A dogs of war performance from Duncan Ferguson’s Everton meant they left Old Trafford with a point after a 1-1 draw with Manchester United. Mason Greenwood’s goal thirteen minutes from time cancelled out Victor Lindelof’s own goal in the first half.
Everton made four changes to the side that beat Chelsea last weekend in Ferguson’s first game in charge with captain Seamus Coleman, Bernard, Yerry Mina, and Tom Davies all in for Djibril Sidibe, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Morgan Schneiderlin and Theo Walcott who all missed out through injury and sickness.
Everton lined up with a back five but as the game kicked off, Mason Holgate immediately pushed into central midfield alongside Tom Davies, meaning Everton played 4-4-2 again. However, after 16 seconds it could’ve been the worst possible start if Jesse Lingard had controlled his shot on the turn, but he put it wide of the post after being set up inadvertently by Tom Davies on the edge of the Everton box.
The first effort on target came from a Marcus Rashford free-kick after Scott McTominay was fouled by Tom Davies 30 yards from goal. Rashford got the ball up and over the Everton wall, but his England teammate Pickford was equal to the effort and denied the striker.
Lucas Digne who was forced off last weekend through injury only lasted 24 minutes and was replaced by Leighton Baines, and it was the veteran who played a part in the opening goal just over 10 minutes after his arrival.
Baines’ in-swinging corner was put right onto David de Gea, who missed his punch thanks to the presence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and the ball hit Lindelof and rolled over the line to give the visitors a surprise lead.
United tried to get back into the game but rarely tested Pickford. with Daniel James and Rashford snatching at chances when the opportunities presented themselves and Pickford was only really tested again in the second half through Luke Shaw on the hour mark.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was not happy with what he was seeing from his side and brought on youngster Mason Greenwood who scored twice midweek in the Europa League and he repaid his manager’s faiyh, getting the equaliser twelve minutes after his arrival.
The youngster, who was compared to Robin Van Persie by Gary Neville in commentary, found half a yard on the edge of the box and drilled the ball in between Mina’s legs past a diving Pickford into the bottom corner.
The game petered out for the final ten minutes but the main talking point at the end of the game was Duncan Ferguson’s substitutions. Prior to the Greenwood goal, he brought on Moise Kean for Bernard and with two minutes of time to play, the substitute was substituted with forgotten man Oumar Niasse replacing Kean. The 19-year old was visibly not happy with the decision and he left the field walking straight past his manager and down the line towards the tunnel.
When asked about the decision after the game Ferguson told Sky Sports that it was purely to waste time and nothing personal. But irrespective of the strange substitution, Duncan Ferguson has got his players fighting for the badge once again and with a high number of first-team players missing, a point at Manchester United is an excellent result for the interim manager.
