Everton fans took their opportunity to rip into the travelling Manchester United away support following Beto’s opening goal with a savage chant
Everton’s support sang a ruthless chant to travelling Manchester United away fans after the Blues opened the scoring at Goodison Park.
Following nearly 20 minutes of Toffees dominance, Everton got what they deserved when Beto scored from a poorly-defended corner. The 28-year-old striker slammed the ball into the ground, which then bounced over Andre Onana’s head, after United had multiple opportunities to make a clearance.
Ally McCoist, commentating for TNT Sports, said: “I do not for the life of me know how United don’t clear it!” And when David Moyes’ side took the lead, the home crowd seemed to have a chant prepared for Ruben Amorim’s hapless Red Devils.
“Going down, going down, going down,” is what the home crowd sang. The two teams started the game close together in the Premier League table, with Everton in 14th, one position above Amorim’s team, who are slumped in 15th.
But thanks to Beto’s strike and then an Abdoulaye Doucoure header in the 33rd minute, after more poor defending and calamitous goalkeeping from Onana, who spilled a shot from Jack Harrison back into the box, the half-time score saw Everton leading 2-0.
It was the least the home side’s physically dominant showing had merited against a United team who lacked intensity and failed to muster a single shot on target in the first 45 minutes.
Questions have begun to be asked about whether United could be involved in a relegation battle. Amorim himself had previously admitted that his squad are fighting to survive.
There is still a significant gap between United and Ipswich Town in 18th, the last relegation spot. The Tractor Boys have 17 points, whereas Amorim’s side have 29.
The Portuguese boss will be thankful at this stage that the three sides in the relegation zone are struggling to put together a run of wins.
However, there is always a chance that if United continue to play the way they are and endure the rough run of form that they are on, they could find themselves in a serious fight with Ipswich and Leicester City in 19th, along with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 17th.
The only team that look certain for the drop at this stage are Southampton, who find themselves cut well adrift in 20th on just nine points.