A game of two gaffes
We’ll stick it up ’em, vows Arsenal fan Curtis
TOP OF THE FLOPS
PORTSMOUTH winger Ronan Curtis has warned Arsenal not to expect an easy ride at Fratton Park tonight.
Mikel Arteta takes his side to the south coast for an FA Cup fifth-round tie, with Pompey’s top-scorer confident the Premier League side will be forced to step well outside their comfort zone.
“Our pitch is tight,” Portsmouth’s 13-goal leading marksman said. “The
DAVID DE GEA is still the best goalkeeper in the world, says Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
But he did not even look the best keeper at the club yesterday when he somehow cannoned a clearance off Dominic Calvert-Lewin to gift Everton the opener after just three minutes.
No one in the Premier League over the last two seasons has made as many errors leading to goals. Until the 88th minute, when he made a superb save to deny Everton a late winner, it looked like Dean Henderson – on loan at Sheffield United – was his superior.
While De Gea was having a nightmare at one end, Everton’s Jordan Pickford was hardly doing himself favours at the other end in front of England boss Gareth Southgate.
The England No1 allowed Bruno Fernandes’ swerving fans are right on top of us and Arsenal will not be used to conditions like that.We will stick it up them.
“They are not used to playing League One teams and they don’t like the physical side.The lads are buzzing and we are all looking forward to it.”
Curtis is seeking inspiration from Gunners icon Thierry Henry, with the strike to sneak under him for United’s equaliser.
Ex-United captain Roy Keane said De Gea would have been “lynched” at half-time in his day and was equally dismissive of Pickford, below.
Both belatedly made up for their early errors with fine late saves.
Pickford’s was a fine double stop to deny Fernandes a second goal, then his quick reactions and an outstretched leg stopped substitute Odion Ighalo’s point-blank follow-up.
Then in stoppage time, De Gea pulled off a reaction save of his own with his feet to thwart Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Calvert-Lewin thought he had a second goal when his rebound effort deflected in off 23-year-old having grown up worshipping the striker and his fellow Arsenal ‘Invincibles’.
“I got my wish! It will be like a dream to play against my all-time favourite team,” he said. “My heroes were Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, just the classics really.
“I loved Henry. His finishing and his all-round game was amazing.”
Harry Maguire to leave De Gea wrong-footed. But Sigurdsson was sitting in front of De Gea in the six-yard box and pulled his feet away to let the ball roll in, so VAR ruled out the effort.
Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti was sent off at the final whistle for confronting referee Chris Kavanagh about the incident, while Solskjaer said afterwards he was confused by the rules.
In the end, a point was a fair result but not what either team needed.
United were the dominant side in the opening 45 minutes with Nemanja Matic hitting the bar. And it was Matic’s quick pass which found Fernandes for the equaliser.
EVERTON (4-4-2): Pickford 6; Coleman 6 (Sidibe 28, 6), Holgate 6, Keane 6, Baines 8; Walcott 5 (Bernard 63, 6), Davies 7, Gomes 8 (Kean 82), Sigurdsson 7; Calvert-Lewin 8, Richarlison 7. Goal: Calvert-Lewin 3.
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-1-2): De Gea 6; Wan-Bissaka 7, Lindelof 7, Maguire 7, Shaw 7; McTominay 8 (Mata 72), Matic 7, Fred 7; Fernandes 8; Greenwood 6 (Ighalo 72), Martial 5 (Williams 89).
Goal: Fernandes 31.
CARLO ANCELOTTI says he did not disrespect referee Chris Kavanagh after the controversial ending yesterday. The Everton boss was furious that Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s late deflected strike was ruled out by VAR for offside. Ancelotti confronted Kavanagh on the pitch at full-time demanding an explanation and warning he wouldn’t “disappear” until he got one – only for the referee to brandish a red card.
“I asked for an explanation,” said Ancelotti. “There was a misunderstanding on the pitch and he sent me off. After that I spoke with him calmly in the dressing room. “I didn’t disrespect him but I can understand the end of the game was really exciting. It’s not the first time I’ve been sent off and it will not be the last.”
Ancelotti was convinced Calvert-Lewin’s late goal should have stood.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, above, said David De Gea is still the “best goalkeeper in the world” despite his howler. He added: “I trust David 100 per cent.”
But former United captain Roy Keane said: “I’d have lynched him at half-time. I’d have no time for that carry-on. What is he waiting for? It’s almost arrogance.”