(Manchester United - Everton 1-1) It all seemed to go Everton's way until defender Ashley Williams was sent off for a handball in the box three minutes into injury time in Wednesday's Premier League game against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was confident when taking the penalty, sending the Blues keeper Joel Robles the wrong way to make it 1-1 in what was one of the very last kicks on the ball.
It must have been a frustrating end for the visitors, who had been leading for most of the game. It was nevertheless the home side that was most lively in the beginning of the mid-week fixture, as they displayed some good attacking football in the opening minutes.
Already after five minutes, Ibrahimovic almost managed to send the ball past Robles but Williams stopped him in the last minute. A few minutes later, Jesse Lingard sent a powerful shot just over the Everton goalkeeper's goal.
Revived Everton
Everton were also in an attacking mood from the start of the game and seemed from the outset like a much more dangerous team than the one that lost the Merseyside derby to Liverpool at the weekend. This attacking way of playing paid off halfway into the first half. A corner found Ashley Williams, who headed the ball on to Everton captain Phil Jagielka. The experienced defender managed to flick the ball into the goal with the outside of his foot to send the visitors into the lead.
Everton continued to take initiative in attack but the home side managed to come to several dangerous opportunities in their search for an equalizer. Robles nevertheless showed brilliant form in the first half and made some match-winning saves. At the half-hour mark, Blind took a free-kick from just outside of the box but Robles saved wonderfully.
Herrera hit the post on the rebound. The Spaniard tried his luck some minutes later but his shot was once again knocked away from Everton's number one. Despite pressure from United, the visitors still went to half-time with a one-goal lead.
Second half pressure from United
The second half was mostly about the home side and their increased push for an equalizer.
United hit the woodwork once again nine minutes into the second half, this time with Paul Pogba. 15 minutes later, the whole stadium thought the equalizer had come when Ibrahimovic headed Herrera's cross into the goal but the linesman ruled the goal out due to offside. Replay nevertheless showed that United probably should have been awarded the goal.
Except for some occasional attacks by Everton, Manchester United continued to push for a goal throughout the whole of the second half. However, they faced a solid Everton defence led by Williams, Jagielka and 36-year old midfielder Gareth Barry, who constantly denied the home side. The 'blockade' was nearly successful until the final blow of the whistle but having in mind United's constant pressure, a share of the spoils was probably the fairest result this night in Manchester.
The draw means that Everton were not successful in overtaking United in the table and they remain 7th in the Premier League with 51 points, seven points ahead of 8th-placed West Bromwich Albion. Manchester United also retain their 5th place with 54 points. They are four points behind rivals Manchester City that possess the crucial 4th place which provides England's last Champions League spot. With Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Chelsea all included in their list of Premier League fixtures before the end of the season, it nevertheless seems like winning the Europa League might be an easier target for the Red Devils in order to qualify for Europe's top elite competition next season.
The line-ups:
Manchester United (4-4-1-1): De Gea - Young (Shaw 65'), Bailly, Rojo, Blind (Pogba 46') - Herrera, Carrick (Mkhitaryan 65'), Lingard, Rashford - Fellaini -Ibrahimovic
Everton (4-3-3): Robles - Holgate, Jagielka, Williams, Baines - Davies, Barry, Gueye - Mirallas (Pennington 66'), Lukaku, Barkley (Calvert-Lewin 80')
