Frustration Abounds as Manchester United Falls to Everton

MANCHESTER, England – Where to begin with Manchester United?

Presented with an opportunity to demonstrate genuine progress and ascend into the Premier League’s top four with a victory over Everton—who had won just once at Old Trafford in the past 33 years—the team inexplicably suffered a calamitous 1-0 defeat. Everton even endeavored to assist United’s cause by playing with 10 men for 77 minutes following Idrissa Gueye’s astonishing red card for slapping teammate Michael Keane.

United’s coach, Ruben Amorim, has been cautiously optimistic during a five-game unbeaten streak, but after such a dismal performance rife with avoidable errors, it is clear why he remains hesitant to declare the team has turned a corner.

At one point towards the end of the match, as United sought to equalize, Amad Diallo was penalized for not realizing he was still on the pitch while attempting to take a throw-in. It speaks volumes when a team receives a red card for internal conflict on the pitch, yet this bizarre moment was not the most absurd incident of the evening. The match will linger in the memories of United fans, who loudly booed the team at the full-time whistle, but unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons.

“The feeling is frustration,” Amorim remarked. “Disappointment about the way we played. I think they were the better team. With 11, they defended really well. With 10 men for 70 minutes, we deserved to lose. We didn’t play well. We didn’t exhibit the right intensity. That’s it.”

Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, there have been numerous bleak days at Old Trafford. However, this defeat ranks among the most disheartening.

United performed poorly even before Gueye’s red card. Everton kicked off the match without having won away from home since August, yet for the first 10 minutes, they outclassed Amorim’s team, completing 14 successful passes in the final third compared to United’s solitary effort. That early display of superiority should have been the pinnacle of Everton’s night.

Just as Everton’s coach David Moyes might have started to dream of a first victory at Old Trafford as an away manager in 18 attempts, a miscommunication in the Everton penalty area between Gueye and Keane allowed Bruno Fernandes a chance on goal. While Fernandes appealed for a corner, Gueye collided with Keane, appearing to slap his teammate in the face during the altercation.

Referee Tony Harrington quickly issued a red card, prompting Gueye to be restrained by Jordan Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye. Gueye later apologized on social media, but the misfortune did not end there for United.

Before the half-hour mark, Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall advanced forward and easily shrugged off weak challenges from Fernandes and Leny Yoro, leading to a stunning shot that soared past goalkeeper Senne Lammens into the top corner.

Even in this moment, an Everton victory seemed uncertain. Nonetheless, Ndiaye and Jack Grealish tirelessly worked on the flanks, while Keane and James Tarkowski effectively cleared cross after cross. Thierno Barry proved to be a nuisance up front, and Pickford’s performance in goal was inspired. United finally began to create clear chances in the last 10 minutes, but Pickford made full-stretch saves to deny two headers from Joshua Zirkzee.

United’s struggles were epitomized in the 92nd minute when Matthijs de Ligt found himself in the box but could only scuff a shot that meekly rolled into Pickford’s grasp. Despite ending the match with 25 shots, only six were on target.

“It has been difficult to win here over the years,” Moyes remarked. “If you told me tonight we would get a result with 10 players, I would say that would be really tough. It was a brilliant performance from the players.”

He expressed some annoyance over Gueye and Keane’s altercation but also found solace in their passion, stating, “It showed me they cared. If we hadn’t shown that fight or resilience, we would have never made it through that game.”

In his post-match news conference, Amorim seemed almost envious of the fight shown by Everton, even if it manifested inappropriately. “Fighting is not a bad thing,” he noted. “Fighting doesn’t mean they dislike each other. Fighting means if you lose the ball, I will fight for you because I don’t want us to concede. That was my feeling when I watched.”

On the one-year anniversary of his first match as head coach at Ipswich Town, Amorim conveyed a message of optimism to fans in the program, stating, “We have a real opportunity to start making genuine progress in our season.”

However, his reflections following the match were starkly different. “We are not yet at the point we should be to compete for the best positions in the league,” he stated. “These past five weeks have brought praise for our evolution. I consistently assert—we are not even close to where we need to be as a club. Today, we are truly frustrated. We will improve in the future.”

Once again, Manchester United had the chance to demonstrate meaningful advancement, and once again, that opportunity was squandered. Where does United go from here, a club that perpetually seems to be commencing anew?