ALEJANDRO Garnacho’s man of the match performance against Everton, in which he earned two penalties, helped Manchester United to win 2-0.
Two different United players took penalties today as Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford both converted from the spot.
Everton started fast, gaining the first set piece of the game as they earned a corner in the second minute but the ball was headed away.
Marcus Rashford then earned Manchester united a corner in the sixth minute which was almost capitalised on as Rafael Varane sent a header goal-wards, but it was comfortable for Jordan Pickford.
The Red Devils started to up the pressure and ended up earning a penalty through Alejandro Garnacho.
He gained the ball in the box and tapped it past James Tarkowski who tripped him and Simon Hooper consequently pointed to the spot.
With a short run up, Fernandes placed it into the bottom right corner, beating the England number one keeper to make it 1-0 to the home side.
In the 13th minute, Everton responded straight away with a volleyed attempt by Dwight McNeil from outside the box but it was just over the bar.
The 25th minute saw ex United player James Garner strike the ball from about 25 yards out and it required Onana to stretch and parry it away.
Manchester United then went down the other side of the pitch and Garnacho earned a free-kick just outside of the box.
Amadou Onana was given the first yellow card of the game for the foul as he stood on the young Argentine’s foot.
Bruno stood over the ball yet again and it was a wonderful shot which required an equally wonderful stop from Pickford who dived high to his right.
On the half an hour mark, McNeil sent a shot towards goal which skidded just past the right post leaving the Cameroonian keeper stranded.
In the 34th minute, Garnacho earned yet another penalty after he ran diagonally from the right hand side of the pitch and was taken down as he entered the box by Ben Godfrey.
Rashford stepped up to the spot for the second penalty of the game and buried it in the bottom left corner after a stuttered run up sent his England teammate the wrong way to make it 2-0.
Four minutes were added on at the end of the first half and a big chance came to McNeil inside the box but his low effort was blocked by a Manchester United defender followed by Hoopers whistle for the end of the half.
Second Half
The first big chance of the second half came from Garnacho in the 53rd minute as he darted into the box and tried to sneak it inside Pickford’s near post but the shot went too high.
A Doucouré shot from a tight angle inside the box forced Onana to stick his leg out to cover his near post in the 58th minute and Diogo Dalot stopped the ball from crossing the line for a corner.
A huge chance came for Garnacho in the 60th minute as a counter attack led by Bruno ended up with the ball being played low and hard across the box but the wingers run was just a second too late.
McTominay picked up a yellow card after a strong challenge against Everton’s Onana just outside of the away teams box in the 69th minute.
Applause rung around Old Trafford in the 75th minute when ex Manchester United player Ashley Young replaced also ex united player James Garner.
Substitutes Dobin and Calvert-Lewin almost created a goal in the 76th minute when Dobin headed down a cross and the English striker lashed his shot across the face of the goal.
In the 77th minute, Amadou Onana attempted an audacious bicycle kick, similar to Garnachos in the reverse fixture at Goodison Park, but it was comfortably saved by Andre Onana.
Manchester United will look to use this positive performance to create some momentum as they have a big FA Cup quarter final against their fierce rivals Liverpool.
Attendance: 73,601
Referee: Simon Hooper
VAR Official: David Coote
