NEW YEAR, NEW HOPE
After a tricky end to 2017, United start 2018 in style to put a rare smile on Jose’s face and keep them in Euro hunt
AFTER a frustrating end to 2017, the perfect start to the New Year for Jose Mourinho and Manchester United.
Three straight Premier League draws had not only thwarted any remote chance United had of catching runaway leaders Manchester City but also put in jeopardy a top-four place.
Losing a slew of players to injury and suspension had further handicapped Mourinho, but his players stepped up here with a reminder of their enduring quality.
Everton gave Mourinho’s side a helping hand with an embarrassingly compliant display, with Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard taking full advantage to secure a muchneeded win for the visitors.
Pogba set up both goals – the first for Anthony Martial, the second for Lingard – and played with swaggering assurance after being accused of “strolling” through games by United legend Paul Scholes.
United’s £89million record signing provided the perfect riposte to that accusation, taking control of the game and driving Mourinho’s side to a win that may prove to be the catalyst for an upturn in form.
United arrived at Goodison Park without nine players, Ashley Young adding to the eight injured by starting a three-match ban for violent conduct.
Against that backdrop – and without striker Romelu Lukaku, left out as a precaution ater a nasty clash of heads in the 0-0 draw with Southampton – Mourinho’s options were restricted.
The first half was played at a pace more akin to a testimonial than a Premier League game, with both sides looking fatigued from the fixture programme.
But United grew in confidence, testing Everton’s defence and ensuring they kept England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford on his toes with their constant probing. United emerged for the second half with greater urgency, with Pogba finally showing the influence and impact demanded of him by Scholes.
Juan Mata twice went close to opening the scoring for United, denied by Pickford and then by the frame of the goal, as Mourinho’s side assumed control, with Everton strangely compliant.
Pogba rolled a shot just wide after a one-two with Lingard in the 55th minute, then turned provider for Martial to open the scoring two minutes later.
Mata made a diagonal run and found Pogba, who picked out Martial, rolling a square ball to his France compatriot just outside the Everton penalty area.
With no one closing him down, Martial had enough time to compose himself and pick his spot with a clinical finish into the top right corner for his first goal in nine games.
The goal jolted Everton into life but they simply did not have enough quality going forward to have any chance of plundering an equaliser. The closest they came was when Oumar Niasse headed wide with 20 minutes to go from a Mason Holgate cross, while Ander Herrera was on hand to block a goalbound shot from Blues midfielder Tom Davies.
Lingard sealed the win for United with his majestic finish nine minutes from time.
Luke Shaw (above) won possession from an Everton throw-in, with Pogba picking up the loose ball to feed the in-form Lingard.
There was only one thing on Lingard’s mind as he sidestepped Michael Keane before curling the ball beyond the reach of Pickford for his 10th goal of the season and seventh in nine appearances.
City may be out of sight, but United still have a top-four place to fight for, and they will need to maintain this level of performance until the end of the season to achieve that objective.