Jonny Evans left Turf Moor with a prize to accompany the praise. After a first Premier League assist for Manchester United in a decade came a physical memento of his night. “Bruno [Fernandes] passed me on the man-of-the-match award. I think it’s the third of my career,” said the self-deprecating centre-back.
Many another would disagree. Sir Alex Ferguson once described Evans as the best defender in the country. Pep Guardiola doesn’t make a habit of raiding Tony Pulis’ teams but he tried to buy Evans from West Bromwich Albion. Pick an all-time Northern Ireland XI and Evans might be in it. But the veteran has a dry sense of humour to accompany the defence-splitting pass for Fernandes’ winner that suggested he is the Belfast Beckenbauer.
