Matheus Cunha put all of his momentum through an upfield ball, falling to the ground as the ball soared to Bryan Mbeumo on the right wing. One-on-one with his defender, Mbeumo spotted Benjamin Sesko gaining inertia up the middle of the pitch.
With a full head of steam, Sesko was clear of his defender and Mbeumo played a perfectly-weighted pass which Sesko deftly one-timed a curler past Jordan Pickford, giving Manchester United their eventual game winner in the 71st minute.
It was a pitch-perfect counterpunch
from Manchester United’s new-look front line after sustained pressure from Everton throughout the start of the second half suggested the momentum would crescendo for the home team.
The responsibility then fell on Senne Lammens and his backline to close up the shop for the final 19 minutes of regulation and five minutes of stoppage. It was a responsibility that the Belgian relished as he punched out corner after corner that the hosts earned. He finished with four saves as Everton only threatened with their most speculative of chances.
United’s four signings proved to be instrumental as interim head coach Michael Carrick earned his fifth win during his opening six-match unbeaten streak. Following a toothless loss to ten-men Everton at Old Trafford in November, the end result at Hill Dickinson Stadium was cathartic even if the opening two-thirds of the match were less inspirational for the Reds.
Manchester United once again sit in fourth place in the Premier League standings and only three points behind third-place Aston Villa.
The threat that Everton presented in the second half was a far cry from the first half. United owned possession, holding 72 percent of the possession through the opening 30 minutes of the match.
United frustratingly offered little to take advantage, and, outside of the goal-scoring moment, the lack of potency persisted through the match. By the time United had earned their first corner of the match, the clock read 89:45 and Everton had racked up 10 of their own.
Ultimately, United put together a pragmatic performance against a famously stubborn manager in David Moyes and Everton team in their brand-new home venue, leaving Everton to pocket watch another three points claimed by Michael Carrick’s Reds.
United return to Old Trafford to host 13th-place Crystal Palace on Sunday, March 1 before heading to 11th-place Newcastle on Wednesday, March 4, to face the Magpies.
