James Tarkowski dreadful as Dwight McNeil shines – Everton player ratings v Manchester United
Everton lost an extremely frustrating game as defensive errors wasted a good performance and handed a simple 2-0 victory to a largely pedestrian Manchester United side at Old Trafford.
The Toffees started very brightly and put the hosts on the back foot but that was all undone in the 10th minute when James Tarkowski swung a leg to bring down Alejandro Garnacho down in the box and Bruno Fernandes scored from the resulting penalty, before Ben Godfrey fouled the same man 25 minutes later and Marcus Rashford doubled the lead.
A generally uneventful second half was played out to little fanfare with the damage done before the break and the hosts only really a threat down the right with Garnacho, so the Toffees go into three weeks off having passed up a big opportunity.
Here, Goodison News rates the Everton players out of 10 for their performances at Old Trafford.
Jordan Pickford – 7
Actually did very well despite conceding two spot kicks. Guessed the right way but the penalty was put right into the corner out of his reach but pulled off a spectacular save to deny Fernandes from a free kick midway through the first half. No chance with Rashford’s kick. Kept one out on the line from a goal-mouth scramble after the break as well.
Ben Godfrey – 3
Poor. Would have been preferred to Nathan Patterson and Seamus Coleman on the right specifically for his defending but proved that a mistake as he dived in to bring down Garnacho inside the edge of the area for a second penalty. Wasteful going forward in the main but one good knock down late on wasn’t converted by Dobbin.
Jarrad Branthwaite – 7
The only man holding things together in the back line as the defence undercut so much good work elsewhere. Dyche has confirmed he has no plans to let the defender go and showed why as he put in an excellent last-ditch challenge to deny Kobbie Mainoo a tap-in before a late flag, and another important challenge on the ever-threatening Garnacho. Even he had to be saved conceding yet another penalty at the death by the offside flag.
James Tarkowski – 2
Dismal in the first half as he committed repeated fouls and undercut the strong Everton start by conceding a penalty with a sloppy trailing leg. Often so important but had a very bad day at the office here. Less calamitous after the break but looked slow and lumbering in arguably his worst Toffees performance.
Vitalii Mykolenko (off for Chermiti ’88) – 4
Started quite well then lost his way. Eager to get forward down the left and combined well with McNeil as the strongest Toffees threat came from their side but regular a mistakes defensively made it too easy for Garnacho to get in behind. Nearly gave away an incredible third penalty but his handball was waved off by VAR as a supporting arm. Might argue he had to be high up the pitch in an attempt to assist a fight back but the home side had acres of space in attack down his flank in the second period.
Ben Godfrey and James Tarkowski undercut good Everton work in the first half
James Garner (off for Young ’75) – 6
Posed a threat against his former side in a decent start but faded as the game was thrown away further back. Weak challenge let Garnacho waltz into the box to be felled by Godfrey. Faded considerably after a reasonable start.
Amadou Onana – 7
Strange game for the £80million-rated star with some good and some bad. Involved frequently from the off and generally pretty good on the ball in midfield but poor in front of goal. Couldn’t make the most of a major opportunity inside the six yard box in the opening minutes then booked inside half an hour when giving away a dangerous free kick just outside his own box which almost led to a second goal, which meant he then couldn’t make a challenge on Garnacho before the second penalty was conceded. One spectacular bicycle kick went close.
Dwight McNeil – 8 (Man of the Match)
Very impressive. Easily the pick of the Everton side in a purposeful start going forward. Won a corner in the second minute then found Onana with an excellent cross which should have been converted, before going close with a volley that threatened an immediate equaliser, and even closer with an arrowed low shot on half an hour. Gave his all but got nothing for it.
Jack Harrison (off for Dobbin ’61) – 7
Busy performance and looked good on the ball but didn’t ultimately have the required impact and faded as the game went on. Excellent tracking back early on to deny Marcus Rashford on the break seconds after arrowing a great ball into the United box for Branthwaite. Went close with early shot but not close enough.
Dwight McNeil’s strong performance at Old Trafford went to waste
Abdoulaye Doucouré (off for Gomes ’61) – 5
Well short of his best. Struggled to get involved when usually so key, despite Everton having plenty of the ball, with his main contribution to the first 45 minutes a booking for dissent after the second penalty was conceded. A couple of inviting chances were denied early in the second period.
Beto (off for Calvert-Lewin ’61) – 5
Not exactly overwhelmed with service but didn’t have a single shot when the Toffees were on top in the first half. Held the ball up reasonably well but no goal threat.
Substitutions
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (on for Beto ’61) – 6
Chased the ball around but only had marginally more impact than Beto. One decent headed chance went straight at Andre Onana.
Andre Gomes (on for Doucouré ’61) – 5
Banged a free kick straight into the wall soon after coming on but otherwise couldn’t spark a fight back.
Lewis Dobbin (on for Harrison ’61) – 6
Okay on the left but summed up this team in front of goal at the moment as fired the best Everton chance back across the six yard box when he should have just smashed it in from a Godfrey knock down.
Ashley Young (on for Garner ’75) – 6
Put a couple of decent balls in from the right but it was all too little too late for the Toffees.
Youssef Chermiti (on for Mykolenko ’88) – 6
Pretty pointless late introduction from Dyche when there was no time to make a difference.
In other Everton news, Josh Wander has been summoned to court by Logan Paul’s partner over an explicit photo after finally having Premier League talks on the takeover.
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