What Ruben Amorim realized as ’embarrassing’ Man Utd salvage draw towards Everton
Late goals from Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte saw Manchester United clinch a 2-2 draw against Everton at Goodison Park.
Everton opened the scoring thanks to their main man Beto. A corner sent into the box, followed by multiple headers and some awful United defending, landed perfectly into the feet of the 28-year-old who smashed it into the ground and over Andre Onana.
Abdoulaye Doucoure scored Everton’s second when he followed up on a rebound after a save from the United keeper went wayward. A stunning Fernandes free-kick brought United back into the game, and Ugarte was the player to equalise with another fine effort.
A late penalty initially awarded to Everton was overturned after the referee was instructed to look at it again. As United fail to move up the Premier League table, Daily Star Sport has a look at what Ruben Amorim would have learned from this game.
Need set-piece lessons
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When in doubt, kick it out. The traditional mantra provides the basics of defending, something that Amorim’s men failed at achieving today. Following 20 minutes of Everton dominance, it was Man United who shot themselves in the foot.
A corner sent in caused chaos in the Red Devils box. Header after header, the ball didn’t touch the ground for a good 10 seconds, and within this time, the United back-line failed to clear the ball effectively.
Ultimately, they got what they deserved. The ball managed to slip through a group of players and fall to the on-form striker Beto who smashed it past Onana. Commentator Ally McCoist hit the nail on the head when he said: “I do not for the life of me know how United don’t clear it”
Couldn’t stop the Everton runners
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The United back-line had a difficult game. They faced an Everton attacking force that was energetic, alert and recently revived, but they should have known it was coming.
Beto was a constant presence up the pitch, and it seemed the likes of Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt had no way of keeping him in check. Doucoure looked like he was always ready to make a run, and on either side, Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom provided the pace on the wings.
Although some leeway has to be given to Amorim with Lisandro Martinez and Amad Diallo out on injury, the defence that was sent out today looked fragile and easy to break.
They need to match energy levels
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From the get-go, the United players lacked energy. They were very flat with the ball, with loose passes and poor touches. Without the ball it wasn’t much better as there was no urgency to win possesion back.
When you look at a player like Beto, you can see the confidence flowing through his veins. With United, that was no where to be found. It wasn’t until Fernandes’ free-kick magic where United finally looked they wanted to play.
The Toffee’s played like a team who were proving themselves as a Premier League side. The prospect of relegation brings out a different kind of urgency within a squad. So far, this hasn’t hit Amorim’s men, but it may have to soon.
Attackers need confidence
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Rasmus Hojlund has now failed to score in 16 games. If this was to have happened under the mighty Sir Alex Ferguson, the Dane wouldn’t be on the pitch.
Joshua Zirkzee most recently scored in the FA Cup clash against Leicester, but this was only his fifth goal this season from 37 appearances. His last Premier League goal actually came against Everton on the 1st December.
An hour into the game, Amorim’s squad failed to take a single shot from open play despite having the majority of possession. When the forwards got the ball, there wasn’t a ‘goal-scoring’ feeling about them.
They can fight back
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United have had many instances this season under Amorim where they have shown they can take the fight to the end. The late winner against Rangers, the close come-back against Tottenham and now the late 2-2 draw at Everton.
All game Amorim’s squad looked hopeless, but it’s amazing what a goal can do to a group of players. When Fernandes’ free-kick went in, the Red Devils looked like a completely different side.
All their fight was nearly undone when Everton were initially awarded a penalty late on, but an on-field review made the ref change his mind. United need to take this fight to the opposition from the start, if they do, results will likely go their way more often.
