OLE CAN LEARN FROM MASTER

GIVEN the proximity to a trophy, it was inevitable a certain shade was cast by the glare of the spotlight on both managers.

They stood for long periods of this game just socially distanced metres away from each other outside the dugouts, yet in terms of records, they are miles apart.

Carlo Ancelotti, below, is the Manchester United manager they never had, Sir Alex Ferguson’s attempt to bring the Italian as his successor in 2013 thwarted by Real Madrid’s rival advances. Yet his hi record since then, as the Manchester M club burned through thr a succession of managers, m shows what might have been. Seven major trophies, two World Coach of the Year a awards and a knowledge that th Ole Gunnar Solskjaer cannot cann match.

It was wa evident here, Everton’s perceived lack of quality in comparison to their rivals was obvious in the opening stages as United poured forward and home goalkeeper Robin Olsen was called into action to twice sharply deny Edinson Cavani.

Yet slowly, Ancelotti weaved his magic, teasing his formation to stop the red wave and bring his own team more into the game, particularly in the second half.

Ancelotti is one of football’s great coaches and it his quality which has improved Everton so much and made them this competitive.

Sometimes it was not pretty but, before Cavani’s late breakthrough, it was highly effective. Solskjaer, despite orchestrating this victory, can still learn from the Italian master.