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Crazy football this is and United got served. United was at the receiving end of their late minute goals that has been one of the major things they have been known for. You know you don't rest until the whistle is blown, if not United would nick that late goal but rather than dishing it out, United was at the receiving end of one this time around.
Everton denied Manchester United a victory late at the end of the game. A win should take United level on point with City pending the time City will take on Liverpool, even though there is still a game in hand for City.
In a match where Manchester United dominated from the start to the finish, it remains to be seen how they could be sloppy enough to throw away a two-goal lead, recover from it and still blow it at the end. Individual errors played a huge part to it but let's not take anything away from Everton. They were clinical, determined and their resilience paid off to the final whistle.
Calvert Lewin should have given Everton the lead in the 9th minute when he beat the offside trap. Nothing came out of it. Everton started brightly but nothing came out of their efforts.
United had a series of attack too but nothing came out of those efforts but in the 25th minute, United took the lead. Fernandes found Rashford whose inch-perfect cross found Cavani. He steered his header well enough to beat the goalkeeper. It was a brilliant assist from Rashford who made the goal so easy for Cavani to bury. 1-0.
Cavani should have doubled the lead in the 34th minute when Scot McTominay won the ball and found Bissaka. He expertly flashed the ball across the face of the goal only to find Cavani. It was heavy and fast which made it difficult for Cavani to connect and wrap his foot around it well. What a goal that would have been.
One of the major turning points of the night came when Paul Pogba walked off the pitch injured in the 38th minute while Fred came in to replace the Frenchman.
In the 41st minute, Lindelof had a poor clearance that fell graciously to Richalison. He hit his effort immediately but it went just wide. A huge relief for United there.
Just before the half time whistle went, United went two goals up with a great piece of individual brilliance from Bruno Fernandes. Wan Bissaka passed to him, he carefully measured, controlled and expertly curled the ball into the net. It was a genius goal and no one was able to close him down. His confidence was on a high for him to have tried that. Beautiful goal and 2-0 on the night for United.
Calvert Lewin had the chance to half the deficit before half time when a long ball found him. He was one on one with the goalkeeper but still missed. The whistle then came for half time.
United lead 2-0 and they did everything right. They pressed so high and hard and attacked with intent. They controlled the match but the second half came and Everton hit back.
Shaw could have taken the game beyond Everton in the 47th minute when he exchanged passes with Cavani only for his side-footed shot to be parried by the goalkeeper but Everton sensed danger and responded in the 48th minute.
Tom Davies found Calvert Lewin who took a shot. De Gea parried the effort into the path of Doucoure who wasted no time than to slot it home. Great error from De Gea there. 2-1.
3 minutes after, Doucoure found James Rodriguez. He smashed home a left-footed shot away from the reach of De Gea. What a goal. What a remarkable turnaround by Everton. 2-2.
Rashford had been particularly wasteful on the night as there were many instances where he should have scored or laid the passes but he was unable to do any of those but in the 70th minute, McTominay restored the lead with a brilliant header from Shaw's cross. The goalkeeper could have saved it but he slipped.
Rashford's misses continued as he spurned chance after chances. Maguire almost gifted a goal to Everton in the 88th minute when he lost possession of the ball and Calvert Lewin pounced. He fed Richarlison who shot wide but never to be denied for long and they were rewarded for their resilience when Fres gifted a freekick away in the 94th minute. It was the last kick of the game and Maguire couldn't chase down Calvert Lewin neither did De Gea step out of line as fast as he could while made Calvert Lewin to brilliantly control the ball with his thigh and then managed to get the ball into the back of the net. It was heartbreak for United and a moment of consolation for Calvert Lewin who has more than compensated for his earlier misses.
If United were to seriously challenge for the title, they should be winning games like this but this is to show how far Everton has brilliantly performed under Ancelotti. United would be hoping injury-plagued Liverpool would do them the favour of beating Manchester City so the lead City holds would stay at 2 points though City has a game in hand.
This season is going down to the last day I think because the big games are coming thick and fast and anyone can draw points from just anyone.
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