Everton 1-2 Manchester United: Cristiano Ronaldo nets landmark winner against Toffees

Manchester United beat Everton 2-1 on Sunday to record only their fourth away Premier League win of the calendar year. It was a solid performance from Erik ten Hag’s side, who came from behind courtesy of goals from Antony and Cristiano Ronaldo. They’re up to fifth in the Premier League table, now only a point off the final Champions League spot.

Ten Hag made only three changes from the midweek victory over Omonia, with Luke Shaw replacing Tyrell Malacia at left-back, and Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial replacing Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo in attack. Raphaël Varane started from the bench, with Victor Lindelöf maintaining his partnership with Lisandro Martínez at centre-back.

The visitors got off to a shaky start, and found themselves trailing inside six minutes. Amadou Onana picked Casemiro’s pocket deep in United’s midfield, and the Toffees worked the ball out to Alex Iwobi, whose curling effort from 25 yards arrowed past David de Gea and into the top corner.

However, United’s sloppiness was matched by their hosts, and less than 10 minutes later, the Reds drew level. Idrissa Gueye gifted possession to Bruno Fernandes, who quickly offloaded to Martial lurking midway inside Everton’s half. The Frenchman weighted a perfect pass for Antony, whose darting run off the right allowed him to open his body to curl a low shot inside Jordan Pickford’s far post.

It was a scrappy game though United looked the more threatening, and soon their chances flowed freely. Another Everton giveaway presented Christian Eriksen with a shooting opportunity on the edge of the box, but his low drive was tipped behind by Pickford. Fernandes had a scrappy goal chalked off for offside, and Casemiro contrived to nod a free header wide from the edge of the six-yard box.

United finally took the lead just moments before halftime, when Casemiro made amends by nicking the ball from Iwobi and instantly firing a perfect pass into the left channel for Cristiano Ronaldo—brought on minutes earlier for the perennially injured Martial. The Portuguese forward surged forward and slotted a calm finish past Pickford: his 700th career club goal, and first against Everton in 17 years.

Everton started the second half with gusto, though United too probed in possession. A third goal seemed inevitable. Two Toffees players were booked in quick succession as the match became ever more hot-tempered. Just past the hour an Eriksen free-kick dropped menacingly into the Everton six-yard box, though Pickford pounced before a United attacker could stab home.

Marcus Rashford thought he’d sealed the win with 10 minutes left, when he rode a clumsy James Tarkowski challenge to slot past Pickford, though his goal was harshly ruled out for handball after a VAR review.

Everton threw everything at United in the final few minutes, with Onana glancing an in-swinging cross narrowly wide, and James Garner forcing an acrobatic save from De Gea with a dipping effort from distance. Ten Hag took no risks, introducing Varane in place of Antony in stoppage time, as United clung on for an important three points.