Manchester United 4 Everton 0: Romelu Lukaku outshines Wayne Rooney on frustrating Old Trafford return
It was something of a nightmare return to The Theatre of Dreams for Wayne Rooney. He did not play badly – far from it, he was Everton’s best performer – but after the warm reception there was the rout.
Rooney was substituted before Everton shipped the three late goals that did not only turn this defeat into a drubbing but also dropped them down into the relegation places.
To add salt to that wound, the 31-year-old’s replacement, Romelu Lukaku, cupped his ear to the Everton supporters as their former forward celebrated his goal, making it five in five Premier League matches for him since his £75 million-plus-Rooney move, before later claiming it was “just a bit of banter”. The use of the cringe-worthy b-word was surely more offensive than the gesture.
In a tale of two strikers and to add to Rooney’s angst, on the day before he makes an appearance at Stockport magistrates, charged with drink driving, he missed a crucial chance. A chance he will have dreamt of. A chance in front of the Stretford End, where his name has resonated so often in the past 13 years, when the score was still just 1-0 and with Everton finally gaining some control having been overwhelmed at times during the first-half when they worryingly appeared to lack hope never mind ambition.
The ball broke to Rooney, from Tom Davies, but his close-range shot was blocked with his legs by United’s outstanding goalkeeper David de Gea.
Would it have made a difference? Maybe. De Gea also saved well from Gylfi Sigurdsson and, late on, from substitute Sandro Ramirez, tipping over his long-range shot, but while Everton did not deserve to lose so emphatically, and while United did not play as well as they have done this season, the result rather than the score was certainly the correct one.
But that score has added importance as it took United back to the top of the table along with Manchester City on goal difference – plus 14 – as well as points, 13. Only the alphabet – U coming after C - defeated United because Everton did not appear likely to do that and they have now not won in the league since the opening day of the season and are winless in 12 league matches away from home for the first time in 13 years.
Worrying times for Everton, but less so for United. This is evolving quickly into a post-Rooney team with the focus on Lukaku - even more so in the absence of Paul Pogba who has been ruled out for a number of weeks with a hamstring injury.
Rooney was afforded a respectful return. “Welcome back number 10 Wayne Rooney,” called the stadium announcer, and it provoked the right response, with United manager Jose Mourinho having declared that the former captain and record goal-scorer would receive the “love and respect” he deserves.
Within four minutes, though, Rooney was stung as Antonio Valencia scored the kind of goal his former team-mate used to strike to give United an early lead and deface Everton’s game-plan.
Manager Ronald Koeman had set them up defensively – a three-at-the-back often becoming a five with two defensive midfielders – but they were undone when United’s makeshift left-back, Ashley Young, shifted the ball infield to Nemanja Matic who swept it across the front of the penalty area. The ball took one bounce and sat up invitingly for Valencia to strike a wonderful half-volley that tore past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and high into net. It was only Valencia’s second goal since January 2014 for United.
“We were ultra-dominant,” Mourinho later claimed about the first-half and, in fact, it took a full 12 minutes for Everton to venture into United’s half with any meaningful possession. After that, Lukaku should have killed the contest when he was put clear by the impressive Juan Mata. Lukaku checked, to lose Ashley Williams, but then somehow steered his shot wide of the post.
But Everton survived; United became careless. Suddenly Sigurdsson and Davies were more prominent and Rooney had some support, with Koeman throwing his hands in the air after those chances were not taken. After that, his side were the victims of their own downfall.
First there was another reprieve with Pickford’s attempted clearance going straight to Mata who was pushed over on the lip of the area by Williams. Mata took the free-kick, bending it around the defensive wall only for the ball to come back off the near post before it was scrambled away for a corner.
The let-off was not heeded. And again Williams was badly at fault as his pass was intercepted by Marouane Fellaini with the ball running to Lukaku. The Everton defenders, panicking, were sucked in and Lukaku smartly reversed the play to the unmarked Henrikh Mkhitaryan who side-footed past Pickford.
Worryingly for Koeman, Everton, confidence shot as it is, then crumbled. A free-kick was conceded with Lukaku firing it into the defensive wall – prompting jeers from the Everton fans. Those cat-calls proved premature as the ball ran across to Matic who wound himself up for a powerful low shot that ricocheted up and finally fell to Lukaku who simply side-footed home from close-range before he ran off with his pointed celebration.
Would Lukaku score again? United won a penalty with substitute Anthony Martial felled by Morgan Schneiderlin – who like a third former United player, Michael Keane, endured a difficult afternoon – but it was Martial rather than Lukaku who took it and calmly rolled the ball past Pickford who guessed incorrectly and dived to his left.
Like much of Everton’s performance, Pickford went the wrong way and United were top with Rooney looking on forlornly from the dug-out. At least he was already off the pitch by then with Koeman’s assistant, and Rooney’s former team-mate Duncan Ferguson, having told him the striker had given his all and needed to be replaced. Which is why Mourinho let him go and bought Lukaku in the summer, of course.
Full time
A late rally earns Manchester United a 4-0 victory but Everton were the better side for about fifty minutes. Another thrashing for them, but not as pusillanimous a performance as in Sassuolo on Thursday night. United were simply more ruthless when they needed to be.
Time on ball (at full time)
Possession: Man Utd vs Everton
Average touch positions (full time)
Average touch positions (full time)
90+3 min
The penalty was awarded when Martial skipped through the box, Schneiderlin slid through to try to dispossess him, missed it with his foot but not with his hand which took the ball off Martial's foot.
GOAL!
A goal from Anthony Martial for Man Utd makes the score 4-0.
Man Utd 4 - 0 Everton (Anthony Martial, 90 + 2 min)
It's been a mismatch at Old Trafford so far
Man Utd are dominating this game, firing in a total of 15 shots compared to five from Everton so far.
Man Utd vs Everton shots on goal
Goal!
Martial makes it 4-0 - he waits for the keeper to dive and slots it to the left of centre.
United penalty
Martial to take.
90+1 min
Flying save from De Gea from Sandro's attempted consolation dive.
90+1 min
He hits the wall but the rebound is thrashed through the box by Matic. Lingard heads it on and Lukaku hooks a shot from eight yards past Pickford.
GOAL!
Romelu Lukaku makes it 3-0 and puts Man Utd firmly in the driving seat now.
Man Utd 3 - 0 Everton (Romelu Lukaku, 89 min)
90 min
United free-kick for Jagielka's shove on Lingard. It's 18 yards and a couple of inches, left of centre.
89 min
According to Jamie Carragher, Lukaku shushed the Everton fans after scoring.
88 min
United substitution: Mkhitaryan off, Martial on.
87 min
Everton have been the better side for more than half the match having recovered from that flakey, creaky start. But they haven't taken their chances.
85 min
Williams is the architect of Everton's downfall. He passes straight to Fellaini who is grateful for it and threads a ball to Luaku down the inside right channel. He draws the defender and the keeper then hits a superb delayed pass out to the left of the box. Mkhitaryan sweeps in a shot with a controlled swing of a bent leg.
GOAL!
Henrikh Mkhitaryan adds a second for Man Utd - it's now 2-0!
Man Utd 2 - 0 Everton (Henrikh Mkhitaryan, 83 min)
Goal!!
Mkhitaryan makes it 2-0.
81 min
Bailly goes into the book for hacking down Calvert-Lewin. Before the free-kick can be taken Rooney is replaced by Mirallas. He shakes hands with Koeman, Mourinho and is treated to the old war cries of "Rooooooooney!"
80 min
Jagielka gives the ball away with a careless pass and United come on to them. Williams stops the attack with a firm intervention 20 yards out.
78 min
Crisp tackle from Bailly on Sadro prevents the sub from shooting and United charge forward. Lingard hesitates before shooting, stays upright when challenged despite the crowd calling for a penalty and squeezes a shot at Pickford.
77 min
Matic flays a left-foot shot three yards wide from the edge of the box. Double substitution: Calvert-Lewin replaces Gueye. Mata goes off, Herrera comes on for United.
Time on ball (60 - 75 min)
Possession: Man Utd vs Everton
75 min
Jones blocks Sandro's shot and Rooney gives the ball away cheaply on the edge of the box. United break quickly, shift it to Lingard who scuttles in and earns a corner for a left-foot shot that was deflected wide by Williams's self-sacrificial block.
73 min
Martina is penalised for slapping Lingard on the stomach as he tried to go past him. Keane had already boxed him in so it was unnecessary ... and dangerous. Free-kick, 20 yards out on the left. It's skimmed in by Mata and Everton scramble it clear. United have been woeful this half.
72 min
Clever pass from Gueye from right to centre but Rooney wastes it with a clumsy first touch.
70 min
Lingard misses with a shot from eight yards when found by Mata' cute pass. Williams was bearing down on him but even so, he hit it with his swinger and skied it miles over the bar.
68 min
Everton move the ball from right to left, Rooney drifts over to that side to receive the pass and attempts a 25-yard curling shot that has the power but not the bend.
67 min
Rooney drops into a role behind Sandro and almost immediately gives the ball away but Martina flies in to the rescue by robbing Lingard.
66 min
Sandro replaces Davies.
65 min
Mata wraps his left foot around the ball and crashes it into the post.
64 min
Pickford makes a monumental error, screwing a clearance straight to Mata 25 yards out when under pressure from Lukaku. He's saved by Mata's heavy first touch and Williams taking a booking for the team by obstructing him o the 18-yard line. Free-kick.
62 min
United have sent off Lingard to shore up their left but Everton again have another gilded chance down that side when Sigurdsson beats Jones to it, barrels into the box and tries to hook a shot over De Gea but doesn't succeed. Should have scored.
Attempt Saved: Man Utd 1 - 0 Everton (Wayne Rooney, 46 min)
Time on ball (45 - 60 min)
Possession: Man Utd vs Everton
61 min
United substitution: Rashford off, Lingard on.
59 min
That's better from Keane, beating Lukaku to the ball and launching a counter with a short pass to Schneiderlin. He finds Rooney who spins a long pass out to the right. Martina beats Young too it but the left-back kettles the Everton right-back in the corner and eventually he knocks it out for a throw in with a hurried touch.
58 min
Mourinho is out in his area and shouting at his players to lively themselves up while Lukaku changes his boots. They've been insipid this half, United.
56 min
Here's that Rooney effort:
Attempt Saved: Man Utd 1 - 0 Everton (Wayne Rooney, 46 min)
54 min
High bouncing ball in the Everton box when Lukaku chests it down with a rubber chest. Jagielka missed the header from Mata's cross but Lukaku's failure to stun it meant he couldn't reach his own knockdown as it trampolined up.
52 min
Rashford for the fifth or sixth time darts into the gap between Martina and Keane. And for the fifth or sixth time wastes the opportunity, spooning a cross beyond Lukaku and Mkhitaryan and out for a goalkick.
50 min
Rooney again on the edge of the box and he thinks about a chip as he latches on to Davies's pass, lifting it with his right foot over De Gea and into the far corner. De Gea backpedals anticipating so Rooney tries for the bluff, cutting back inside on to his left, beats Bailly but Jones trots over to nip it away.
48 min
Now Rooney tries a quarter-back role, pinging a 40-yard pass for Sigurdsson's run. But he hasn't the pace to beat Jones from coming out to meet him. That's why they need Calvert-Lewin.
47 min
The shot hits De Gea's left foot when Rooney was trying to whip it around him. Excellent work from Rooney and Davies in the build-up Less so from Bailly.
46 min
Thierry Henry and Graeme Souness want Calvert-Lewin to come on. But he isn't yet. Everton kick-off and attack up the right. Rooney slides in to win the ball in the box, springs to his feet but sweeps his shot straight at De Gea from six yards.
Oh dear
Half time
Everton have clambered their way out of the abyss that seemed to be exposing them to the risk of going down by five or six. But they still look vulnerable to United's pace. Mourinho's side are in control but could do with exerting a little more concerted pressure.
Time on ball (first half)
Possession: Man Utd vs Everton
Average touch positions (half time)
Average touch positions (half time)
45+1 min
Bailly clips Rooney's ankle as he held the ball up, back to goal, 35 yards out. Sigurdsson takes it and arrows it down De Gea's throat. The referee blows for time.
45 min
Mata sand-wedges a delightful diagonal chip from 25 yards towards the penalty spot for Lukaku's run. Out comes Pickford, Jagielka is ahead of Luakaku and just takes his head out of the road at the 11th hour to let Pickford smother it. We'll have one more minute.
44 min
Young turns the tables on Martina, glides past him on the outside and pings in a low cross that Williams swan-necks away.
43 min
It's the Alamo for Everton at the moment but they survive the siege by hook, crook and some luck with Baines joining in to try to harry United;s midfield.
41 min
Jagielka's slide takes the ball out for a corner which is whipped to the near post and knocked behind for another. This time Mata takes it longer but Keane does not flap and Everton see the danger off ... eventually.
39 min
Jagielka and Pickford combine to slide in and thwart Lukaku when he was played through by Rashford. You could hardly accuse Keane of bending his back to stop Rashford. He looks as though he's running through porridge or dragging a piano.
37 min
Michael Keane is given a chasing by Rashford again. He looks uncharacteristically nervous. Is it playing in a back three?
Man Utd making inroads into the visitors' territory
The home side are starting to get hold of the ball in the final third against Everton.
Man Utd vs Everton
35 min
Rashford loses the ball at the last after a sauntering dribble through the box from the left and Pickford picks it off him and then the Everton keeper is on his toes to race out and whip the ball away from the England forward again when he is played in behind. For all that, Everton are now playing. And it's Gueye who has driven them back into the game.
33 min
Mkhitaryan shoves Schneiderlin as they go up for a header. Meanwhile ...
31 min
Martina again is round Young but his low centre hits Jones. Gueye snaps into action to win it back, passes to Sigurdsson who spins another pass round the United left-back but Martina deploys his grappling skills a little too vigorously to beat him and is penalised.
Time on ball (15 - 30 min)
Possession: Man Utd vs Everton
29 min
Martina again has the beating of Young whose starting position is far too advanced. he centres low and Davies slides in. De Gea blocks it with his shins but the flag goes up anyway. Two minutes earlier Koeman had berated a linesman. Not that time.
27 min
Keane plays a dozy, blind pass to Scheniderlin in midfield but Lukaku is there and he races through, beats Williams to go one-on-one with Pickford. He tries to bend it in at the far (left) post but his banana shot ends up more like a cucumber.
26 min
Where there's Gueye there's hope. He's an irritant in midfield.
24 min
United free-kick, 40 yards out. Mata lifts a centre to the 18-yard line. Keane wins it comfortably and nods it upfield. Rooney chases but Bailly and Matic are there to sweep up.
22 min
Lukaku hares up the left with Martina advanced, spurts into the box but overhits his cross for Mkhitaryan and Everton break. They spin the ball out to Martina who has acres of space behind Young. He centres a low cross to the D and Rooney steers a shot a foot wide.
Miss: Man Utd 1 - 0 Everton (Wayne Rooney, 21 min)
Everton have their first sight of goal
Everton respond to the earlier Man Utd effort with their first shot of the game.
Man Utd vs Everton shots on goal
20 min
Gueye cushions the ball in midfield and lays it off to Sigurdsson who drives a diagonal pass from the centre of the park down the inside right channel from in to out. Davies hounds Jones and wins the first challenge but the centre-half recovers and sets up a counter.
18 min
Here's the only photo so far of the Valencia strike:
Gary Neville is berating Evrton's defenders for walking, rather than running. Exacting.
16 min
Sigurdsson bends it in to to the near post. Williams goes up but is beaten by Matic who heads it straight up. Long hang time during which Rooney uses that impressive backside to bundle into De Gea as he leapt to gather it. Free-kick to Manchester United.
Time on ball (0 - 15 min)
Possession: Man Utd vs Everton
15 min
Schneiderlin slides in and wins the ball in the United half. Mkhitaryan hacks him down. Free-kick 35 yards out on the right.
13 min
A sign of life from Everton when Martina is played in with a neat triangle and spears a good cross in from the right. Sigurdsson couldn't get there and Davies and Rooney had made runs towards the crosser.
11 min
Sigurdsson dives in niftily to stab the ball into touch when Valencia was looking to stride beyond him on the overlap. The throw-in brings a new point of attack as United switch and Mata drives in a dangerous looking cross from the left. Everton are playing 9-0-1 at the moment.
9 min
The United fans sing that awful Hermann's Hermits song. They've turned themselves into Crystal Palace. United are moving the ball crisply among the back four and midfield with only Rooney plodding about to try to restrict their space.
8 min
There's no blue pressure on the ball. Koeman's going to get himself the tin-tack here unless his side show a bit more bite.
6 min
Gary Neville wonders whether Pickford should have saved it. But will have to look at it again. Everton are far too deep and look like sitting ducks as United stretch them down both flanks.
5 min
It's absolutely stair-rodding it down but Valencia pieces the rain with a 20 yard dipping volley of vicious power. He mullered that, set up when Matic's left-foot cross arced through the box. What a finish!
GOAL!
An early opener from Antonio Valencia makes it 1-0 to Man Utd.
Man Utd 1 - 0 Everton (Antonio Valencia, 4 min)
GOAL!!
Valencia with a screamer!
3 min
Davies snaps into the tackle and concedes the free-kick. United try to spring Rashford down the left as the rain falls down on a humdrum town, this town has dragged you down. But Martina reads his feint and whips it away. Good interception.
1 min
United kick off, knock it back to Jones who spanks a 40-yard pass up the right for Valencia but it skips out of play. From the throw-in Everton are pegged back and United spray the passes around. Everton are lined up in a very compact 5-4-1.
Out come the sides
And Rooney gets the tremendous reception you'd expect. The cameras pick out the banners praising him and his contribution from 2004-17.
Despite the average age of their team ...
1⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣ | Today's team news means we have named an #EFC Academy graduate in 1,000 consecutive competitive games! pic.twitter.com/qzRgwvAYvW
— Everton (@Everton) September 17, 2017
Ronald Koeman
Says he's gone for three at the back because he wants a more compact team. Jose Mourinho insists it's five at the back and that it is the new Premier League norm. Gary Neville, and I paraphrase here, fears for the old lags in blue unless they use their experience to hang in there for as long as possible until they can bring on some young, quick legs.
We apologise for the late-running of this MBM
But I was detained doing the player ratings for Chelsea. The kids love their player ratings. Down at Cinderella Rockerfellers, all the cool kids are in a corner, sipping nonchalantly from their bottles of Pony (sweet cream sherry for the unsophisticated amongst you) discussing was he a seven? No, a six! Never! Etc.
Any road, here's your team in the Bad Penny Blues style:
Man Utd De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Jones, Young; Fellaini, Matic; Mata, Mkhitaryan, Rashford; Lukaku.
Substitutes Martial, Smalling, Lingard, Carrick, Romero, Ander Herrera, Darmian.
Everton Pickford, Keane, Jagielka, Williams, Martina, Schneiderlin, Gueye, Baines, Davies, Sigurdsson, Rooney.
Substitutes Sandro, Mirallas, Klaassen, Besic, Stekelenburg, Calvert-Lewin, Holgate.
Referee/scapegoat Andre Marriner
Rooney starts for Everton
�� | Team news is in at Old Trafford... COYB! #EFCawaydaypic.twitter.com/FmIByzRMiY
— Everton (@Everton) September 17, 2017
Good afternoon
We have the Manchester United team news for you. Fellaini starts, Ashley Young moves to left-back and Juam Mata, presumably, plays on the right:
Here's today's team...
Come on, lads! #MUFC#MUNEVEpic.twitter.com/gZafQ36bLv— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 17, 2017
Pre-match package
What is it?
It's Manchester United vs Everton, both sides' fifth match of the 2017/18 Premier League season.
When is it?
It's today, so Sunday 17th September.
What time is kick-off?
Kick-off is at 16:00 BST.
One problem your team inexplicably failed to address this summer, and how to fix it for now
What TV channel is it on?
The game is being broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League. Coverage starts a 15:30 BST.
What is the team news?
Manchester United
Paul Pogba is expected to be out for six weeks after picking up a hamstring injury early on during Tuesday's Champions League win over Basel. United's long-term absentees include Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but Jose Mourinho has few other injury concerns at present. Left-back Luke Shaw will be available again after injury.
Pick your Manchester United side to play Everton
Everton
Everton’s injury list is significant, with Yannick Bolasie, Seamus Coleman, Ramiro Funes Mori and James McCarthy all currently sidelined. Tom Davies was taken off at half-time in last week's defeat to Spurs, and did not play any part of the 3-0 Europa League defeat to Atalanta.
Pick your Everton side to play Manchester United
What are they saying?
Man United boss Jose Mourinho: "Everton have lots of good players, they’re a good team and it will be a very difficult match for us ... we miss Pogba, we need Pogba, but we have good players - Herrera, Fellaini and Carrick are waiting for a real chance to start the matches. We lost important players last season during crucial moments of the season and we weren’t crying or getting excuses in about that."
Everton boss Ronald Koeman: "I saw the team with a lot of doubts [against Atalanta]. One of our strengths of last season is we had a good defensive organisation and we have lost our strength. We have other players with doubts and I don’t like to make individuals because it is always team. But we need to do more. We need to be more aggressive."
What does the table look like?
What are the odds?
Manchester United win - 1/3
Everton win - 9/1
Draw - 4/1
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What's our prediction?
Manchester United will be without Paul Pogba; Everton are without a Premier League win – or point - since the opening day of the season. Both sides are desperate for a win and there is also the added factor of Romelu Lukaku against his former side… and, of course, the return of Wayne Rooney to Old Trafford. Both will want to make a point but it should be Lukaku’s day which will begin to raise the pressure on Everton manager Ronald Koeman.
Prediction: 2-1
