It was disrespectful to bring Cristiano Ronaldo on against Manchester City, Erik ten Hag had controversially argued. When level against Everton, when Anthony Martial limped off, the Dutchman deemed it acceptable to introduce the demoted great. It soon look inspired. As he has done time and again in a career that has defied credibility, Ronaldo brought up a milestone. A 700th goal for his clubs ended Everton’s six-game unbeaten run.
If it was an eloquent response from Ronaldo, after Ten Hag said this week that he was “pissed off” he was on the bench, and he looked altogether more fulfilled on the pitch, it was a fine reaction from Manchester United, both to trailing and to their 6-3 derby humiliation. They showed a dominance they have rarely displayed on the road in 2022, peppering Everton’s goal. A clinical touch came courtesy of a man who has found the net more often than anyone else in footballing history, as well as a player who has cost more than most others, if not Ronaldo.
Antony’s status as the 13th most expensive buy ever in the game could have been daunting, especially when everyone deemed the £85m fee excessive, but he has begun with a display of stylish finishing that distinguishes himself from each of the United greats: no one else had scored in their first three Premier League games for the club, but the winger has. Ten Hag’s faith in an Ajax ally may be costly, but it has not harmed United.
What threatened to be a traumatic occasion for them, when Alex Iwobi opened the scoring, instead became a triumphant one. Memories of the evisceration by City are unlikely to fade any time soon, but this was a fifth win in six league games and they now find themselves fifth. Over a season, as in this game, they are looking capable of recovering from a troubled start.
Victory on Merseyside was forged in Madrid. It was a different kind of landmark day for two multiple Champions League winners and former Real Madrid teammates. Casemiro made a maiden Premier League start and it proved a redemptive affair. Culpable for Everton’s goal, he was the architect of United’s second.
Antony and Casemiro may not be a Shakespearean tragedy, but the two Brazilians began badly: following one summer signing’s poor pass, the latter was dispossessed by Amadou Onana. Demarai Gray surged forward and Iwobi, whose transformation is such that he was hailed by Frank Lampard as one of the best central midfielders in the division, seemed to illustrate why by curling in a shot from 20 yards.
His goals have long been rarities, but so are his mistakes of late. Yet there was a role reversal of sorts on the stroke of half-time: he attempted a stepover but Casemiro, one of the great defensive midfielders of his generation, was not fooled that easily. He robbed the Nigerian and released Ronaldo. Few 37-year-olds could sprint clear from the halfway line but Ronaldo and normality parted company quite some time ago and he drilled a shot under Jordan Pickford.
In between, Antony had levelled and Martial had come and gone, his stop-start season continuing with a premature departure after half-hour. The Frenchman had released Antony to dink his shot over Pickford after Idrissa Gueye gave the ball away – the theme of midfielders inadvertently contributing to their opponents’ goals was a constant – and he had been excellent and elusive, drawing a fine save from the in-form Pickford.
Like Casemiro, Ronaldo made an inauspicious start. Bruno Fernandes had a goal chalked off because his fellow Portuguese was offside. If statistics show Fernandes scores fewer goals with Ronaldo on the pitch, he was hugely influential and United had waves of attacks. On a rare foray forward, Casemiro ghosted in unmarked to head Marcus Rashford’s cross wide. Rashford himself thought he had added a third, rounding Pickford after latching on to Ronaldo’s header, but his goal was perhaps harshly disallowed for handball.
It was nevertheless evidence of a threat Everton lacked for much of the match. They were long rooted on a solitary shot, even if that was Iwobi’s fine goal. They began to apply pressure, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin coming on for a belated first appearance of the season, but United showed substance in their resolve. During a late bombardment, David de Gea had to claw away an injury-time curler from James Garner, Everton’s summer signing from Old Trafford, to preserve the lead.
And, a week after Ten Hag’s decision-making was questioned, he felt vindicated in his ruthlessness. He dropped Scott McTominay, who was found horribly wanting by City, for Casemiro. Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho, who were hauled off at half-time in Cyprus after they were at fault for Omonia Nicosia’s opener, were replaced by Luke Shaw and Rashford. Martial came in for Ronaldo and, as Sancho was overlooked, then came off for Ronaldo. He duly made history. Again.
