Everton grabbed an unlikely last ditch draw at Old Trafford as Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a 95th minute equaliser as the game finished 3-3.
Manchester United were cruising at half time as goals from Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes gave them a 2-0 lead. However, goals from Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez pegged them back.
Scott McTominay appeared to have nodded the three points home for United, were it not for Calvert-Lewin's strike which came five minutes after regulation time
Story of the game
United started the game on the front foot with the returning Paul Pogba looking to dictate the play from deep, while James Rodriquez looked to pick up half-spaces in between the United ranks.
Everton’s out-ball to Domonic Calvert-Lewin was clear early on as Aaron Wan-Bissaka played him onside as he ran through, however his ball back across the box was easily dealt with.
As the game settled down it became apparent that Everton’s split strikers thrived in finding space on the wings left vacant by the offensive full back United had deployed.
After a somewhat slow start, United’s first sight of goal came from a whipped ball in from Mason Greenwood which Edinson Cavani narrowly missed, before being flicked behind for a corner. The resulting corner was met by Pogba who guided the ball towards the back post but slightly out of reach for the on rushing Scott McTominay.
A minute later, Greenwood caused more problems down the right as he easily skipped past Lucas Digne before driving into the box, checking Andre Gomes inside and out before scuffing an effort wide.
United’s period of pressure continued as Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes played a simple one-two before the former picked out Cavani at the back post with an exquisite cross from deep. With the goal at his mercy, Cavani made no mistake, heading the ball back across Robin Olsen to give United the lead.
The goal sparked the hosts into life, with the energy and pressing intensity increasing drastically over the following minutes as Everton were starved of the midfield interplay they thrived on in the early stages.
United’s pressure continued as McTominay won the ball back high up the pitch before offloading to Wan-Bissaka, whose low cross found Cavani, but the Uruguayan swung a leg to no avail, with the ball pinging off his standing leg away from danger.
However, the smiles were hampered slightly before half time as key man Pogba limped off the field with a thigh injury, replaced by Fred.
Just before half time, United launched yet another attack down the right, with Wan-Bissaka and Fred linking up well before Fernandes picked up the ball on the edge of the box. A simple dummy allowed him to skip past Tom Davis before rifling a sublime strike across goal which looped over Olsen and into the far top corner to double the lead in emphatic fashion.
The second half began with United on top, however, one ball through the middle from Davis set Calvert-Lewin through on goal. His effort from a tight angle was inexplicably parried by David De Gea into the path of Abdoulaye Doucoure who slotted into an empty net with ease.
Just minutes later, Everton had equalised. Digne’s cross from the left was flicked on by Harry Maguire into the path of Doucoure who pulled it back to James Rodriguez on the edge of the box. He took one touch before rifling the ball into the back of the net.
United regained their position of superiority in terms of possession and chances following the equaliser. This pressure culminated in Fernandes playing Rashford in on goal. However, his finish was poor and Olsen did well to tip it wide for a corner.
The pressure continued, and so did the goals. Shaw whipped in a good delivery from a free kick deep on the left flank which was well met by McTominay. As the ball sailed towards the far corner, Olsen appeared to lose his footing, making the header unreachable and reinstating United’s lead.
United almost doubled their lead for a second time as Cavani won the ball back high up the pitch before finding Fred, who in turn found Fernandes on the edge of the area. His first-time effort lopped up towards the near top corner but sailed just inches over the bar with Olsen well beaten.
Seconds later, United were in again as Fernandes slid Rashford in behind. However, rather than hitting it first time, Rashford tried to check back onto his left and then failed to find the far corner with his effort.
Rashford was involved in United’s next chance, winning a free kick right on the edge of the Everton box. Fernandes struck the resulting set piece, but his effort was sent narrowly over the bar.
With United looking to see the game out, Harry Maguire lost possession in his own half as Calvert-Lewin played the ball through to Richarlison who cut inside of Victor Lindelof before striking wastefully wide.
With five of the four added minutes having been played, a looping ball into the area was flicked onto Calvert-Lewin, who calmly finished past De Gea to grab a last-ditch equaliser.
Make no mistake, United dominated this match from start to finish, with the Everton goalkeeper the only reason they didn’t secure a similar scoreline to the one we witnessed last week. However, individual errors, mainly from De Gea, cost them what would have been a thorough and professional victory against a traditional bogey team.
The result means United are likely to lose more ground on Manchester City at the top of the table, while Everton’s hopes of securing a place in Europe are still very much alive.
Man of the Match – Edinson Cavani
Aside from the goal, Cavani ran the show for 90 of the 95 minutes played. His pressing, energy and interplay with his fellow forwards was simply sublime. Like a fine wine, Cavani seems to get better with each game and produced a performance which deserved three points.