Marcus Rashford shines as Man Utd heap more misery on Everton in FA Cup – 5 talking points
Manchester United’s impressive winning run has now been extended to seven games after they progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup at the expense of Everton.
It took just three minutes for United to open the scoring, with marquee summer signing Antony tapping home from close range to spark celebrations from the Old Trafford faithful and send the hosts on their way.
However, the good feeling inside the ground was momentarily halted when Conor Coady capitalised on a David de Gea error to equalise for Everton against the run of play.
The second stage of the first-half proved to be an end-to-end affair, with both sides spurning what would have been glorius chances with a shoddy final ball.
Within seven minutes of the restart, United were back in front as Coady went from hero to zero. The central defender slid the ball into his own net following some dazzling wingplay from Marcus Rashford after the England ace flashed the ball across the face of the Everton goal.
Marcus Rashford added a third for United from the penalty spot in second-half stoppage time to put the result beyond any doubt after Alejandro Garnacho was dragged down by Ben Godfrey.
Despite some pressure from Everton late on and Dominic Calvert-Lewin having a goal chalked off for an offside in the build-up, United stood firm to register hard-fought 3-1 win and seal their place in the next round.
David de Gea’s horror show
David De Gea was at fault for Everton’s equaliser
Roy Keane admitted he still has lingering doubts over United’s goalkeeper before kick-off and the Spaniard wasted little time in inadvertedly proving why.
Neal Maupay’s cross looked anything but threatening, but somehow managed to squirm through the legs of De Gea – who still had one hand on the goal-post by the time Conor Coady had bundled the ball home.
The moment of madness from United’s long-term number one marked the first goal the Red Devils had conceded since mid-November and briefly dented the momentum the hosts had worked hard to muster up early on.
At half-time, Keane was unsurprisingly scathing in his assessment of De Gea’s error – claiming it looked like he ‘had a few drinks’ and it was almosr as if an outfield player had gone in goal.
Rashford’s fine form continues
Marcus Rashford was Manchester United’s most effective player against Everton
United’s number 10 has been in stellar form all season and this clash proved no different, with Rashford at the heart of all things positive for the hosts.
It was the 25-year-old who laid United’s first on a plate for Antony, with Rashford’s pass ensuring all the Brazilian had to do was caress his effort into an empty net from no more than four yards out.
The Red Devils’ second goal looked strikingly similar, with Rashford leaving Seamus Coleman beaten all ends up before playing a dangerous left-footed pass into the kind of area centre-backs dread.
Rashford netted his 106th strike in United colours from the penalty spot, his seventh home goal in seven home games.
United’s defensive fragilities
Manchester United’s defence was hardly faultless against Everton
For all of United’s swashbuckling, attacking play there are still clear areas Ten Hag’s side must improve in.
On a number of occasions Everton managed get the wrong side of United’s midfield, leaving the Toffees with a direct run at a United back-line that hardly looked rock solid.
Demarai Gray gave a stellar account of his dribbling skills up against Raphael Varane and Diogo Dalot but his final ball abandoned him the majority of the time – sparing the blushes of United’s defenders.
The United boss will certainly harbour some concerns over that aspect of the game, especially with potentially season-defining fixtures against local rivals City and table toppers Arsenal up next.
Luke Shaw at centre-back
For the third time in four games, Ten Hag deployed England international Shaw in a less familiar role at left-back against the Toffees.
While the Red Devils stalwart was solid enough in a defensive sense, he simply does not boast the ability to make the sort of line-breaking, progressive passes that Lisandro Martinez does so often.
The bulk of United’s promising attacks were started from full-time central defender Raphael Varane, with Shaw keeping his passes simple and relatively risk-free for the most part.
Shaw took up his usual position at full-back once the Argentine returned having been introduced off the bench, but United were forced to make do without a vital element in their build-up play for the majority of the tie.
Everton’s woes continue
Frank Lampard will be under even more pressure following Everton’s elimination from the FA Cup
It would appear that the spirited performance Everton put in against United’s local rivals Manchester City last week wasn’t a fluke, as they gave as good as they got for large portions of this contest.
After Tuesday’s humiliating 4-1 defeat by Brighton at home, Lampard faced calls for him to be dismissed from his post less than a year after taking the helm.
Despite their efforts at Old Trafford on Friday evening, those calls are only likely to grow louder with Everton now out of both cup competitions and their Premier League status under threat as they languish as low as 18th.
There were some bright sparks, with Gray undoubtedly the Toffees’ shining light, but there are serious question marks over the current crop of Everton players.
Alex Iwobi has arguably been Everton’s player of the season so far and the fact he was stretchered out of action will undoubtedly cause Lampard further headaches regardless of the result.
