by
Man Utd might not have been the ‘machines’ or ‘robots’ that Erik ten Hag has asked them be, especially in front of goal, but the Red Devils eased the manager’s fears over their mentality…
Manchester United faced many questions, all of them justified, over the character last weekend after falling short in every department at Newcastle. Six days later, the Red Devils have redeemed themselves and proved they deserve Erik ten Hag’s trust.
Following a slender win over Brentford on Wednesday, United put Everton to the sword with a display that showcased many more of the positive traits that saw them ascend up the Premier League table and deep into every cup competition they’ve competed in.
Such success is making huge demands of Ten Hag’s squad and there were signs prior to the Newcastle embarrassment that United were wobbling. Anfield was excruciating and St James’ was equally concerning given such an inadequate level of application as the home straight comes into sight.
Ten Hag acknowledged that his players are human, even if he would prefer them to be less fallible. “We have to act as robots, we have to act as machines,” he said before Sean Dyche turned up on the Dutchman’s door step for the first time. And there was certainly a greater relentlessness and resilience about United. If there were concerns over an attitude problem – a familiar failing at Old Trafford for too long – they were eased by a dominant, high-energy performance.
So dominant were United, they should have been out of sight long before the half-time whistle. The expectation of Everton was of a stoic, stubborn performance but they allowed their hosts an effort almost once every two minutes during a first period in which United had more shots than any other Premier League team has managed in any half this season.
21 – Manchester United have had 21 shots so far against Everton, their most on record (since 2003-04) in the first half of a single Premier League game, and the most by any side in the opening 45 minutes of a match this season. Peppered. pic.twitter.com/NGkk8uyLPS
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 8, 2023
And United didn’t have to dazzle the Everton defence to get through or behind them. So often, all it took was a simple long ball under which the Toffees struggled to turn in time to deny Marcus Rashford and Antony multiple runs on goal. The first recurring theme of the first half was Everton defenders stretching and stumbling in vain towards their own goal. The second was United failing to make the most of the chances they mustered.
Catapulting the ball in behind was clearly part of Ten Hag’s plan but his players’ profligacy was not. It has been a handicap through the whole season, one which has highlighted the need for a centre-forward worthy of the role at Old Trafford. But their wastefulness could not be pinned on the absence of an elite goalscorer. Even if Harry Kane had lined up in red against Everton today, Rashford, Antony, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and co must accept responsibility for their failure to finish.
When they broke the deadlock, to dissipate the fear that had long since crept in that this was one of those days, Everton allowed them to do so despite being back and set around their box, in the kind of shape Dyche drills his defence in daily. Rashford was allowed to run along the back four, if not through, before Jadon Sancho pierced it with a single pass from a standing start. The finish, smashed by Scott McTominay between Jordan Pickford and the near post, was the first hint of ruthlessness United displayed at the 16th time of asking.
As expected after half-time, Everton rallied. Sort of. They too wasted opportunities of their own, especially through Ellis Simms at 0-0, but certainly not in the volume United were creating. If Everton were porous because of some surprising attacking ambition, United, with three-quarters of their back four changed, were holding them off with relative ease.
They made the game safe with another ball in behind, though not one that should have reached there. Seamus Coleman ought to have made a comfortable interception but instead let the ball underneath his studs. Rashford seized upon it before teeing up Anthony Martial for his first goal since Christmas.
Martial and Christian Eriksen returning off the bench at the same time Casemiro becomes available after suspension briefly teased Ten Hag with the prospect of being able to select his first-choice XI ahead of a Europa League quarter-final and an FA Cup semi-final to come this week. But, the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.
Tempering the relief over his returning trio was the sight of Rashford pulling up lame as he stretched for the 427th pass in behind Everton. The United No.10 regularly feels knocks and niggles and often surprises us with Lazarus-like recoveries. But his level of impediment as he exited the stage indicated that Ten Hag would have to make provisions for being without his top scorer at the worst possible time.
Still, waiting on one individual’s fitness, important though he is, is a far more preferable problem for Ten Hag compared to fretting over a collective failure of mindset and mentality. In that respect, United appear to be on back on track.
Read more: Amadou Onana drops back in three-way race for Arsenal after Man Utd washout
