Erik Ten Hag: ““We have to be more clinical and more ruthless and this game has to be finished by half time and we didn’t,” he tells the BBC. “But it is still a very good performance and it is still a big compliment to the team.”
Manchester United’s manager also points out that his side has had to play three games in seven days and blames the hecticness of United’s schedule for Marcus Rashford’s injury. Manchester United have played more games than any other top flight team in Europe this season and continue to fight on three fronts with the Carabao Cup already safely ensconced in the trophy cabinet.
Jordan Pickford: “We know they are a good side with them being in the top four,” he tells the BBC. “We were still in the game with it being 1-0 but as a team unit we need to be better. We had a game plan and sometimes you have to hold your hand up. We have got to keep grafting and working hard. We know as a team we want to be much better and coming to Old Trafford we need to step up to the plate. We have eight games left and they are eight finals.”Match report: Manchester United 2-0 Everton
Despite missing countless first half chances, Manchester United eventually ran out comfortable winners but have been left worrying over the fitness of Marcus Rashford. Jamie Jackson has t
he lowdown from Old Trafford.
Scott McTominay: “We have to be more clinical and I’m sure that’s what the manager will say,” says the scorer of United’s opener. “After Wednesday night and the reaction we showed after the game against Newcastle, it was a good win.”
Harry Maguire: “It was great football from ourselves and we were disappointed to only go in 1-0 up,” says the Manchester United skipper of his side’s first-half performance in a post match interview with BT Sport. “The game should have been gone. The lads started on the front foot, we were aggressive, we created chance after chance after chanc e and I think if the score was three, four or five nobody would have any arguments.
“So yes, we werre disappointed to go in at 1-0 and we knew the second half would be different but I felt like we controlled the game well. We got a comfortable 2-0 win in the end and now we focus on the next. We had a game plan and got in behind them a lot.”
Full time: Manchester United 2-0 Everton
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeeeep! It’s all over at Old Trafford, where Manchester United have won very comfortably courtesy of a goal in each half but will be sweating over the fitness of Marcus Rashford, who pulled up lame with a groin injury. Everton could have lost by a lot more and may find themselves plunged back into the relegation zone by Premier League stumps this weekend.
90+2 min: Pickford and Martial find themselves in a rugby league-style tangle on the floor after the United goalscorer had tried to run on to a weighted pass along the floor from Tyrrell Malacia. Pickford was quick off his line to foil and then land on top of him.
90 min: We’ll have three minutes of addded time at the end of a half in which Everton rallied impressively until United knocked the stuffing out of them with that goal scored on the back of Seamus Coleman’s unfortunate error.
88 min: Bruno Fernandes is given the Man of the Match award, presumably because he’s going to finish on the winning team. He’s played well for United but Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has been the quite obvious stand-out player in this match.
86 min: Bruno Fernandes curls a shot into the gloves of Pickford moments after Scott McTominay had appealed for a United penalty. The ball did hit Seamus Coleman’s arm, but the Everton skipper was on all fours at the time and was using it to help hold himself upright.
84 min: Scott McTominay picks out Bruno Fernandes at the far post and the Portuguese tries to steer a header into the path of Wout Weghorst. He succeeds only in passing the ball to Jordan Pickford, who accepts the gift gratefully.
80 min: Manchester United substitution: Wout Weghorst on for Marcus Rashford, moments after David De Gea had comfortably saved a long-range effort from Seamus Coleman.
Rashford limps back towards the tunnel in obvious discomfort, looking thoroughly fed up. For all that, he still takes the time to remove and hand his shirt to a young fan. On this Easter weekend, it’s important to remember the man is a living saint currently limping among us.
78 min: Eriksen floats a ball from deep in behind the Manchester United defence trying to pick out Marcus Rashford. The striker stretches to try to control the ball, pulls up holding his groin and immnediately signals to the bench. That’s a worry for Manchester United, who have come to rely on his goals, even if he hasn’t scored today.
76 min: Manchester United double-substitution: Eriksen and Fred on for Marcel Sabitzer and Jadon Sancho. The announcement of Eriksen’s name is greeted by a huge cheer and a long round of applause from those in the stands.
74 min: Demarai Gray pulls a low diagonal shot wide of the far post as Christian Eriksen prepares to come on for Manchester United.
GOAL! Manchester United 2-0 Everton (Martial 71)
United double their lead. Seamus Coleman miscontrols a long ball from the back on the edge of his own penalty area, allowing the ball to squirt behind him from under his foot. Marcus Rashford is on hand to capitalise and squares it for Anthony Martial, who can’t miss. And that, one suspects is that as far as the outcome of this game is concerned.
