LIVERPOOL. — Louis van Gaal and his Manchester United side need to discover a late-season improvement in form if they are to secure a top-four finish following a lacklustre 3-0 loss away to Everton at Goodison Park yesterday.
James McCarthy, John Stones, with his first-ever Everton goal, and Kevin Mirallas were on the mark for the Merseyside club in a fixture that marked the end of David Moyes’s disastrous reign as United manager a little over a year ago. Defeat, following last week’s reverse against Chelsea, leaves United still a comfortable seven points above fifth-placed Liverpool although that gap could be sliced to four if Liverpool win their game in hand at Hull City tomorrow night.
United could have gone second with a victory, at least until yesterday’s late game between Arsenal and leaders Chelsea, but they went behind after five minutes when Everton swiftly moved out of defence and McCarthy burst between Paddy McNair and Daley Blind to poke his shot past United David De Gea.
It would have been a mystery to van Gaal, given the amount of chances created by his team, how United found themselves trailing by two goals inside the opening 35 minutes.
The first Everton goal, after five minutes, was the culmination of a breathtaking counter-attack and some indecisive United defending as Juan Mata’s ball into the home area was cleared by Gareth Barry.
Seamus Coleman broke upfield and his cross found McCarthy via a deflection off the legs of Paddy McNair who then compounded the error by failing to tackle the Everton midfielder. Coleman maintained his balance and momentum impressively as he bore down on goal and slipped the ball past United keeper David de Gea.
And from the third of three consecutive corners, all taken by Leighton Baines, Everton — who kicked-off 24 points adrift of United — doubled their lead in the 35th minute to the delight of the home crowd when Stones’s magnificent header flew past de Gea and into the net, despite an attempted goal-line clearance by Ashley Young.
United should long since have been on at least level terms.
Marouane Fellaini, returning to his former club, dispossessed Barry within two minutes of the opening goal but fired a disappointing shot over the bar from 16 yards with no defender near him.
That set the tone for a half of wasteful football from the visitors.
Ander Herrera’s lay-off was directed straight at Tim Howard by Daley Blind, the Everton goalkeeper saved bravely at former Toffees favourite Wayne Rooney’s feet and then saw Chris Smalling plant an unmarked set-piece header straight at him.
And, just before Everton doubled their lead, Young also curled an effort over from a promising position.
Everton’s second goal seemed to deflate the visitors and United manager van Gaal took action at half-time, removing Fellaini, who had been cautioned in the first half, and bringing on striker Radamel Falcao. — AFP.