Statistics & Post-Match Quotes | Everton 1-0 Manchester United

TEAM STATISTICS

The Busby Babe	Everton	United
Shots (on target)	18 (7)	14 (4)
Total Passes	193	568
Passing Accuracy	70%	88%
Ball Possession	31%	69%
Tackles won	19	15
Interceptions	14	8
Fouls	13	11
Corners	6	8
Offsides	0	1

* David de Gea (goalkeeper): 8/15 passing (53%), 6 saves, 1 goal conceded

* Michael Carrick (right-center-back): 61/67 passing (91%), 4/6 long balls, 1 tackle, 1 interception, 6 clearances, 1 shot blocked, 0 fouls

* Nemanja Vidic (left-center-back): 48/52 passing (92%), 5/7 long balls, 0 tackles, 1 interception, 12 clearances, 1 shot blocked, 3 fouls

* Antonio Valencia (right-back): 50/60 passing (83%), 0 key passes, 1/7 crosses, 3/3 long balls, 3 tackles, 2 interceptions, 6 clearances, 0 shots blocked, 2 fouls

* Patrice Evra (left-back): 49/58 passing (84%), 3 key passes, 3/6 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 1 tackle, 0 interceptions, 3 clearances, 0 shots blocked, 2 fouls

* Tom Cleverley (central-midfield | substituted off 85'): 78/85 passing (92%), 1 key pass, 0/0 crosses, 6/7 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 5 tackles, 1 interception, 2 shots (1 on target)

* Paul Scholes (central-midfield): 92/95 passing (97%), 1 key pass, 0/0 crosses, 12/13 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 3 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 shot (1 on target)

* Shinji Kagawa (central-attacking-midfield): 68/75 passing (91%), 4 key passes, 2/2 crosses, 2/2 long balls, 2/3 through balls, 2 successful dribbles, 1 foul won, 1 tackle, 0 interceptions, 0 shots

* Nani (right-attacking-midfield | substituted off 78'): 32/36 passing (89%), 0 key passes, 0/8 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 2 fouls won, 1 tackle, 0 interceptions, 1 shot (0 on target)

* Danny Welbeck (left-attacking-midfield | substituted off 68'): 20/23 passing (87%), 0 key passes, 0/0 crosses, 1/1 long balls, 0/1 through balls, 1 successful dribble, 0 fouls won, 0 tackles, 1 interception, 3 shots (0 on target)

* Wayne Rooney (striker): 40/49 passing (82%), 0 key passes, 0/4 crosses, 3/3 long balls, 0/1 through balls, 2 successful dribbles, 0 fouls won, 4 shots (2 on target)

* Robin van Persie (striker | substituted on 68'): 4/7 passing (57%), 0 key passes, 0/4 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 0 fouls won, 0 shots

* Ashley Young (left-winger | substituted off 78'): 12/14 passing (86%), 0 key passes, 0/3 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 0 fouls won, 0 tackles, 0 interceptions, 0 shots

* Anderson (central-midfield | substituted on 85'): 9/10 passing (90%), 0 key passes, 0/0 crosses, 2/2 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 tackles, 0 interceptions, 1 shot (0 on target)

POST-MATCH QUOTES

Sir Alex Ferguson | MUFC manager (courtesy of MUTV)

(Overall thoughts on United's performance...) "I think it was a pretty good game actually. We had plenty of possession and made some great openings without actually finishing them. But I have no criticism of my team tonight, they applied themselves well."

(On United's finishing...) "That was the main difference, they got their shots on target and our goalkeeper did very well. We had a couple of moments [when we nearly scored]. I thought maybe Danny Welbeck was pushed as he went into the box. That was a big moment and Tom Cleverley had his shot blocked by Phil Jagielka on the line in the second half. We played really good football at times. We had some good combination play."

(On Everton's Marouane Fellaini...) "Fellaini is a handful. He’s a big, tall, gangly lad and they just lumped the ball towards him all the time. That’s all they did and they worked it from that base. But he got the goal for them so it’s justified."

(On United's attack when van Persie came on...) "I thought we played around Robin too much. We didn’t show enough penetration. With Robin in your team, you really want to use his ability against centre-backs, he’s very good in those situations. But we didn’t use that."

(On the injuries in the back...) "I don’t think any of them [Ferdinand, Evans, Smalling, Jones] will be fit for Saturday [vs Fulham]. Hopefully Jonny Evans is getting near. Obvoiusly we’ve got a good week’s training now and that will bring him on a good bit. Hopefully in a couple of weeks we should be okay. Michael Carrick’s not used to playing as a centre-back but he did all right, he did fine. He applied himself well tonight - they all did."

Nemanja Vidic | MUFC defender & captain

(Overall thoughts...) "We knew it would be a hard game. They did what they're best at - playing long balls and focusing on set-pieces. They had a few chances and in the end deserved to score, but we're never happy when we concede from a set-piece. We had some possession but we weren't clinical. When you go away from home you expect the home side to have some chances, but we need to be more clinical. It wasn't a great game but we're already looking forward to the next one. We've lost our first match [of the season] in the past and finished well so hopefully we can win our next game and go on a long run."

(On the makeshift back four...) "When you come to places like Everton who will play long balls into the box you need big, strong defenders, but we won't use injuries as an excuse. I thought the players who came in gave their best and hopefully we'll have a couple of defenders ready for the next game."

(On chasing for a late equaliser...) "Towards the end of the game Everton looked a bit tired and I believed, even up until the last minute, we would score because we had some good possession and they sat back a bit. Unfortunately we just couldn't get the goal."

Marouane Fellaini | Everton midfielder (courtesy of Sky Sports)

(On his goal and on his side's performance...) "It was a good goal, it was a good cross, a good corner. It was good for me and for Everton. Everton had a lot of chances in the first half and we had to keep going and hoped the team scored. I think everybody was motivated. Manchester United is a great club. Everybody is motivated, and I think today everybody played well.''

Phil Jagielka | Everton defender

(Overall thoughts on the match...) "We knew it was a great team like Man United but fortunately the big man (Fellaini) put his head where it hurts and we had something to hang on to. I think the whole team was a bit tired towards the end but the effort that we all put in towards the end was fantastic and it's nice to send the Everton fans on the first day of our season home with a win and not the doom and gloom we normally start with. It's a fantastic start for us, three points. We'll build on it for the next game, we've got a big game coming up over the weekend so if we can get another point away at Villa, or three, it's going to be fantastic start and hopefully instead of chasing the teams, we can maybe chased for once.''

David Moyes | Everton manager

(On Fellaini...) "He (Fellaini) was excellent tonight, but we know he's capable of that. Manchester United have got to remember they were without some central defenders tonight but I did think Fellaini caused them problems."

(On his back four...) "I thought Phil Jagielka, Sylvain Distin and all the defenders did a great job in making sure we didn't concede a goal.

(On the result and the crowd at Goodison...) "It was a great result for us, great for the crowd, Goodison was at its best tonight but that's partly because of the way the players performed - their attitude and the energy they showed throughout the game. It's a good start but it's only a start and that's why you don't get carried away but it's not often you beat Manchester United so I'll enjoy it, the players will enjoy it but we'll move on quite quickly.''