Everton 0-3 Manchester United: Alejandro Garnacho’s glorious goal helps Erik ten Hag’s side up to sixth

Manchester United moved up to sixth in the Premier League table with a 3-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park that was lit up by Alejandro Garnacho’s acrobatic goal.

His stunning overhead kick put United ahead inside three minutes and though Everton had chances to level it, Marcus Rashford’s penalty and Anthony Martial’s neat finish put it beyond Sean Dyche’s side in their first game since being deducted 10 points.

The defeat means Everton remain 19th while Erik ten Hag’s fifth win in six Premier League games, one achieved while he was watching on from the stands serving a touchline suspension, means United are now only six points off the top of the table.

How Man Utd won it

As a result of that 10-point deduction for a breach of profit and sustainability rules, handed down by an independent commission and imposed with immediate effect, Everton began the day five points from safety following Luton’s win on Saturday.

Supporters made their feelings known just as the players and staff had. “All we can affect is what’s in front of us,” Dominic Calvert-Lewin said beforehand. In their programme notes, Sean Dyche, Seamus Coleman and Kevin Thelwell shared similar sentiments.

United could have been impacted by the atmosphere of righteous indignation among the home support. “That is their fuel,” Ten Hag had said. “We have to match those standards.” They more than did so in the opening minutes, taking control from the outset.

Everton had barely had a kick of the ball when Victor Lindelof’s sweeping pass found Marcus Rashford on the flank and Diogo Dalot crossed for Garnacho. There could be no anticipating what followed. His acrobatic volley found the far corner of Jordan Pickford’s net.

It was a stunning goal, perhaps the best of the season, and seemed to justify Ten Hag’s optimism. Despite their travails in Europe, they came into the game as one of the form teams in the Premier League. “We have seen a turning point,” he had claimed.

Everton, for their part, started sluggishly given the atmosphere but that changed when they had a flurry of good opportunities half an hour into the game. United were fortunate to withstand the pressure with their advantage intact. Andre Onana saved them.

There was a smart save from Calvert-Lewin’s header and an even better one low to his left to keep out the striker soon after. Dwight McNeil should have converted from the rebound but the ball was cleared off the line by Kobbie Mainoo on his full Premier League debut. Abdoulaye Doucoure then missed when well placed.

The equaliser appeared inevitable at that stage and might have come in the 41st minute when the unmarked Calvert-Lewin headed over. The England international was a handful and it was his run that set up Idrissa Gueye only for him to miss the target too.

Dyche had bemoaned Everton’s finishing at Goodison Park earlier this season and this was another occasion when their profligacy in front of goal was a problem. United, with 18-year-old Mainoo showing composure in midfield, somehow held on to half-time.

They reasserted control in the second half and were rewarded with a second goal from the penalty spot. It needed a VAR review to spot the lazy leg that Ashley Young had stuck out in tripping Martial, who was initially yellow carded for simulating contact.

Rashford did the rest with an emphatic strike from the spot. Gueye did force another diving save from Onana but when Martial finished nonchalantly beyond Pickford after being slipped in on goal by Bruno Fernandes, any hope of a comeback was over.

When Vitalii Mykolenko’s late shot came back off the bar, it summed up their afternoon. Everton were left wondering what might have been and must prepare for this relegation battle. United, for all of their own challenges, are looking upwardly mobile again.

Luke Shaw is back fit, Mainoo looks a good option in midfield, while Rashford and Martial have both brought lengthy goal droughts to an end. Just the boost that Ten Hag needed given the tests that they will face away to Galatasaray and Newcastle next week.

Man Utd’s win in stats

Manchester United have won five of their last six Premier League games. Since the start of October, their five wins and 15 points are both the most any side has recorded in the competition.
Manchester United scored three goals in a Premier League away game for the first time since their 6-3 defeat at Manchester City in October 2022.
After just two minutes and 13 seconds, Alejandro Garnacho scored Manchester United’s earliest Premier League goal by a teenager.
Marcus Rashford has scored 11 of the 13 penalties he has taken for Manchester United excluding shootouts, including each of his last eight in a row.
Anthony Martial scored his seventh Premier League goal against Everton, at least two more than he has versus any other side.

What’s next?

Everton travel to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday December 2, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 5.30pm.

Man Utd are in Champions League action on Wednesday when they travel to Galatasaray; kick-off 5.45pm.

They then travel to Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday December 2; kick-off 8pm.