As Sir Jim Ratcliffe announces a fresh round of redundancies, the facetious suggestion is that perhaps he ought to start with the head coach, his assistants and Manchester United’s players. They departed Goodison Park doubly reprieved, by a comeback in a match when Everton were vastly superior, by the injury-time rethink by Andy Madley to overturn his own decision to give the hosts a penalty. United were dire nonetheless.
A couple of hours later, West Ham clinched victory at Arsenal to mean United only held on to 15th place on goal difference. The number has a further significance: they have played 15 league games under Ruben Amorim, taking 15 points. It isn’t quite relegation form, much as the Evertonians enjoyed chanting “going down” when they boasted a 2-0 lead; but over Amorim’s reign, only the three promoted clubs have collected fewer points.
