Five things we learnt as smash-and-grab United snatch 2-2 draw versus Everton

Manchester United travelled to Goodison Park for the final time to face Everton, looking to turn around their poor form in the Premier League.

Andre Onana started in goal while Noussair Mazraoui once again started as a centre back. Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt joined him in the back three.

Patrick Dorgu once again started as a left wing-back while Diogo Dalot was on the right. Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro were selected as the midfield pivot.

Bruno Fernandes took up a more advanced position than last weekend against Tottenham Hotspur while Joshua Zirkzee started as the other number ten after impressing last time out. Rasmus Hojlund was named as the number nine once again in spite of his long goal drought.

Here are four things we learnt from the match.

United do not learn from previous errors

Ruben Amorim’s side started the match in nervous fashion and conceded the same sort of goal they have been letting in all season.

A set piece was thrown into the box and the Red Devils’ perpetual problem of dealing with balls of this nature was ruthlessly exposed.

The team had numerous chances to clear their lines but made a mess of the situation to allow Beto to fire home the opening goal of the match.

Tactics can be blamed but there is something fundamentally rotten about how this United team goes about their defending and the lack of fight they regularly show.

United fail to score again in the first half

This is statistically the most toothless United team in the Premier League era and they once again failed to score in the first half of a match.

It is the 11th time it has happened this season and that is some feat when you consider only 26 games have been played.

In fact, United did not have a shot on target in the first half and were restricted to two speculative efforts from Ugarte and Zirkzee.

Against Spurs, the Red Devils created chances but there could be no complaints that there was no goal this time around as the Toffees eased to their 2-0 advantage at half-time.

Dorgu is proving a good signing

The Danish wing-back was lively in attack and one of the very few bright spots on a gloomy afternoon for United fans in spite of the bright sunshine that Goodison Park was basking in.

Dorgu continued his form from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and made good runs down the left hand side of the pitch.

He could have had an assist if Hojlund had reacted a little faster and he also brought good energy to United’s wing play.

Fans will be hoping that he can continue to make good progress and be a catalyst for a late-season charge up the league.

Bruno’s set-piece quality comes up trumps

United looked dead and buried against Everton when the 70th minute ticked by.

A world-class free kick from their captain on 72 minutes gave the side an unlikely lifeline.

Just eight minutes later, the Red Devils were level when Fernandes fired in another cross into the box from a free-kick that finally fell to Ugarte, who smashed in a quality finish to score his first goal in the red of United.

The Portuguese has played well below his highest standards recently, but he is still the difference maker for this team.

Featured image Jan Kruger via Getty Images

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