LIVERPOOL — Everton made it a miserable return to Goodison Park for former manager David Moyes as they beat Manchester United 2-0 with ease to maintain their Champions League soccer aspirations yesterday.
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.

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.

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.  — AFP

English Premier League table

P    W    D    L    F    A    Pts
Liverpool    35    25    5    5    96    44    80
Chelsea    35    23    6    6    67    26    75
Man City    33    22    5    6    88    34    71
Arsenal    35    21    7    7    62    41    70
———————————–
Everton    35    20    9    6    57    34    69
———————————–
Tottenham    35    19    6    10    51    49    63
Man Utd    34    17    6    11    56    40    57
Southampton    35    13    10    12    50    45    49
Newcastle    35    14    4    17    39    54    46
Stoke    35    11    11    13    39    49    44
Crystal Palace    35    13    4    18    28    41    43
West Ham    35    10    7    18    38    48    37
Swansea    35    9    9    17    47    51    36
Hull    34    10    6    18    34    43    36
Aston Villa    34    9    8    17    35    49    35
West Brom    33    6    15    12    40    51    33
Norwich    35    8     8    19    28    56    32
———————————–
Cardiff    35    7    9    19    31    65    30
Fulham     35    9    3    23    35    77    30
Sunderland    34    7    8    19    33    57    29

 

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