out crowd voiced its collective opinion and demonstrated its anger over the punishment and towards the Premier League.
Having dropped to next to bottom of the table as a result of the disgraceful deduction, Everton and Sean Dyche were only too well aware that the best response would be to record a win over United. And in looking to do just that, the Blues boss selected his starting eleven thus: Jordan Pickford, Ashley Young, James Tarkowski (c), Jarrad Branthwaite, Vitalii Mykolenko, James Garner, Jack Harrison, James Garner, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
United, despite indifferent form in recent weeks and with manager Erik Ten Hag banished from the bench to the directors box having picked up three yellow cards, were in a much more comfortable position in the table, sitting in eighth place prior to kick off. Before taking his seat in the Main Stand posh seats, Ten Hag named his line-up: Onana, Dalit, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Mainoo, , Fernandes, Garnacho and Martial.
In what was a hostile, raucous and potentially volatile atmosphere, the Premier League entrusted John Brooks with the referee assignment.
Goodison turned vibrant pink as the players took to the field as a fantastic show of solidarity within the ranks of Evertonians displayed their PL Corrupt signs and booed in unison.
And from the kickoff, the script was well and truly spoiled as Garnacho scored a stunning overhead opener, reminiscent of the goal Rooney scored at Old Trafford against City a few years ago, in the third minute. It has to be said it was a spectacular strike and absolutely the last thing Everton, Sean Dyche and the fans wanted to witness.
United defended a free kick and the referee gave them a free kick despite the linesman, closer to the ball, having indicated for a corner. A good ball from Young sent DCL free down the right, he cut in to evade Lindelof but, his shot lacked the power and direction to overly trouble Onana in the away goal.
On ten minutes, Goodison turned vibrant pink again – except for the visitor fans sections – no solidarity from United fans then, not surprising as one of the Slimeball Six who only received a nominal fine for trying to breakaway a couple of years ago.
From a United corner, Shaw struck a volley from 25 yards that went just over, the visitors clearly not phased by the hostile atmosphere within the Grand Old Lady. Fireworks were exploding outside the ground behind St.Lukes, a pity the Everton side hadn’t yet lit their blue touch paper as Garnacho went down easily under a challenge by Young to win a free kick.
A decent spell of passing ended with Gana Gueye crossing too deeply for DCL and out of play, the Blues still not firing on all cylinders as we passed the 20-minute mark. Young picked up the games first yellow card for upending Garnacho and then cleared the free kick from Fernandes. McTominay escaped a yellow for what looked a nasty challenge on Young, the resulting free kick from Garner was poor and didn’t threaten. McTominay then flattened Harrison and again, wasn’t booked, Abdoulaye Doucoure though was yellow carded for voicing his opinion too strongly.
Harrison won a corner on the left that saw Garner find the head of DCL, Onana with a decent save prevented an equaliser. The Blues were twice denied in a matter of seconds as Onana saved low to his left from DCL and a close range follow-up was kicked off the line by Dalot. Everton were now beginning to press hard and a ball in from the left saw Doucoure put a side footed shot wide of the far post.
Martial got back to block a McNeil shot out for another Everton corner that Lindelof headed clear before Shaw went down theatrically under a challenge by Doucoure. Tarkowski spread a ball wide right for Young to cross perfectly for DCL who sadly couldn’t direct his header down and it went just over the bar.
Into the final five minutes of the half and Everton kept the pressure only for Gana Gueye to mishit a shot high and wide of the target, United tried to take some pace out of the game before two added minutes were announced. Garnacho clattered into Young and as half expected, he didn’t see yellow either, the free kick failing to produce and then Fernandes left a boot in on Harrison and the referee turned a blind eye on that too… prompting chants of “you’re not fit to referee’” as he blew for half time.
Everton had certainly responded well to the third minute setback of falling behind, Onana in the visitors goal by far the busier but, it’s goals that count and United led at the interval.
Half Time: 0-1
No changes for either side for the start of the second half and Garnacho was soon writhing in agony before miraculously getting up and running when the ref asked him ever so nicely to behave.
McNeil picked out Harrison in space on the right but his eventual cross was easily taken by Onana. Martial was booked for diving to try and win a penalty and then VAR stepped in with a pitch side review that inevitably went in favour of United, the yellow card was erased and Rashford converted from the spot in the 56th minute.
If anyone needed any more evidence of the Premier League being completely unfit for purpose, today’s game with its inept officiating should be proof positive.
Everton saw a corner punched clear by Onana and loud appeals for a penalty went unheeded by the three blind mice posing as match officials. The second goal somewhat understandably took a lot of sting out of the crowd and the team as the visitors began to dominate. A flying header by DCL cleared a Fernandes corner but, it needed a sliding interception by Branthwaite to concede another that saw Shaw blast high and wide.
A good interception by Tarkowski saw him find Harrison but his early cross for DCL was slightly behind him and Onana gathered easily. Lindelof got back to concede a corner off a cross from Young, Onana punching ball up and gathering at the second attempt before wasting time playing the ball out. Dalot blocked a Doucoure shot out for a corner from the left that failed to produce anything and United cleared their lines far too easily.
Changes on 72 minutes saw Amrabat replace Mainoo and Pellistri replace Garnacho. Everton too made a double change, Arnaut Danjuma on for Dwight McNeil and Nathan Patterson replacing Ashley Young.
Two minutes later and the points were secured as Fernandes threaded a ball through the middle of the Blues defence for Martial to net all too easily, and Wan-Bissaka came on for Shaw.
Try as they could in the time remaining, Everton weren’t able to penetrate the United defence in any concerted and dangerous manner and it was no surprise that DCL was withdrawn on 81 minutes in favour a short cameo appearance for a Youssef Chermiti.
Martial made way for Hannibal a minute later and a quick counter led to Pickford saving low to his right from Pellistri. A late counter saw Tarkowski stretch to put a ball from Rashford intended for Fernandes behind for a corner that was cleared.
Lewis Dobbin got an even shorter cameo appearance replacing Abdoulaye Doucoure in the 89th minute and the fourth official signalled six added minutes. Chermiti crashed a long range shot just wide of the far post as the Blues continued to look for a consolation marker.
Blues fans resigned to the loss and the prospect of another relegation battle following the unjust and inappropriate ten point deduction were already drifting off home, the anger and resentment towards the Premier League having fizzled out as the match had ebbed away. Danjuma won a late corner on the left and Maguire cleared off the line to preserve the visitors clean sheet.
Full Time: 0-3