McTominay delivers and Erik knows best
ERIK TEN HAG bounced back from a rare tactical mis-step to get his strategy spot on yesterday with Bruno Fernandes thriving as Manchester United’s midfield controller.
Gary Neville was among those who criticised Ten Hag last weekend for taking off both centre-halves in defeat at Newcastle, so it was a gamble to play Fernandes just in front of the back-four yesterday and the less-creative Marcel Sabitzer at No10.
Clearly, Erik knows best. Fernandes was able to dictate play at will and Manchester United would have won by a far bigger margin without a string of excellent saves from Jordan Pickford. Both United’s goalscorers were something of a surprise. Scott McTominay, despite netting four times for Scotland during the last international break, hadn’t scored in the league since December 2021 before he fired home the opener after 36 minutes after good work from Jadon Sancho teed up the midfielder.
For substitute Anthony Martial, his tap-in midway through the second half represented his first league strike of the year. The likeliest suspect, Marcus Rashford, was repeatedly foiled by Pickford and still awaits his first goal against Everton. But the Englishman did set up Martial to put the game beyond doubt from close range.
‘We were disappointed to go in only 1-0 at half-time. It was great football,’ said skipper Harry Maguire. ‘If it had been four or five, nobody could have any complaints.’
‘We weren’t tuned in quick enough,’ said Everton boss Sean Dyche as his team struggled to cope. ‘I could see why it was a weapon for them knocking the ball over the top. We didn’t get our shoulders turned quick enough.’