Red Card Controversy Overshadows Everton’s Historic Victory Over United

Gueye was sent off in the 13th minute for raising his hands to teammate Michael Keane’s face in frustration, following a missed shot by Casemiro due to Everton’s passive defending. The Toffees, who had been dominating the early moments of the match, took advantage of the red card and scored through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s powerful strike. They managed to defend their lead effectively throughout the second half, despite the Red Devils controlling 75 percent of the possession.

Amorim expressed his disagreement with the decision to send off Gueye, stating that Everton deserved their victory. This win marked the Toffees’ first triumph at Old Trafford since 2013, when David Moyes was at the helm of United. It was also Moyes’ inaugural victory at Old Trafford as an opposing manager after 18 attempts.

At a press conference, Amorim noted, “I believe they were a better team even with 11 players. They performed exceptionally well with 10 men for 70 minutes. Therefore, we deserved to lose. Our performance lacked intensity, and we are currently far from the competitive position we aspire to be in the league. We have much work ahead of us, and perfection is required to secure victories. We fell short today.

“I am concerned about reliving the struggles of last season, which is my primary worry. We must collaborate effectively moving forward. I am committed to this process, and while the players are making an effort, we need to elevate our performance. We have training tomorrow to prepare for our next match.”

Amorim also expressed admiration for Everton’s determination and fighting spirit, even if it resulted in the red card. He commented, “Fighting is not inherently negative. It reflects a commitment to the team. If you lose the ball, you must fight to recover it; otherwise, we risk conceding a goal. I do not concur with the sending off. I want my players to show that same fighting spirit when they lose possession. While we must avoid ejections, that competitive spirit should be encouraged.”

United had a chance to climb to fifth place in the Premier League after Bournemouth dropped points against West Ham, and Tottenham suffered a heavy defeat to Arsenal. However, they currently sit 10th in the table, level on 18 points with Everton and 11 points behind leaders Arsenal.

Next Sunday, the Red Devils will face fifth-placed Crystal Palace, but Amorim expressed disappointment that his team did not capitalize on the weekend’s results and instead delivered a lackluster performance against Everton.

“It is my responsibility to analyze the game, and today’s shortcomings were a collective issue rather than the fault of any one individual,” said the United manager. “Given the weekend’s results, we should have entered the pitch with a heightened level of excitement. Regardless of the quality of our play, the atmosphere at Old Trafford called for a significant performance, and I sensed that we were unprepared once again.”