TOFFEE HAMMER! Everton crack Ole’s brittle backline as United s
IT WOULD have been so fitting if on the night Manchester United remembered the Busby Babes it was one of their own who emerged as a match winner.
Scott McTominay is a Lancaster-born Scotland star who joined United at the age of five.
His 69th-minute header should have meant United trailing league leaders Manchester City only by goal difference this morning.
But it was not to be. In stoppage time Dominic Calvert Lewin snaffled up a chance from a free-kick – with David De
Gea again looking at fault in a game where he was exposed more than once – to snatch another leveller.
Two first-half goals by Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes had Everton reeling. But Carlo Ancelotti’s men came out swinging after the break to draw level with two goals in three minutes from Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez.
Then McTominay struck, rising to divert Luke Shaw’s swinging free-kick past Toffees’ keeper Robin Olsen with the back of his head.
Solskjaer would have been a relieved man – and so would United keeper De Gea after his mistake had allowed Doucoure to grab a lifeline for the visitors.
Three days after their 9-0 obliteration of Southampton, the Reds were back in the goals again.
The soundtrack pre-game was ‘The Flowers of Manchester’, a song by folk band the Spinners written in honour of the tragic Babes.
It felt even more haunting being played at empty Old Trafford on the 63rd anniversary of the Munich Air Crash that claimed the lives of 23 people, including eight of Matt Busby’s brilliant young team.
Skippers Harry Maguire and
Lucas Digne both laid wreaths by the centre circle before the teams honoured a minute’s silence.
Everton boss Ancelotti (below) made three changes to the team that won at Leeds in midweek, with Michael Keane, Tom Davies and Rodriguez coming in.
Solskjaer had been able to use his substitutes early against the Saints, so his only change here was Paul Pogba for Fred. Davies introduced himself to Fernandes with a crunching tackle that sent the Portuguese spinning.
It was Mason Greenwood who provided the first flash of with a dangerous cross th flicked away from Cav Mason Holgate.
From Fernandes’ corner, flicked header was lo towards McTominay at post until Doucoure hook ball clear.
The breakthrough came 24th minute. Rashford loo and spotted Cavani pulling shoulder of Keane. His cro struck with such precision took the Everton defend completely – and a downw of the Uruguayan’s forehe the rest.
After Pogba had limp Everton wasted the chance