Man Utd lose to 1-0 Everton: Two steps forward, two steps back for Ruben Amorim’s men
Read on as Sports News Blitz’s Manchester United resident, Robert Bore, reflects on a disappointing home result against former manager David Moyes.
Two steps forward, two steps back.
There should be no mention of Christmas while we are still in November. It should be a law.
But Ruben Amorim's men were handed a 'gift-slapped' (you'll see what I did there later) early Xmas prezzie on Monday night.
Instead of unwrapping three precious Premier League points, they ended the match round moonwalking away from the Champions League places.
I mean, how am I supposed to enjoy Liverpool losing six of their last seven in the league when we can't beat 10 men at home?
Throw in the fact that those men are marshalled by a manager who broke more records as United manager than Roy Castle, albeit mainly for the club winning at Old Trafford for the first time in generations, and there's a taste in my mouth worse than last year's eggnog.
Team news and early expectations
United had two enforced changes to the side that drew at Spurs before the international break, with Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee replacing the injured Harry Maguire and Matheus Cunha.
Yes, Zirkzee, big Jay-Z, we've got 99 problems, and his not scoring is one.
Everton made one change to their side with 147-year-old Séamus Coleman coming in for Timothy Iroegbunam and his 433rd appearance for the Toffees. Some shift that, and it helped keep my confidence pretty high.
So, bring it on, Reds. Entertain me.
A shaky start despite the occasion
With the rest of the league (except Arsenal) seemingly happy to beat each other up - or just beat Liverpool - European football is there for the taking for anyone with the balls to stick a good run together.
Forget that, Champions League football is ripe for the plucking, like a chicken's tail feathers or a well-strummed guitar.
Speaking of which, United fans paid homage to Stone Roses and Primal Scream's legendary bassist Mani pre-kick off, a staunch red and Manchester hero, go win it for Gaz.
But it was a relatively inauspicious start, Everton looking comfortable as they probed. It was to be prophetic.
Coleman didn't make it beyond 10 minutes before being replaced, presumably through injury, or the local care home had sent his driver a little early to get him back to bed.
Everton implode - and United do nothing with it
It needed a spark, and I thought we had one when Everton imploded. Well, Idrissa Gueye did. Or to put it more accurately, he exploded, and not in a good way.
United had gone close after Bruno Fernandes let fly following some loose play between Michael Keane and Gueye, who proceeded to have a bit of a difference of opinion with his team-mate and ended up giving him a slap.
That's right, a slap. Open palm, across the chops.
The ref, let's be honest, pretty harshly, had his red card out before the echo had left the stadium.
Gueye subsequently lost his shit while Keane, who hadn't seemed to have done too much other than misread a pass, sent him off with a two-fingered salute and a visible "f**k off."
Jordan Pickford probably stopped the Senegal star from getting levelled. You don't see it very often, and it was a joy to see, considering it handed United a man advantage for the next 77 minutes plus added time.
The visitors strike first
Back to the action, or lack of.
United tried to up it a bit, Amad Diallo having a shot blocked and Vitali Mykolenko needing to react sharply as Noussair Mazraoui threatened to get in behind.
It didn't bode well for the visitors, no away side having won in the Premier League at Old Trafford having had a player sent off in 46 attempts.
But this is United, remember, stood in the bar with a wry smile saying "hold my beer."
And so it began.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall decided he'd have a crack with his swinging foot, evading two poor attempts to tackle him from Fernandes and Yoro, then rasping one into the top corner from the edge of the box with 31 minutes gone.
It was more than a tidy finish. Senne Lammens maybe could have done a little better.
United responded, Amad forcing Pickford to parry as the Everton fans found their voices.
Patrick Dorgu, who showed great composure when scoring for Denmark in their ill-fated defeat to Scotland last week, fluffed his lines at the far post by blasting wide as United upped the tempo.
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United struggle to use the extra man
All eyes were now on Amorim as there was an opportunity to utilise the spare man with Everton playing with only one man up top but with willing runners in behind.
But United looked out of sorts, all sloppy headers and misplaced passes putting themselves under pressure, Zirkzee giving the ball away a couple of times.
Dorgu fell over his own feet and it was all a bit Sunday League but with nicer grass and floodlights.
Amad tried to do a Dewsbury-Hall as he danced across the Everton box but his finish was a pale imitation, crawling wide of Pickford's post like a sleepy sloth.
Fernandes was a little closer, leathering the ball towards Pickford's top right corner but the England man's wrist was stronger than Lammens' and the lead remained intact.
Mbuemo was yellow-carded for a pull back on James Garner but Everton were good value for their advantage at the break, being down a man had little impact while United were sloppier than a big wet kiss from your Grandma.
There was work to do.
Amorim turns to Mount, but nothing changes
Amorim turned to the lesser-spotted Mason Mount instead of Mazraoui for inspiration but I was already thinking of turning to religion.
The sloppiness was still on show and Iliman Ndiaye was proving to be a willing and effective runner for David Moyes' men while Thierno Barry set a season record for aerial duels won despite being out-manned.
Mount had a couple of efforts blocked, Mbuemo too, Casemiro shot tamely wide. It wasn't happening but surely the visitors couldn't hold out forever, right?
United push, Everton hold
Amorim hit the panic button with only 10 minutes of the second half gone and Diogo Dalot was stripped off alongside Kobbie Mainoo.
I groaned, which is maybe more muscle memory than anything when thinking of the Portuguese Double D.
Keane, clearly over the slap, got a toe to the ball before Mbuemo could pull the trigger and the changes were made, Dorgu and Casemiro sacrificed.
Mbuemo forced another good save from Pickford, albeit the ball was too close to him, while Mount flashed the ball wide of the far corner from the recycle.
United were starting to knock a little harder but still the sloppiness insisted - misplaced passes and poor control, poor decision-making in possession, pointless crosses.
Fernandes fired over with the outside of his foot. Frustration was building as Everton stood firm with 20 minutes left.
Case in point, Shaw needlessly giving away a free-kick as Everton struggled to get out of their own half, United still in formation, but the players failing to use their extra body to any real effect.
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Game management misery
As clever as it was from Everton, United’s game management was horrific. Grealish, looking like he was about to start at Wing Attack for the Toxteth U15s girls' netball team, shrewdly bought consecutive free-kicks from Zirkzee and Amad in quick succession to run the clock down.
Pickford, meanwhile, was having one of those nights, flying to his right to somehow keep out Zirkzee's cushioned header at full stretch, and Bruno was too high with his latest effort.
Zirkzee headed wide with a head like a Sheriff's badge. A second attempt was straight at the keeper, who tipped it over.
Amad gave the ball away twice, Yoro ran one out of play.
It was crap.
Matthijs de Ligt had the last real chance but ended up virtually passing it back to Pickford.
Everton were nearly home and hosed while the embers of doubt surrounding Amorim and his wedlock to positions and systems were fanning into flames again.
A night to forget at Old Trafford
Boos greeted the whistle as Moyes punched the air. The man who once had us cross the ball 81 times against a team with Dan Burn at centre back had got his tactics spot on - credit where it is due.
It was as stark a performance as we'd seen under Amorim during his tenure.
Not for the chances, nor the fact that it was against 10 men. For the fact that United looked sluggish and disorganised despite Everton not having a shot after their goal, and United wasting 23 attempts in return.
It didn't feel like there was any real urgency, nor any pace or impetus. We sorely missed Cunha!
Despite an extra man, Fernandes remained deeper than Barry White's voice, Shaw failed to offer pace and width on the left to stretch the Toffees, and we continued to cross into a box packed with height and filled with bodies.
Amad's 85th-minute foul throw was perhaps the metaphor for the night.
Two steps forward, two steps back.
