Manchester United produced yet another limp display in the first half of their Premier League clash against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday, conceding two easily avoidable goals.
Diogo Dalot tried to control a cross into the box with his thigh instead of trying to clear it while his teammates fumbled to clear despite being given ample opportunities to do the same.
Beto punished them with a clinical finish while for the second goal, Andre Onana once again parried the ball back into play instead of away from danger while Harry Maguire remained static as Abdoulaye Doucouré rose highest to plant his header past the United goalie.
For 70 minutes, till Bruno Fernandes’ superb free-kick sparked the Red Devils back to life, the visitors had the game in a chokehold with United players looking like deer caught in the headlights.
Second best for 70 minutes
They were second-best in every duel with the hosts winning almost every second ball. Making mistakes is one thing but being outfought in every game is a huge concern for Ruben Amorim, who seemed to have no idea on how to stop this.
Club legend Rio Ferdinand, on TNT Sports, claimed this was by far the worst United team he had seen, an assessment very few will argue with.
“I don’t know if I’ve seen a United team this bad. It’s been embarrassing in all different facets of the game. Yes, we can talk about quality, you talk about talent etc, but one thing that’s unforgivable is a lack of fight and desire, not getting near people. That’s what we’ve seen.
“Manchester United need to look at this Everton team and take examples from it: to track back, to run in transitions, every second ball a blue shirt gets to it first. It’s embarrassing to sit here and watch.”
Given United’s injury crisis and with the Toffees reinvigorated, Saturday’s game was not the ideal time to come to a bouncing Goodison Park, and Amorim must have drilled that into his team before the game.
But what unfolded in the opening 45 minutes was unforgivable, something the head coach acknowledged after the game. Ferdinand lambasted the team for their lack of conviction despite seeing the club’s current position in the Premier League table.
Lack of fight
“We said they were going to have to come out and roll their sleeves up, because Everton would come out fighting. Man Utd haven’t done that. They’ve been pressed, they’ve been harried. They haven’t been able to deal with the press at all.
“They have chance after chance to clear the ball. Zero conviction, no-one taking over the situation. You’ve got to fight. You don’t come to Everton at this place, whatever form they’re in, and think you can roll them over easily. United have not understood that assignment from the first whistle.”
And the former United defender was shocked to see the turnaround at the end as Bruno Fernandes galvanised the 20-time English league champions as they ended up clinching a point at the end.
And while most fans and Ferdinand were delighted to see the fighting spirit from the team, he posed the question as to why the team cannot do this from the start.
“I questioned this team, whether they had desire and enough fight. But goals change games. Then we saw there was fight and desire. But they can’t continue like this. They’ve got to start games on the front foot.
“They were positive towards the end. That’s where they’ve got to look to improve.”
The draw meant United remain in 15th but are level on points with 16th placed West Ham United with Wolverhampton Wanderers eight points behind.
United’s next home game against Ipswich Town is a potential six-pointer as Amorim looks to avoid a relegation scrap.
Feature image Lewis Storey via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
