Anthony Martial has more goals against Everton than any other team and he has now pillaged three goals in two substitute appearances. Those on the Gwladys Street must be dreading his return on Sunday.
It has been a while since Manchester United fans aired Martial's chant with any credibility but he scored again against Omonia Nicosia with his first touches.
Martial may have wondered why he only crossed the white line in the second-half. Erik ten Hag's decision to ease him back into the team was dubious after a productive cameo in the Manchester derby and it was in United's interests to get Martial up to speed for the more frenetic surroundings of Goodison Park.
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Ten Hag was irked that his pre-match questioning centred on Cristiano Ronaldo and his peculiar rationale for his unused status at City was undermined by Martial's presence on the bench again as Ronaldo started. If Martial was fit enough to get a 30-minute run-out against one of the game's most intense teams he was durable enough to anticipate an opportunity against Europa League fodder.
Martial is still yet to start a competitive match for United since November 24 and it seemed certain that wait would end this week. Everton have a parsimonious defensive record and Martial is currently United's most clinical finisher.
His and Marcus Rashford's goals were finished from identical angles into each corner. Rashford's own demotion sufficiently jolted him into equalising eight minutes after his introduction for the struggling Jadon Sancho.
It is not a coincidence Rashford, the starting centre forward in United's last six Premier League matches. has scored his five goals from the left wing - his best position of strength. Accommodating Rashford and Martial against Everton would be advisable as a goal from open play continues to elude Ronaldo.
Had Martial been present for one of those umpteen opportunities United fashioned then they might not have flirted with disaster. The defender Lisandro Martinez ended the first-half as United's best attacker and his connection with the fanbase was audible again as United fans chanted "Ar-gen-ti-na" repeatedly.
What should have been almost as serene a visit as it is for British holidaymakers who continue to flock to Cyrpus briefly descended into a new low as Omonia led at the interval.
Ten Hag was too loyal for his own good with others at City and repeated his error, though he atoned through decisive and proactive substitutions. Ronaldo's shanked shot that Rashford tapped in for 3-1 in the 84th minute proved pivotal on a night complacency was a recurring theme of United's play. Nikolaos Panagiotou struck a minute later.
Paul Scholes dismissed Sancho and Antony as "a waste of time" in the derby and they wasted plenty of time in Nicosia. United are at the risk of investing £158million in a bunch of freestyle footballers unless they instil both with discipline. Sancho and Antony were guilty of superfluous showboating and there must be something in the water at United for their forwards to succumb so quickly to lethargy.
Sancho's frivolousness on the ball instigated Omonia's first attack with a careless pass was met with a careless touch by Tyrell Malacia, verging on the Omonia third. Astonishingly, he was the deepest of United's outfield players.
Cue flashbacks of Istanbul Basaksehir and United allocating their entire half to Demba Ba. Malacia actually caught up with the pick-pocket but Christian Eriksen naively engaged and Karim Ansarifard was left free to punish United.
United shipped six goals at City nearly two years to the day since Tottenham plundered the same amount at Old Trafford. Now they are committing identical mistakes in another European midweek tie. Different managers, different players, same outcome.
Malacia was hooked at the interval for the second game running. Starting Luke Shaw would have been logical and Malacia should not be defined by his horrendous half at City but a second punitive withdrawal raises more questions about his manager's decision-making than the young left-back.
Sancho, fortunate to start, went off with Malacia. This was an obvious match to reintegrate Martial back into the starting XI and it was unwise of Ten Hag to entrust three of the four luxury starting forwards at City.
With their Irish imagery and green and white colours, the appeal of Omonia is obvious to a man as synonymous with Celtic as Neil Lennon, though he may have taken umbrage with the banner that read 'On Her Majesty's Service'.
Lennon enjoyed raucous nights against United as a player at Parkhead and a more memorable occasion seemed feasible for nearly an hour. Ronaldo drew a save, Antony shirked shooting and Fernandes lobbed the ball onto the crossbar inside a dominant first 20 minutes. As the half-hour loomed, United had 81 per cent of possession and Omonia were as bad a team as you could see without losing.
Fernandes, the intended recipient of Antony's appalling pass, justifiably upbraided the Brazilian. When Antony did, Fabiano agilely gloved the ball over the crossbar. Sancho and Malacia then combined to turn attack into defence and suddenly it had the makings of one of those nights.
Ronaldo snatched at chances with the benefit of United having recovered. With the goal gaping, he placed the ball against the post. Crouching over in the six-yard area, Ronaldo loitered in disbelief.
Belief is coursing through Martial.
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