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Manchester United 2-0 Everton
Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog. Here are the teams:
Man Utd: De Gea, Da Silva, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Cleverley, Jones, Giggs, Rooney, van Persie. Subs: Amos, Anderson, Smalling, Hernandez, Carrick, Nani, Welbeck.
Everton: Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Heitinga, Baines, Mirallas, Osman, Gibson, Pienaar, Fellaini, Anichebe. Subs: Mucha, Jelavic, Oviedo, Naismith, Hitzlsperger, Stones.
The teams are in the tunnel and we’re almost ready to go.
The strength of United’s team indicates how seriously they’re taking this game, despite their pivotal Champions League tie taking place this week.
We’re underway…
United have started this game with purpose.
They’ve spent the majority of the match deep in Everton territory, without carving out any clear-cut openings so far.
There’s no real pattern this game yet.
It’s been quite cagey, with neither side establishing control of the match.
But as I type, a lovely through ball from Rooney finds Van Persie, who takes the ball round Howard, but can only hit the post with his finish.
GOAL FOR MAN UNITED!
Man United 1-0 Everton: Heitinga is beaten all too easily by Van Persie in his own area, and the ball falls to Giggs, who slots it home beautifully from the edge of the area (12 mins).
It’s a deserved goal for the hosts, who have looked the stronger side at the start of this game.
Take a bow…
Good interception from Jagielka at the last minute to stop Evra from sprinting through on goal.
The England man is certainly looking more assured than his Dutch colleague at the back.
Osman produces a decent shot from just outside the area, which De Gea has to parry it away for a corner.
From the subsequent set piece, United clear the ball away scrappily.
There’s one very interested spectator at Old Trafford today.
Chance for Everton! They break away, but Mirallas’ cross is played slightly behind Anichebe, and the opportunity is wasted.
The visitors are coming into the game a bit more now.
United are worried enough to have altered their approach.
Rooney is now playing on the left, with Giggs deployed in a more central role.
It’s been a frustrating enough last few minutes for United.
Despite leading 1-0, their attack has yet to really click.
Everton, on the other hand, have grown into this game.
GOAL FOR MAN UNITED!
Man United 2-0 Everton: After being caught offside twice in three minutes, Van Persie finally breaks Everton’s high line, before taking it round Howard and finishing consummately (44 mins).
He had been ominously quiet up until now.
HALF-TIME: MAN UNITED 2-0 EVERTON
So United are responding in the best possible manner to City’s slip-up yesterday.
Two accomplished finishes have given them a considerable advantage amid a game in which they’ve looked fairly comfortable for the most part.
Everton have occasionally troubled their opponents, but there’s ultimately been a lack of conviction with which they’ve approached this game, as is reflected in the scoreline.
The second half has begun…
United are continuing to press Everton in search of a third goal that would surely put their victory beyond doubt.
Expect to see RVP and Rooney being substituted sooner rather than later, provided Everton don’t threaten a second-half comeback.
Substitutions: For United, Jones, who looks injured, has been replaced by Carrick.
And for Everton, Jelavic has come on for Anichebe.
The game has hit a bit of a lull of late.
Everton don’t appear to have the belief that they can produce a comeback, as they did in this fixture last year.
Everton have passed the ball nicely on occasion over the course of this game.
However, they simply look short on ideas in the final third of the pitch.
How that did not go in I will never know!
A United corner is played in, and a goalmouth scramble ensues, with the ball being cleared off the line at least twice.
Shortly thereafter, Howard tips the ball over the bar following a powerful Cleverley strike from the edge of the area.
Less than 20 minutes remaining, and still RVP and Rooney both remain on the field.
Perhaps Fergie still isn’t convinced the game has been won, but his policy could backfire if either get injured in the upcoming minutes.
A promising move is initiated after good work from Rooney, but Rafael overhits his subsequent cross woefully.
It’s been a very poor quality second half, but United are doing what is required of them.
Giggs plays the ball across to Van Persie, but the striker’s shot goes narrowly wide.
Meanwhile, Chris Smalling has replaced Jonny Evans.
Good defensive work from both Rooney and Vidic in recent minutes has seemingly ensured United will obtain another clean sheet, while going 12 points clear in the process.
FULL-TIME: MAN UNITED 2-0 EVERTON
Right, that’s all from me.
Thanks for reading and commenting, and enjoy the rest of your weekends.
