Everton match analysis from Chris Beesley after the Blues went down 1-0 at home to Manchester United on Monday evening
Bryan Mbeumo of Manchester United and Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton
Bryan Mbeumo of Manchester United and Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton(Image: Paul Currie/Shutterstock)
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Everton found themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 result against Manchester United on Monday evening, as the Blues' winless run at home extended to seven matches.
United substitute Benjamin Sesko proved to be the difference as he came off the bench to score the game's only goal in the 71st minute, ensuring that the Red Devils left with all three points.
Nevertheless, there was plenty to ponder from the contest for David Moyes and Everton, with the Blues matching their lofty opponents for much of the encounter, particularly in the second half.
False full-backs
We’ve heard of false number nines but what about false full-backs? For the second time in four matches, Everton manager Moyes selected a back four without a recognised full-back in it, having picked four centre-backs for the 1-1 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion on January 31.
The Blues boss usually deploys a natural centre-back Jake O’Brien at right-back anyway, but with the Republic of Ireland international suspended, James Garner, who has been one of the team’s most influential performers this season in central midfield, filled in. A trio of former Goodison greats - Peter Reid, Alan Stubbs and Michael Ball - all told this correspondent he should stay in the engine room, but like he’s done wherever he’s played this term – including left-back – Garner did a solid job.
The big question going forward is what happens now with O’Brien available again. In contrast, Branthwaite, who had previously made the adjustment with relative ease at the Amex Stadium, appeared something of a fish out of water when getting the nod ahead of Vitalii Mykolenko, who rather than being injured this time was dropped to the bench.
A series of outstanding displays in his breakthrough 2023/24 season culminated with ‘The Carlisle Kaiser’ winning his first England cap and being subject to a couple of offers from Manchester United the following summer, albeit bids that were way below Everton’s valuation of him. Still regaining his sharpness after an eight-month spell on the sidelines, the 23-year-old won’t have shown Old Trafford chiefs the best of him when utilised in this role.
It was a night that provided more questions than answers... and to think that Moyes’ first spell with the Blues culminated with him having the best full-back pairing the club have enjoyed in modern times with Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman. Ironically, given their current struggles in the position, the pair of them are still sat alongside him on the Everton bench.
Kings of Africa struggle on their return
Talking of reputed interest from Old Trafford in Everton stars, Manchester United are one of a long list of potential suitors who certain outlets have claimed are tracking Iliman Ndiaye. The Blues don’t want to part with one of their brightest stars, but while it’s only natural that someone of his talents attracts admiring glances, the man who lit up his first season on Merseyside with his twinkling toes hasn’t been firing on all cylinders since he returned from winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.
Ndiaye finished top scorer with 11 in 2024/25 and followed up scoring the last two goals at Goodison Park with the historic first strike at Hill Dickinson Stadium this term. But while he was unselfish in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on December 6 – the team’s last home victory to date – when playing through Thierno Barry for his first goal in English football rather than shooting himself and he nailed a perfectly-placed penalty against Bournemouth earlier this month, we haven’t seen him score from open play since his wonder goal at Sunderland.
It’s a similar story with Idrissa Gueye who remains one of Moyes’ most trusted lieutenants, but appears leggy after returning from a second AFCON success. He popped up with that assist with a cross for Barry against Leeds United, yet at 36, how long can he carry on playing so many minutes?
Options increase
Perhaps with his available options going up, it can be a case of quality over quantity when it comes to the outings for the likes of the aforementioned Gueye and several others among Everton’s squad going forward. You’d imagine that Garner returns to central midfield sooner rather than later and the engine room is one of the areas that appears crowded for the Blues, there is increasing scope to shuffle the pack.
Tim Iroegbunam made his first start since the 1-1 draw with Wolves against United, Merlin Rohl hasn’t featured since what both he and many others considered his best display for the club in the 1-0 win at Aston Villa, while as already mentioned, Armstrong has been playing wide rather than through the middle. At the turn of the calendar year the Blues were down to the bare bones, but now they appear to possess a certain degree of strength in depth.
Understudy goalkeeper Mark Travers was absent here, but Moyes was able to name what was arguably his strongest set of substitutes yet, with the likes of Tyler Dibling and Dwight McNeil – recalled to the matchday squad for the first time since his move to Crystal Palace collapsed – both kept on the bench. The task going forwards will be how to best deploy these options in reserve in what is increasingly a squad game.