A BRUNO BRACE stopped the rot for Manchester United and may even ease the speculation about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – for now at least.
Bruno Fernandes struck twice and teed up Edinson Cavani for a late third as United recovered well from falling behind to another soft goal.
⚠️ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford
Fernandes gave United the lead as his cross evaded everyone to sneak in at the far postCredit: AFP or licensors
Solskjaer could breathe a sigh of relief after the full-time whistle soundedCredit: AFP or licensors
You can usually tell when a team has stopped playing for a manager, but the way Solskjaer’s side avoided losing a third game in a week suggested that time had not come yet.
Instead it was a flat-looking Everton who were beaten for their third Premier League match in a row.
Both teams can go into the international break and regroup, with the pressure off Solskjaer after another mini crisis.
But it could have been different if Everton had built on their lead.
United started well enough, enjoying plenty of possession and fashioning the first chance, which Anthony Martial dragged just wide.
But minutes later, rank defending allowed Bernard to open the scoring.
Victor Lindelof’s challenge on Dominic Calvert-Lewin was weak and the ball broke to the Brazilian.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka failed to close him down quickly enough and Bernard squeezed a shot inside David De Gea’s right-hand post.
Bernard celebrated after giving the hosts the lead against Man UtdCredit: AP:Associated Press
Fernandes was the star of the show as he scored two first-half goalsCredit: Reuters
Fair play to United, they soon hit back with a much more attractive goal.
Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata combined to work the ball to Luke Shaw, whose cross was headed home emphatically by Fernandes while Everton’s defence stood and stared.
Everton left-back Lucas Digne hit the outside of a post when a cross looked the better option and Pickford saved a Fernandes free kick as the game became more open and end-to-end.
And then the Portuguese schemer soon put his side ahead.
Another good move gave him room to clip in a ball towards Rashford and replays showed the England striker failed to connect with his head, leaving the ball to go in off the far post.
The game was more even after half-time but Pickford, recalled after being rested for the Newcastle defeat, was soon at the centre of more VAR controversy.
Fernandes equalised for Man Utd with his first-half headerCredit: AFP or licensors
Confusion reigned over Man Utd’s second goal as Rashford celebrated despite not getting a head on Fernandes’ crossCredit: Reuters
This time the Everton goalkeeper dropped a Juan Mata free-kick and then joined Michael Keane in kicking Harry Maguire.
Yet video official Michael Oliver, who had missed Pickford’s lunge on Virgil van Dijk in the Merseyside derby, saw no reason to award a penalty.
The England keeper made a good save from Rashford to keep the match alive and United had two more penalty claims dismissed.
At the other end, Maguire led United’s defence well and Everton struggled to create a clear-cut chance to equalise.
Abdoulaye Doucoure had two sights of goal, but both his efforts were poor.
And in stoppage-time, Fernandes led the break and fed Cavani, who opened his United account and can now look forward to working with Solskjaer for a little while to come.
Edinson Cavani scored Man Utd’s third in the 95th minuteCredit: Reuters
Man Utd ace David De Gea doesn’t let a single ball get past him in practise
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
