United enter race to sign Everton star on free transfer, he was phenomenal in their win – report

Manchester United struggled to dominate and control the game against 10-man Everton on Monday night. Everton registered their first league win at Old Trafford under David Moyes and kept a clean sheet despite being down to 10 men for 77 minutes. United had a greater share of the possession. Still, they struggled to play between the lines and overload the central space. Everton’s compact shape pushed the hosts out wide, forcing them to launch hopeful crosses into a packed penalty area. James Garner stood out on his Old Trafford return After Idrissa Gueye’s sending off, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro should have taken the game by the scruff of its neck. Instead, it was a former Red Devil who bossed the midfield.  James Garner returned to Old Trafford and delivered a resilient performance after losing his midfield partner early on.  The 24-year-old aggressively pressed United players and tirelessly shielded the Toffees’ backline. With the ball at his feet, he was silky and found Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for the night’s only goal.  Manchester United want to re-sign Garner Everton are now facing a battle to keep hold of their midfield general.  According to talkSPORT, United are among the clubs keeping tabs on Garner, with his current deal in Merseyside due to expire at the end of the season. The United academy product joined Everton in the summer of 2022 after a promising loan spell at Nottingham Forest.  It is understood Everton are “stepping up contract talks” with the hard-working midfielder, as Moyes has made it clear he does not want to lose the youngster.  Garner is thriving under Moyes, but an opportunity to return to his boyhood club would certainly give him something to think about.  With Casemiro expected to depart next summer and both Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte failing to impress under Ruben Amorim, United may need to sign multiple midfielders in the next nine months or so. As such, Garner on a free transfer would make a lot of sense for them. Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Vishal Singh Vishal has worked in the football media industry for over six years, planning, writing, and editing content for several major outlets, including North Star Network. Vishal has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Delhi University. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person, he covers Manchester United — a club he has been religiously following and supporting since 2012. Vishal also manages a leading MUFC fan page, The Red Devils, on Facebook with over a million likes. Big fan of ball-playing centre-backs and Harry Maguire’s knee-slide celebration!