After another international break, United went into the last pause feeling okay about their situation, with an unbeaten run of 5 games, confidence growing and a chance to move into the European places with a clash against former United manager David Moyes and his unpredictable Everton side.

In the end, United were left to rue missed chances and a resolute Everton defence, who were down to 10 men for the majority of the clash following a baffling decision from Gueye. Despite the man advantage, United couldn’t capitalise as they fell behind and looked hopeless to gain any attacking control of the game.

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Teams

Manchester United: Lammens, Shaw, De Ligt, Yoro, Dorgu (Dalot 58′), Fernandes, Casemiro (Mainoo 58′), Mazraoui (Mount 46′), Amad, Mbeumo, Zirkzee

Subs: Bayindir, Heaven, Martinez, Malacia, Ugarte, Lacey

Everton: Pickford, Mykolenko, Keane, Tarkowski, Coleman (O’Brien 10′), Gueye, Garner, Grealish (McNeil 87′), Dewsbury-Hall (Alcaraz 88′), Ndiaye (Iroegbunam 81′), Barry (Beto 81′)

Subs: Travers, King, Aznou, Dibling

Manchester United 4-2 Everton

Manchester United’s evening at Old Trafford ended in frustration on Monday as Everton claimed a dramatic 1–0 victory despite playing with ten men for over three-quarters of the match. In a bizarre early moment, Idrissa Gana Gueye was sent off just 13 minutes in for striking his teammate Michael Keane during a heated exchange. The dismissal rocked the Toffees, but they showed remarkable composure and defensive discipline to stay in the game.

Their resolve paid off in the 29th minute when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall collected the ball near the edge of the box, drove forward, and unleashed a stunning curling effort past Senne Lammens into the top corner. That strike proved to be the match-winner, as United dominated possession but struggled to turn their territorial control into clear-cut chances. Throughout the second half, the hosts pushed hard, making several forays into the final third, but were repeatedly thwarted.

Everton’s goalkeeper Jordan Pickford played a key role in preserving the lead, making several crucial saves, including a smart one to deny a Joshua Zirkzee header late on. As United ramped up the pressure in the closing minutes, even sending defenders forward for corners, Everton stood firm. The win marked David Moyes’s first Premier League victory as an away manager at Old Trafford and ended United’s five-game unbeaten run at home.

Talking Points

Rúben Amorim’s first anniversary as Manchester United manager was supposed to be a celebration, but the occasion quickly turned sour under the Old Trafford lights. The evening began with optimism, a packed home crowd, a year of steady rebuilding, and a chance to mark the milestone with a convincing performance. Instead, Amorim was left with a storyline he didn’t want: United dominant on paper yet blunt in the moments that mattered, unable to find a spark against an Everton side reduced to ten men for most of the match.

The talking point that stunned everyone came just 13 minutes in, when Idrissa Gana Gueye received an extraordinary red card after an off-the-ball clash with his own teammate Michael Keane. The incident was as confusing as it was chaotic, a mix-up, a moment of frustration, and suddenly Everton were a man down. Rather than crumbling, the visitors regrouped brilliantly, slowing the tempo, defending in a tight block, and waiting for their moment. That moment arrived when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s superb curling strike gave Everton the lead and shifted the pressure entirely onto United.

And United simply had no answers. Despite long spells of possession and wave after wave of territorial control, Amorim’s side looked unimaginative in the final third, too slow, too predictable, and far too easy for Everton to read. The ball moved sideways, the crosses lacked venom, and the few chances they carved out were handled comfortably by Jordan Pickford. On a night meant to show progress, United instead exposed a worrying trend: an inability to break down organised opponents, even when handed a numerical advantage. It was a sobering reminder on Amorim’s anniversary that possession means little without purpose.