Premier League
EvertonEverton2Man UtdManchester United0

Everton 2-0 Manchester United

By Phil McNultyChief football writer at Goodison Park
Kevin Mirallas (right) scores for Everton

Everton made it a miserable return to Goodison Park for former manager David Moyes as they beat Manchester United with ease to maintain their Champions League aspirations.

Moyes, who left Everton last summer after 11 years to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, was given a rough reception off the pitch and he was offered nothing on it to improve his mood.

And to add to his discontent, Everton demonstrated their progress under his successor Roberto Martinez.

By doing the double over the champions for the first time since 1969, this was an impressive response by Everton to the midweek setback of losing at home to Crystal Palace.

Man Utd let in dreadful goals - Moyes

Leighton Baines - a summer transfer target for Moyes before he signed a new long-term deal to stay at Goodison Park - set them on their way with a penalty and Kevin Mirallas added a second before half-time.

Everton, and Steven Naismith in particular, could have added further goals in a win that leaves them only one point behind Arsenal, who earlier on Sunday cruised to victory at Hull, in fifth place.

Moyes was taunted throughout by the home fans and this was a game that illustrated graphically just how far United, who now lie 12 points adrift of the Toffeemen, have fallen this season.

The final whistle was greeted ecstatically at a raucous Goodison and will have Martinez still believing his side can finish off an excellent season with a place in next season's Champions League.

David Moyes
David Moyes was returning to Goodison Park for the first time since becoming Manchester United manager

Moyes was greeted with some hostility when he left the United team coach - and his appearance on Goodison Park's big screens and in his technical area brought a loud burst of jeering.

United were seeing plenty of the ball but Everton were much more dangerous, with the normally reliable Naismith unusually wasteful when he shot well over the top from Romelu Lukaku's knockdown.

Everton were angry when a penalty appeal was rejected as Jonny Evans appeared to block Naismith's shot with his hand - but referee Mark Clattenburg had no hesitation when the stumbling Jones clearly handled Lukaku's goalbound shot.

Baines stepped forward and, with his usual calmness, drilled his penalty low, hard and centrally past United keeper David De Gea.

Everton emphasised their superiority two minutes before the interval when they doubled their lead following a sweeping counter attack. The outstanding Seamus Coleman had been causing United no end of problems and his pass found Mirallas, played onside by Alex Buttner, to beat De Gea with an angled finish.

Martinez was forced into a change at half time as the injured Sylvain Distin was replaced by Antolin Alcaraz but United still struggled to make any impression and Moyes made a double change on the hour, sending on Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernandez for Evans and Nani.

Everton were coping with United in comfort and looked the more likely side to add a third with Naismith sliding a finish over the top from Mirallas's cross then bringing a fine low save from De Gea from the edge of the area.

Tim Howard had barely been troubled but he was required in the closing moments to block at feet of Wayne Roney after substitute Leon Osman had conceded possession.

It was a rare moment of anxiety at the end of a very comfortable afternoon for Everton - and an abject one for Moyes - as the Toffees moved back to within one point of Arsenal with three games remaining.

The race for Champions League qualification
ArsenalEverton
Monday 28 April: Newcastle (h)Saturday 26 April: Southampton (a)
Sunday 4 May: West Brom (h)Saturday 3 May: Man City (h)
Sunday 11 May: Norwich (a)Sunday 11 May: Hull (a)

Line-ups

Everton

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 24Howard
  • 23Coleman
  • 3Baines
  • 18Barry
  • 26Stones
  • 15DistinSubstituted forAlcarazat 45'minutes
  • 11MirallasSubstituted forMcGeadyat 90+4'minutes
  • 16McCarthyBooked at 60mins
  • 17Lukaku
  • 14Naismith
  • 20BarkleyBooked at 47minsSubstituted forOsmanat 70'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Robles
  • 2Hibbert
  • 7McGeady
  • 10Deulofeu
  • 21Osman
  • 29Garbutt
  • 32Alcaraz

Man Utd

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1de Gea
  • 12SmallingBooked at 49mins
  • 28Büttner
  • 24Fletcher
  • 4JonesBooked at 27mins
  • 6EvansSubstituted forHernándezat 61'minutes
  • 17Almeida da CunhaSubstituted forA Valenciaat 61'minutes
  • 16Carrick
  • 10Rooney
  • 8Mata
  • 26KagawaSubstituted forWelbeckat 75'minutes

Substitutes

  • 11Giggs
  • 13Lindegaard
  • 14Hernández
  • 19Welbeck
  • 25A Valencia
  • 31Fellaini
  • 44Januzaj
Referee:
Mark Clattenburg
Attendance:
39,436

Match Stats

Home TeamEvertonAway TeamMan Utd
Possession
Home39%
Away61%
Shots
Home17
Away9
Shots on Target
Home5
Away2
Corners
Home6
Away5
Fouls
Home9
Away8

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Everton 2, Manchester United 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Everton 2, Manchester United 0.

  3. Substitution

    Substitution, Everton. Aiden McGeady replaces Kevin Mirallas because of an injury.

  4. Post update

    Attempt missed. Chris Smalling (Manchester United) header from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Wayne Rooney with a cross.

  5. Post update

    Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Antolin Alcaraz.

  6. Post update

    Attempt missed. Romelu Lukaku (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Seamus Coleman with a cross.

  7. Post update

    Hand ball by Leighton Baines (Everton).

  8. Post update

    Corner, Everton. Conceded by Michael Carrick.

  9. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Kevin Mirallas (Everton) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. Luis Antonio Valencia (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Alexander Büttner following a corner.

  11. Post update

    Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Tim Howard.

  12. Post update

    Attempt saved. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Javier Hernández.

  13. Post update

    Offside, Manchester United. Juan Mata tries a through ball, but Javier Hernández is caught offside.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Danny Welbeck (Manchester United).

  15. Post update

    Romelu Lukaku (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  16. Post update

    Offside, Everton. Leighton Baines tries a through ball, but Romelu Lukaku is caught offside.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Darren Fletcher (Manchester United).

  18. Post update

    Kevin Mirallas (Everton) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  19. Post update

    Corner, Everton. Conceded by Chris Smalling.

  20. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Romelu Lukaku (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Seamus Coleman.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Liverpool35255596445280
2Chelsea35236667264175
3Man City33225688345471
4Arsenal35217762412170
5Everton35209657342369
6Tottenham35196105149263
7Man Utd341761156401657
8Southampton351310125045549
9Newcastle35144173954-1546
10Stoke351111133949-1044
11Crystal Palace35134182841-1343
12West Ham35107183848-1037
13Swansea3599174751-436
14Hull34106183443-936
15Aston Villa3498173549-1435
16West Brom33615124051-1133
17Norwich3588192856-2832
18Cardiff3579193165-3430
19Fulham3593233577-4230
20Sunderland3478193357-2429
View full Premier League table