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MANUEL UGARTE’S STUNNING strike and an overturned penalty decision at the death helped Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United escape with a 2-2 comeback draw at David Moyes’ Everton.
Alex Ferguson’s successor at Old Trafford looked set to inflict a 13th Premier League defeat of the season on the wretched Red Devils, who have won just four top-flight games since Amorim arrived in November.
Moyes has overseen as many league wins since returning to Everton in January and looked set to add another after Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure benefited from some abysmal first-half defending.
“Going down, going down, going down” bellowed the Toffees faithful as Amorim’s side stumbled towards defeat on their final visit to Goodison Park.
But Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick in the 72nd minute brought renewed hope and eight minutes later his set-piece was only cleared as far as Ugarte to chest and slam home from just inside the box.
More drama was to follow as referee Andy Madley awarded Everton a stoppage-time penalty after Ashley Young went down in the box under pressure from Harry Maguire, only to change his decision after the VAR advised him to review the monitor.
Amorim’s side struggled for much of the contest, with former defender Rio Ferdinand labelling their display as “embarrassing” and “unforgiveable” on TNT Sports shortly before Fernandes sparked their comeback.
Everton started by showing more desire to win second balls and forcing errors, including one that allowed Beto to get an early header on goal.
Jordan Pickford bravely spread himself to stop Rasmus Hojlund turning in a threatening Patrick Dorgu in a rare voyage forward by a United team lacking structure and confidence.
The Goodison Park faithful roared as their players hassled and harried the visitors, with the volume going up several notches after that pressure saw Casemiro dispossessed and Maguire cut out a cross for a corner.
United floundered as attempts to clear ended in a game of head tennis won by Everton, with Doucoure eventually nodding the ball through for Beto to swipe an effort into the ground and beyond Andre Onana in the 19th minute.
The home fans poked fun at the Red Devils during a prolonged VAR check that ended with a ruling that neither Jesper Lindstrom or Beto were offside in the move.
United’s response was meek and Moyes’ men capitalised in the 33rd minute.
Lindstrom sent Beto charging behind Maguire and the striker squared for Jack Harrison, who cut onto his right and forced Andre Onana into a save.
United’s goalkeeper could only send the ball ballooning into the air, with nor him or the flat-footed Maguire dealing with it as Doucoure nodded into an empty net.
“Attack, attack, attack” bellowed United’s frustrated fans but their side could only muster a couple of half-chances.
Amorim, surprisingly, did not make a change at the break and Moyes’ Toffees continued to keep them at arm’s length.
Doucoure saw an attempt stopped by Onana as the goalscorer threatened to make things worse for United, only to accidentally offer them a route back.
The Everton midfielder blocked a Fernandes free-kick with his arm in the wall, leading to the set piece being moved to just outside the box.
This time the United skipper beat the wall, with statuesque Pickford stranded as the ball nestled in the bottom right corner in the 72nd minute.
Fernandes ran back to the centre circle, geeing up team-mates and travelling fans, with another of his set-pieces bringing parity in the 80th minute.
The skipper’s free-kick delivery was headed clear by Beto and Ugarte controlled the ball on his chest before striking a left-footed effort beyond Pickford.
United sought a shock winner and Beto survived a VAR check for handball, then had a header held at the other end.
Pickford tipped over a Fernandes shot as the match headed towards a draw, only for added-time drama.
In the third minute of stoppage time, Idrissa Gueye saw a low drive saved by Onana and Young hit the deck under pressure from Matthijs de Ligt and Maguire.
Referee Madley pointed to the spot but the VAR Matthew Donohue advised him to go to the pitchside monitor, where he overturned his decision.
Everton’s anger at the decision was palpable as the final whistle blew.
Written by Press Association and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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Everton were robbed today. How VAR overturned that penalty decision is a joke.
@Ger Whelan: I’m no ref Ger but 100% I’d have given that……. bloody strange VAR decision
@Ger Whelan: looked a stonewaller in real time, looked more like he started going down before the contact happened on replay. 2-2 is a fair result on the balance of both halves.
@Setanta O’Toole: Don’t know what replay you are watching, Deligt has his jersey before he even went for the ball and then Maguire also got a hold him. Stone wall penalty. It was a lucky point for United, I can admit that as a United fan
@Ger Whelan: maguire touched him as he was falling, but didn’t pull his jersey. de ligts touch was over before he fell. Everton lad made the most of it. It’s a contentious one. not stonewall i would say, and i am also a united fan.
@Setanta O’Toole: the “Everton lad” was Ashley young a former United player. Surprised a United player would miss it. Even if Deligt let go of his jersey before he started to go down which I don’t think he did the fact he a hold of his jersey stopped young getting to the ball. It was a stone wall penalty. Had it happened the other way you’d be all over it crying about the decision.
@Ger Whelan: yeah, i had to run out straight after the match and couldn’t remember off the top of my head Ger. Well done on your knowledge. Had it happened the other way, there wouldn’t be half the outcry or talk of robbery and you know it.
@Ger Whelan: stop mugging off penalty it ain’t
@Setanta O’Toole: Had it happened the other way you would be the one calling the decision robbery that’s a fact.
@Ger Whelan: what precedent do you have for this ‘fact’ Ger. Some united fan you are, sound pissed off they got the point. One could argue Everton got the rub of the green last week with the excessive amount of fergie time they got against liverpool for their equaliser, so you know, whats good for the goose and all that.
@Setanta O’Toole: Because I’m a united fan I should ignore the the fact that Everton were robbed of a penalty and the chance to win a game in which they were the better team overall. You are clearly the typical I only see what’s good for my team kind of fan. If the decision goes for united it’s a good decision, if it goes against United it’s a bad decision.
@Ger Whelan: lol. Yeah of course I am. Imagine wanting to see the team you support not lose a game. I’m not the only person saying it yknow Ger. It was a contentious penalty, seen them given and not given. Ally McCoist said the exact same thing, is he a biased united supporter? Theo Walcott said he didn’t think it was a pen and he’s ex-Everton, and since you are so familiar with Ashley Young, you’ll probably remember he was no stranger to a dive in his time at united either. He embellished that fall. There wasn’t that much difference to the claim maguire tried to make in the first half, other than maguire fell naturally, and Young did a superman dive.
@Setanta O’Toole: I must check up on how Lyon are doing. At least I live here. How do you support a team if you’re not from/living there ?
My brother is a huge football fan, lives in England , and goes to matches of his local 1 or 2 division team, can’t remember.
Premier/champions league is a circus.
@offside again: why are you posting on an Irish website if you are living in Lyon? Why did you pick me out of everyone commenting on this thread? I also go to my local LOI team, I have equivalent real fan points to your brother now. Am I allowed do something in my free time that has no effect on your life now?
@Chutes Idiot: well you would Ashley young is a diver no penalty right call
@Setanta O’Toole: I’m Irish (British) so why not ?
Jeez lad, get over yourself !
Post whatever you want
@offside again: Yeah it was an equally silly question to match your opener. So i’ll say why not to supporting united as well. You asked me a question and I answer and you tell me to get over myself. Take your own advice.
@Setanta O’Toole: touché but you still need to get over yourself.
@Ger Whelan: cant be given penalties for players diving
@offside again: Eh, weren’t you the clown that interjected with a load of off topic nonsense that was none of your business.
I’d say it’s yourself that needs to get over yourself on this one bud.
@Ger Whelan: total dive by young
That ( no) penalty decision in the dying breath of the game??????? Mmmmmm…… united dodged a ‘bullet’ there.
@Chutes Idiot: cost me a monkey
@Basildon Joe: I had Ireland to win with the ‘ – 23′ handicap, rib eye steak for dinner tonight
@Chutes Idiot: you’re right, never a pen, and of course Ashley Young has a long and storied history I’m that regard, including during his time at OT. Having said that though, I’m surprised that VAR overturned the refs on field decision
@Kevin Kerr: sorry that was meant for Setanta O’Toole!
@Kevin Kerr: ah thanks Kev, you’re a gentleman.
@Kevin Kerr: The ref actually changed his mind,var referred him to the pitch side monitor.
@Setanta O’Toole: nice one :-)
@Deano74: indeed, you’re right. I’m still surprised though that they overturned it, even though I think they made the right decision in the end
@Kevin Kerr: It was a fifty/fifty for me,if that makes sense,I think maybe Ashley youngs theatrics seen by the ref in slow motion may have been what swung it.
@Deano74: yea I’d say so
Never a penalty! If they start giving spot kicks for that kinda stuff the game is finished. Young literally jumped in the air and onto the ground. Pulling somebody’s shirt can’t physically make you fall the way he did. Anybody who sees it any other way has been watching Sky Sports for far too long.
@Tezmond McVicar: UTD get them whenever you blow a breath of wind at them
@Tim Brennan: except in the same game when an Tarkowski kicked through the back of Garnacho and it wasn’t even checked.
@Setanta O’Toole: Be fair the percentages suggest they get more breaks than another team remember Fergie Time but even Var can’t save them currently They are lucky the teams coming from the championship are relegation fodder
@Tim Brennan: It hasn’t been like that in a long, long time.
Disgraceful decision by VAR. Corrupt as fluk
@FoxyBoiiYT: I know, Garnacho clearly fouled from behind and no penalty given. Shocking by VAR.
Varchester United.
Amorim out, he’s a sham
@Joe Beirne: seems like every manager since fergie has been a sham? Or is it something else??
@Michael o Dwyer: shut up
@Joe Beirne: Anyone who thinks Utd’s problems are down to the manager really hasn’t a clue what they’re talking about.
@Tezmond McVicar: yeah you’re right, cos everyone gets a chance of picking and motivating and coaching the team
@Joe Beirne: You really haven’t a clue have you? Go back to Sky Sports and listen to them talking absolute b ollox because that’s clearly were you’re getting your football education from.
Not a penalty, Maguire fumbling like a child trying to get out of the cot, gift for UTD.
Var yet again comes up Trump’s for UTD it took the crooked Var officials nearly 5 minutes to confirm the first goal and there was no doubt there was no offside.
have your say