Manchester United ground out a 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday to tighten their grip the top-four, with Erik ten Hag hoping to secure Champions League football for next season. Scott McTominay and Anthony Martial both got on the scoresheet, but an injury to Marcus Rashford made sure it wasn’t all positive for the Red Devils. Express Sport takes you through four of the main talking points from an intriguing Premier League encounter…
Rashford suffers brutal injury blow
As United’s main man this season with 28 goals in all competitions, Rashford pulling up in the latter stages of Saturday’s win and clutching his groin will have been a sorry sight for Ten Hag. The flying forward immediately realised that his race was run, slowly limping off the pitch in front of a concerned Old Trafford crowd.
Fans now face a nervous wait to discover the extent of Rashford’s injury, which could hardly have come at a worse time given the congested run of fixtures ahead. As the Red Devils’ main source of potency at the top end of the pitch, his influence could prove crucial as United chase a top-four finish and more silverware this term.
Ten Hag masterstroke pays dividends
The United boss made a gutsy decision earlier this season by distancing Jadon Sancho from the first-team squad. The former Borussia Dortmund star trained alone for a number of weeks as Ten Hag took him out of the spotlight, having started life slowly since signing for the Red Devils in a £73million deal.
That decision looks set to pay off as Sancho put in one of his finest United performances on Saturday. Composed on the ball and alert to clever passes around the box, Ten Hag has allowed the Englishman to play to his strengths and it was Sancho’s pass that set up McTominay to open the scoring.
Pickford passes audition
Although Everton were worthy of the defeat at Old Trafford, it was still a spirited display from Sean Dyche’s side, who immediately took the fight to United and spurned a number of early opportunities.
Toffees stopper Jordan Pickford shipped two goals by the full-time whistle but it could have been plenty more, with Everton’s high line leaving him exposed throughout the game. Pickford is rumoured to be of interest to United, who are expected to replace David De Gea this summer, and his performance this weekend will have earned him even more admirers behind the scenes.
Sir Alex Ferguson proven right
Legendary former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson recently stated, in no uncertain terms, that he does not see Rashford as a central striker. That didn’t stop Ten Hag from trying it anyway against Everton, with the Red Devils youth product taking the solitary spot up top while Wout Weghorst and Anthony Martial waited on the bench.
Although it was far from a dismal performance, Rashford was without the same cutting edge that fans have become accustomed to when starting on the left flank. Unsurprisingly, the 25-year-old’s main contribution came when he was shifted back out wide, where he laid the ball off for Martial to double the hosts’ lead.
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