Joleon Lescott believes Everton's failure to utilise the 'quieter' Anthony Gordon was a key factor in Sunday's 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United.
The Toffees threw away an early lead at Goodison Park to put an end to their seven-match unbeaten run in all competitions. Alex Iwobi got them off to a great start, rifling a shot into David De Gea's top corner after just five minutes. But Idrissa Gueye's loose first touch just 10 minutes later allowed United to counter, with £84m summer signing Antony scoring his third goal in as many league appearances to level the score at 1-1.
And despite a spirited defensive performance, individual mistakes in possession allowed Erik Ten Hag's side to gather momentum, and when Iwobi lost out to Casemiro on half-way, the 30-year-old fed former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo to score his 700th club career goal and the eventual winner.
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The Red Devils enjoyed the lion's share of possession and chances, with Frank Lampard's side rarely applying pressure or creating anything clear cut - Jordan Pickford probably came closest to equalising in added time, his committed leap to nod a corner home intercepted by a towering Raphael Varane. And ex-Everton defender Lescott believes his former club were unable to get the best out of star winger Gordon, adding that United's defence enjoyed a relatively 'easy performance' under little pressure.
“Yes, it’s a setback because they are on such a good run," Lescott told BT Sport. "That was six games unbeaten (in the league), but on tonight’s performance, they can’t look like they should have won this game.
“I don’t think any keeper was troubled, apart from the last five minutes when Everton put on a lot of pressure on with balls into the box. But overall, in general play, I don’t think they created enough chances.
“Anthony Gordon was quieter than he has been in recent weeks and they didn’t utilise him enough in terms of making defenders defend, putting the ball down the channel. We saw that a little bit more when Dominic Calvert-Lewis came on.
“From a defensive point of view, with players coming to Goodison, that was a pretty easy performance for the defensive side of Manchester United’s game.”
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