Everton vs Manchester United Summary
Once again, Manchester United are into a semi-final after beating Everton 2-0. Like last year, we have Manchester City to get past. Can we do it? If this performance is anything to go by, yes we can.
Manchester United thoroughly outplayed Everton last night. We never really looked far from scoring in a performance that keeps up our excellent recent domestic form. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be very pleased to see the team continuing to play such fluid football, despite making 9 changes from the Leeds match.
Cavani played excellently again up top and should’ve scored. He also could’ve been sent off, but more on that later. Paul Pogba put in a real shift in midfield, showing perhaps that he might be committed to Manchester United after all. Our defence looked solid and we never seriously looked like conceding. I’m Millsy’s View for The United Devils and this is the Manchester United vs Everton match analysis.
Everton vs Manchester United: First Half
Just as against Leeds on the weekend, Manchester United made a rip-roaring start to the first half vs Everton, making this a rather pleasing match analysis to write. Mason Greenwood started our first big chance, running at the Everton defence and looking fearless. His square pass into Pogba was backheeled to Donny Van de Beek who unfortunately shot directly into a block. Pogba could perhaps have taken it himself but that’s neither here nor there.
A couple of minutes later, it was Cavani’s turn, who did well to get onto the end of an Alex Telles cross. He volleyed directly at the keeper Olsen, collected the rebound, flicked it past the onrushing defender and again it was saved. Manchester United were knocking on the door – and hard. Then came another cross from the marauding Telles, which this time was sent just wide from a Mason Greenwood diving header.
That was probably just the first 20 minutes of the first half. Following that, the game got a little nitty gritty, both teams attacked and defended well in an end-to-end game. Dean Henderson then made an excellent save from a Gylfi Sigurdsson free kick, getting across well to palm it wide.
Everton vs Manchester United: Second Half
The second half started a little less chaotically than the first. In fact, most of the second half passed without some very big chances. Manchester United pushed the Everton defence and, as time went on, the nerves began to show. Could Manchester United lose it now?
On 50 minutes came the incident that many talked about afterwards. Cavani appeared to grab Yerry Mina on the chin and force him down. If VAR had been active in this game, then he most likely would have been off. But it begs the question, should someone be sent off for an incident like this?
Sure, it was a tangle and they deserved a speaking to, but a red card and a sending off? Just like Fred’s red card ‘headbutt’ against PSG a few weeks back, it would probably have been off had VAR taken a look at it. But it begs the question: do we really want to see players being sent off for such minor incidents? Mina proceeded to make a meal of it, as is his right, but personally I would rather see a yellow for something so small, rather than have the other player get straight up and feel fine, whilst the opponent will struggle for the rest of the match.
United late on…again!
The aforementioned Cavani then went on to play the largest role in the game. Martial spun around 40 yards from goal and played a good pass to the Uruguayan. With one flick of his foot, Cavani beat his man and put it onto his favoured left just outside the area. Like a man 10 years younger, he smashed an unstoppable shot past the keeper and sent United fans worldwide into euphoria. It was truly a world class finish and showed off the credentials that got him his United move. After a long, nervy second half, Cavani ended it with aplomb.
Following that, Everton then pressed for an equaliser, pushing higher and higher up the pitch. This left massive gaps for the United attack, which they exploited excellently. First up was Bruno Fernandes, who could’ve laid it off the Rashford, but played a lovely shot which kissed the top right of the post. Olsen was left stranded but unfortunately Fernandes couldn’t quite guide it in
Next up was Marcus Rashford, subbed on at 0-0, who laid it off to Cavani. The goal scorer then repaid the favour by playing it back to him, but he shot straight at Olsen.
With the final move of the game, it was Rashford on the ball again. This time, his layoff was taken gladly by Anthony Martial and finished off brilliantly to put the game swiftly out of Everton’s reach. Thus concludes this match analysis of Manchester United vs Everton, what a game it was, onto the semis!
