Everton 0-2 Manchester United : Player Ratings
Manchester United returned to winning ways in the Premier League as they kicked off the New Year with a comfortable victory over Everton at Goodison Park. After a tepid first half, Anthony Martial broke the deadlock with a well-stroked shot from the edge of the box. Jesse Lingard rounded off the victory in the 81st minute with an excellent strike into the far corner after cutting in from the left wing.
Here are the Player Ratings from the game at Merseyside:-
Everton
Jordan Pickford - 6.5
The young custodian made two good saves to deny Pogba and Lingard in the second half. He could not have done much about the quality of the strikes that went in.
Mason Holgate - 6
Holgate looked positive going forward in the first half but gradually dissipated as an attacking threat as the game wore on.
Michael Keane - 6.5
The summer signing from Burnley made a handful of defensive clearances and came close to scoring from a set-piece as well.
Ashley Williams - 6.5
Williams marshalled his defence well against increasing Manchester United pressure and cannot be held responsible for the concession of the two goals as both were from the edge of the box.
Cuco Martina - 6
Martina too made forward runs in the first half to support Bolasie. But like Holgate, he was made to play narrow in a six-man defence against a resurgent United.
Tom Davies - 6
The teenage midfielder moved the ball around nicely to feed the wingers from the middle of the park, but most of his passes were sideways and bereft of the incision.
Morgan Schneiderlein - 6
The former United midfielder shored up the defensive midfield role well and kept the opposition at bay in the first half, not providing them space to exploit through the middle. He was unable to stem the tide of United attacks that followed in the second period.
Wayne Rooney - 7
Manchester United's record goal-scorer controlled proceedings in an advanced midfield position. He was often the magnet of the team - every time Everton ran out of ideas in attack, they returned a pass to Rooney in order to restart.
Nikola Vlasic - 6.5
Vlasic looked dangerous in the early stages, pressing high up the pitch and delivering square passes into the box. He was resigned to a full-back in a back-six in the second half as the tide turned in United's favour.
Yannick Bolasie - 6.5
Bolasie dominated the left-wing in the opening half an hour against an uncomfortable Victor Lindelof and managed to run the byline on a couple of occasions. He was taken off on the hour as he continues to gather full match fitness since returning from a lengthy injury layoff.
Oumar Niasse - 6.5
Niasse was denied by last man Rojo's tackle in the first half as he teed up a shot from the edge of the six-yard box. He was involved in Everton's attacks and laid the ball off to his team-mates in order to create goal-scoring opportunities. One such layoff resulted in him receiving a cross from the right-wing which he headed just wide. He was amongst Everton's more hard-working players.
Substitutes:
Aaron Lennon - 6.5
Lennon's introduction sparked a brief comeback from Everton as they attacked from his wing, getting teasing balls to run across the box. However, United's second goal killed off any of the optimism that was created after he came on.
James McCarthy - 6.5
Everton showed more physicality in midfield once McCarthy replaced Rooney, winning the ball back and momentarily putting the visitors under pressure. But the second goal ended any hopes of mustering a comeback.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin - 5
Calvert-Lewin came on with United already 2 goals to the good and hardly got a sight of the ball.