OLE PROMISES Boss in battle to fix problems RED REBOOT
OSS Ole Gunnar Solksjaer vowed that his Manchester United side will use the international break to reset after their current poor home form continued with a stumbling draw that could easily have ended in a victory for Everton.
He made five changes to his starting line-up – including leaving out Cristiano Ronaldo – and saw his team take the lead through Anthony Martial.
However, despite dominating possession, the Red Devils looked vulnerable throughout and conceded a second-half equaliser from Andros Townsend.
That made it just two wins from six for United going into the break, and Solksjaer admitted: “Every game’s a big game at Man United. It has been a big month with lots of changes happening at the club.
“We’ve just got to be focused, use the international break well, us as coaches, and come back with energy and clear focus.
“The mindset is good, the players are hungry to improve, and today we dominated the game but we just couldn’t get the second goal you need in games like this.
“Everton, as we saw last season, can score a goal from nowhere.”
Despite Solskjaer’s claim that Everton’s goal came from nowhere, they were more than value for a point earned in part thanks to their threat from wide – as underlined through the lively Townsend.
United carved out early chances – an Edinson Cavani header that forced a brilliant Jordan Pickford save after 20 minutes the best.
It was another good move that saw them take the lead before the break after a fizzed Mason Greenwood pass through the lines found Bruno Fernandes, and he fed Martial for a powerful finish.
Having more than played their part, Everton had reason to feel aggrieved with the half-time score, and their hopes took a further hit when Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo arrived from the bench early in the second period.
But they held firm before landing a superbly worked counterpunch just past the hour mark.
Demarai Gray fought off challenges from Fred and Aaron Wan-bissaka on the left before feeding Abdoulaye Doucoure, who waited until the perfect moment to release Townsend for a right-footed finish into the corner.
The goal evidenced a familiar weakness for United, of which Solksjaer said: “We conceded a goal from a corner we had, and we were still four players behind the ball when it’s delivered and we should have dealt with it.”
Things could have got worse for United with five minutes to go had Tom
Davies took on a shot in the box rather than feed an offside Yerry Mina to tap in.
But Everton boss Rafael
Benitez was reluctant to criticise his midfielder. He said: “The chance of Davies, he saw the position of Yerry and thought it was much better than his.
“You cannot blame a player for making these kind of decisions.”
On the result and season so far, Benitez added: “I’m really pleased with the team, the effort of the players.
‘‘We’re missing important players and still performing and I hope it will be the same in the next game againstwest Ham.’’