Manchester United won the Premier League Summer Series despite Amad Diallo scoring an utterly strange own goal to share the points with Everton in Atlanta.
The 23-year-old tried to dispossess Dwight McNeil from just outside the box, moments after Bruno Fernandes and Iliman Ndaiye exchanged some words, but instead stabbed the ball into the bottom-left corner of his own net.
It came just six minutes after Mason Mount gave his side the lead just before the hour when, having received the ball with his back to goal, he swiveled and bent an excellent effort into the far side-netting.
For what was an entertaining second period followed an otherwise deadpan first half. Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring from the penalty spot when Diallo was brought down by James Tarkowski — converting into the bottom-left corner.
But the lead was equalled when Ndaiye met Idrissa Gueye’s first-timed cross with only a few minutes remaining until the interval.
Story of the Match
Ruben Amorim’s first season at United was, by many measures, a disappointment. He narrowly avoided the club’s worst-ever season, and while many might have described the campaign with harsh words, he couldn’t have denied those claims.
The performance in the final edition of this pre-season’s Premier League Summer Series, however, conveyed a much more fruitful viewing to the downcast and miserable version of United that was on display so often last season. Their passing was accurate, quick and, with an additional threat to goal, it was only a matter of time before they found success here.
Amorim, since joining United in November yesteryear, has acted stubbornly yet unbelievably determined when it ever came to questioning his tactical intentions. But that behaviour seems to have been instilled into his players after, despite losing the ball, Diallo managed to win a penalty early on to fuel a deserved lead.
The Ivorian winger shot down the right flank like a bolt of lightning to reach a loose through-ball supplied by debutant Bryan Mbeumo — who joined from Brentford for £71m last month — before initially trying to square the ball for Fernandes.
The ball never reached the United captain but, instead, it fortunately fell back to Diallo whose agile movement gave Tarkowski no other option but to drag the forward down which resulted in a spot-kick, converted by Fernandes calmly.
United dominated possession from the off at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium but it was following the goal that gave Amorim’s side the lead that their momentum gradually dispersed into Everton’s hands.
By 40 minutes, United’s structured and organised football, that has become a common sight over this pre-season tournament, was discarded momentarily when Manuel Ugarte lost possession on the edge of his team’s box.
Almost instantly came Indrissa Gueye’s swirling cross towards the back-post that was finished off by Ndiaye, who had caught Fernandes out of position and vulnerable at the back post, with a feathered first touch into the far, bottom corner.
Only then did Everton find later success when Diallo poked the ball from McNeil and into the bottom-left corner of his side’s goal in one of the most bizarre moments of the season so far.
Had Mount not curled the ball into the side-netting of Pickford’s otherwise unplayable net, after receiving the ball back-to-goal from Fernandes, Everton could have found themselves with their first win of the tournament.
But although this was a much better showing from Moyes’ men, their high standards must transpire if they want to succeed in the upcoming 2025-26 Premier League season.