EPL 2021-22: Manchester United 1-1 Everton: 3 factors which stood out in the match
Manchester United drew with Everton 1-1 in a Premier League match at Old Trafford today. The draw meant that United are now in second position in the league table with 14 points from seven matches. Everton have the same number of points from the same number of matches, but are in third position because of an inferior goal-difference.
Anthony Martial scored United's first goal in the 43rd minute, while Andros Townsend equalized for Everton in the 65th. United's official Twitter page was laconic in its post-match reaction.
It ends level.
#MUFC | #MUNEVE
On that note, we now take a look at the three factors which stood out in today's match:
#1 Greenwood impressed in the match, as United started with big stars on the bench
United started the match with some of the biggest names in the Premier League on the bench. Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Paul Pogba did not feature in the starting eleven today. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decided to offer Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay places in the starting eleven.
Both of them toiled hard, and Martial succeeded in scoring his first goal of the season for United. But it was Mason Greenwood who impressed the most with his tireless display in the first half. He kept falling back into his own half constantly to win balls and also played crucial passes in the opposition half.
It was Greenwood’s pass to Bruno Fernandes that led to the opening goal. Greenwood and Fernandes each played a pass across the width of the pitch before the ball finally landed to Martial. The Frenchman entered the box through the inside left channel and beat Jordan Pickford with a neat finish with his right foot.
Fernandes registered an assist for the goal, but Greenwood can be given equal credit. It was he who located the Portuguese midfielder, who was unmarked in a central position.
#2 Everton toiled hard to take the attack to United
United had 68% ball possession and played more than twice as many passes as Everton in the first half. But those stats do not do complete justice to the visiting side’s efforts.
Everton were not ultra-defensive in their approach and took the attack to United on numerous occasions. They relied on quick counter-attacks to unsettle the home side on a number of occasions.
Everton kept playing the ball to the flanks while launching attacks and a number of crosses were played to the United box from either flank. Anthony Gordon was particularly active through the left flank, and one of his crosses had almost led to a goal.
On another occasion, Abdoulaye Doucoure’s shot from inside the United box was blocked by a defender, and David De Gea did extremely well to parry Demarai Gray’s grounder. Everton played with a high line at times, and were also able to intercept a number of United’s attacks in the middle third.
#3 United threw in the stars, as Everton scored in the second half
The second half turned out to be as entertaining as the first, as United introduced Ronaldo, Sancho and Pogba. With the introduction of the first two just before the hour mark, United’s attack suddenly looked faster and more vicious. Greenwood continued the good work on the right flank and repeatedly cut into the penalty box from the wing. Sancho tried the same through the left flank, and Ronaldo’s quick, deft touches meant that United had become more lethal in their attack.
However, it was Everton who succeeded in scoring an equalizer from a counter-attack. Gray won the ball back inside his own half from a United corner and started a quick counter-attacking move. The move ended in Townsend, an Everton substitute, beating De Gea with a grounder.
Gray kept troubling the Everton defense with his surging runs as the home side went all-out in their attack. However, the match ended in a draw, which means that United have now lost five points in their last two league matches.
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