The Everton verdict following a remarkable ending at Hill Dickinson Stadium, where the Blues snatched a draw against Manchester United
Everton fans celebrate after Ainsley Maitland-Niles scores his side's equalising goal (Photo by Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Everton fans celebrate after Ainsley Maitland-Niles scores his side's equalising goal (Photo by Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Everton may be short of players but they are not short of spirit, on the pitch or in the stands.
A calamitous end to the transfer window looked set to dictate the narrative of this game when Manchester United turned to a bench worth hundreds of millions of pounds to snatch what appeared to be a late winner.
But Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ last-gasp screamer instead left his side taking in applause from all four sides of Hill Dickinson as thousands of supporters stayed beyond the final whistle to sing in unison. This was an act of defiance from the players, manager and fans.
There was a sickening sense of deja vu when Benjamin Sesko headed in Luke Shaw’s cross to give the visitors the lead with two minutes to go. The £70m signing had emerged from the bench last season to score the winner in this fixture and few scenarios could have been more representative of the handicap Everton are playing with this season than an expensive reserve forward making the difference just five days after the Blues were left flailing in the window after the sale of Beto and collapse of the move for his replacement, Falorin Balogun.
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With so much of the focus since Tuesday night having been on the players who did not arrive, it was perhaps fitting that one of those who did, Maitland-Niles, produced a moment of quality that caused an eruption of joy on the banks of the River Mersey.
The 29-year-old was bought from Lyon to solve the longstanding problem at right-back but his first act was to instead address another lingering issue - the search for goals. Hope of salvation had all but disappeared when the ball rolled to him in the 96th minute, 30 yards from goal. He whipped his effort into the top corner.
The strike sparked wild celebrations and set the tone for a post-match reaction that suggested the supporters were all-in on backing the players and David Moyes after both were left short by the final business of the summer.
Last week it was the fans who stepped in to prevent the sale of Harrison Armstrong, who was excellent in this tie. On Sunday, the clear message was the players could count on the stands even as the fanbase questioned the intent, ambition and commitment of those running a club and who appear to be seeking outside investment, if not a full sale, after fewer than two years since an arrival it was hoped would herald a new dawn of stability.
There had been plenty of drama before the roles played by Maitland-Niles and Sesko. Bryan Mbuemo opened the scoring straight after half-time when he was allowed too much freedom to cut across the edge of the box and beat Jordan Pickford, who may have left the pitch thinking he could have done better with both goals.
Everton responded well to the goal, though. Tyrique George caused problems throughout his best display in Royal Blue, while Brennan Johnson was also a handful. Man Utd, for all their riches, did not have a shot on target in the 40 minutes between Mbuemo and Sesko’s goals, though a perfectly-executed James Tarkowski challenge did prevent Matheus Cunha from a certain goal on the hour.
At the other end, Everton created chances - not enough to overwhelm their opponent but enough for Michael Carrick and, crucially, the home fans to understand defeat was not a given. The introduction of Jack Grealish was decisive. It lifted the crowd and players and he made an immediate impact, adding intelligence to Everton’s attacking play and forcing Diogo Dalot into a booking that would have been his second had referee John Brooks produced the yellow he deserved for repeated early fouls on George.
Grealish’s arrival pushed George to the right and it was from that position he conjured up the first piece of magic of the second half for his side, one that will be forgotten after Maitland-Niles’ goal but which deserves just as much acclaim.
Across a tough summer, the growth of George has been a standout development and the rocket he sent into the roof of the net from a tight angle crowned a man of the match performance from the young winger. It was created by composed work from substitute Hayden Hackney but George still had a lot to do when he lined up his effort with less than 10 minutes to go. His first goal for Everton was one for the highlights reel.
Mbuemo’s goal started the scoring but the game was not without chances before then. An entertaining first-half had ended with Branthwaite celebrating in his own box after an inch-perfect challenge prevented Marcus Rashford from shooting when he looked to skip through on goal. He then leapt from his feet to block Bruno Fernandes’ effort from the loose ball and the centre back roared with satisfaction before being drowned out by the response from the home fans around him.
United had looked the most threatening as Rashford menaced Rohl, who kept his place after the deadline day arrival of Maitland-Niles. Rohl struggled against a top class winger and was fortunate when Cunha fired over from his pull-back after Rashford got the better of the German youth international around the 23rd minute.
Yet for his struggle at the back, Rohl did present a threat going forward and it was his devilish ball that created the big chance of the half, just before the break. Barry drifted off the shoulder of Harry Maguire and met the cross full-on, but powered his header over the bar of Lammens.
There is a reading of the situation whereby the forward is credited for his movement and for finding himself on the end of a ball he might not have met last season. But Everton cannot afford to be that charitable given how reliant they are on him for goals after the transfer window ended with the sale of Beto and the failure to land a replacement despite a frantic late push. Sesko scored from a similar position and there will be times when that difference is crucial if Barry does not improve.
Armstrong started brightly and George repeatedly got the better of Mbuemo and Dalot. It was Branthwaite who had the other shot on target for the Blues, before his pivotal intervention just before the break. An hour later there were more celebrations at the same end, this time after the heroics of Maitland-Niles.
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