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Fernandes beats keeper Jordan twice to see Ole s
I’M STICKING Solskjaer delight at United victory
BRUNO FERNANDES was Manchester United’s ace in the pack again to ease the pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Portuguese star scored twice and created one as United came from behind to beat Everton.
Old Trafford boss Solskjaer said he would not fall like a house of cards just because of two defeats on the trot – against Arsenal and Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir.
But it had felt he might be on the brink if their stuttering start to the season continued. Saying he wasn’t feeling the heat was certainly deemed a bluff by some.
But, for now, Solskjaer has some extra chips to play with. United’s third league win gives them something to build on, while they are still in a strong position in the Champions League.
Man-of-the-match Fernandes said: “We knew what we had to do and we did it well. After the first goal, we had a great reaction. We know our quality, we worked hard. This was the time to do something and we did.
“I think we know inside the dressing room what we need to do. Everyone needs to be a leader.”
Solskjaer must have been worried that the house of cards was ready to topple when they went behind after just 19 minutes – especially as it was down to more shoddy defending.
A punt forward by Jordan Pickford was won by Dominic Calvert- Lewin after a pitiful aerial challenge by Victor Lindelof.
Bernard picked up the second ball, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka standing off, and he slotted it through the full-back’s legs into the bottom corner.
But this is a United team that has beaten PSG and RB Leipzig this season and they turned it on here.
It seemed so simple, too. A clever cross from Luke Shaw found Fernandes coasting into the area and he directed the ball into the corner. Lucas Digne did come close to restoring Everton’s lead, but his strike cannoned off the post after a neat one-two with Bernard.
James Rodriguez wasn’t in the game for the Toffees, but what was worse was his reluctance to track back, exposing Seamus Coleman.
It was another cross from the left which brought United’s second just after the half hour.
Fernandes was looking to provide for Marcus Rashford, but the striker failed to connect. It didn’t matter, though, as
Pickford was expectin and, when it did not co not react to stop the the net off the post.
Fernandes said: “I Marcus touched it a lit be his goal, it is no pro Most important for me serving my team-mate
The second half was both. Everton seemed bad United were at de balls into the area.
And Pickford dropp from Juan Mata, which Maguire on the floor foot from the keeper. reviewed it and backed Tierney’s decision of n
Rashford had a glorio
We knew what we had to do and we did it well. We know our quality, we worked hard. Everyone needs to be a leader.
seal it when he was one-on-one with Pickford, but the Toffees keeper made a good save down low.
But, in stoppage time, Edinson Cavani got his first United goal as he fired home after Fernandes found him on the counter to hand the Toffees their third defeat in a row.
Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said: “It was not a good performance defensively. After we scored, we didn’t defend properly and gave them chances to score two easy goals.
“We gave them opportunities to play between our lines and weren’t focused in our own box.
“We prepared well and focused on the defensive aspect, but we need to work more on it. We need to keep more clean sheets.”