Manchester United 2 Everton 1
Perhaps the times are finally changing at Manchester United. The moment that may go down as an augury of a new dawn under Louis van Gaal came in added time of the first half against Everton.
Luke Shaw made a tackle on Tony Hibbert in the area and took ball and man. The referee, Kevin Friend, pointed to the penalty spot and, after a pause, Leighton Baines took the kick only for David de Gea to make a fine save to his right.
This was Baines’s first ever miss from the spot in the Premier League. It was virtually the stanza’s closing action and as Old Trafford erupted and a grateful Shaw hugged De Gea, Friend blew and United floated into the dressing room on the back of a perfect psychological moment to end the period.
They arrived to listen to Van Gaal’s half-time talk holding a 1-0 lead. This came from the consistently excellent Ángel Di María who collected a third strike in five United appearances.
The Argentinian had previously managed only one goal in 16 outings for Real Madrid to prove his pre-game chat of how the transfer is helping his growth as a player.
On 27 minutes Rafael Da Silva swung in a ball from the right. This was aimed at the out-of sorts Radamel Falcao. It failed to reach him and Juan Mata picked up play and slipped the ball back to Di María: he made no mistake with a swish of his right boot to allow Tim Howard no chance.
Moments later Di María nearly registered the second. After Robin van Persie won a free-kick 30 yards out the United No 7 belted this to Howard’s left and the scrambling goalkeeper just managed to parry it away.
United had dominated the contest's opening yet the ascendancy was marked by a sloppiness of touch and ball distribution. A prime illustration came when Di María laid a square pass across midfield straight to Steven Pienaar.
Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo and Shaw were other culprits here as was Falcao in front of goal, though Everton barely offered the home team a scare.
As Van Gaal could not find a place for his vice-captain, Darren Fletcher, Van Persie was leading the side in the suspended Wayne Rooney's absence. There was a second start for Paddy McNair, a first in three matches for Mata, and a Falcao hoping to break a goal duck at a fourth attempt for his new side.
Towards the end of the first half McNair was caught out in a chance that might have led to Everton’s equaliser. Baines looked up then flipped a 40-yard pass into Romelu Lukaku that bypassed the 19-year-old defender too easily. Lukaku brought the ball down but could not finish.
Moments later Falcao executed a volley in Everton's area that went for a throw-in and as the second half began the Colombian was lucky an aimless shot deflected off John Stones for a corner.
This led to nothing and the home No 9’s profligacy was punished almost instantly. In creating Steven Naismith’s leveller Baines made amends for the penalty miss. The left back picked out the Scot and his flying header beat De Gea for a fourth league strike of the campaign.
Van Gaal is yet to restore the United swagger, so when a set-back comes confidence seems to seep instantly from players and fans. This tentativeness was nearly costly as, seconds later, Phil Jagielka was left unmarked from a Baines corner and the defender's free header was cleared off the line by Falcao.
Life was about to brighten further for the forward. After Howard raced out to make a clearance near the touchline he found only Da Silva. The right back turned the ball infield to Antonio Valencia who recycled it to Di María. The 26-year-old unloaded a shot that became a scuffed cross and now came Falcao's moment as he made no mistake from close range.
He needed it. So, too, the side and this first consecutive league victory under Van Gaal, which was confirmed by two late, breathtaking De Gea saves. The first came from a Leon Osman bullet, the second a tip over the bar from Bryan Oviedo's 20-yard strike.
With James Wilson replacing Falcao late on, the one concern was Shaw. He limped off during the second half during what was only a second United appearance following a hamstring issue.
While Stones was stretchered off in the dying embers of the match, this was a satisfying occasion all-round for United. Bobby Charlton was in the executive seats following a stomach complaint and Alex Ferguson made a first return to the Old Trafford grass since retirement to announce Park Ji-sung as the club's latest ambassador.
More importantly, United now have 11 points and are only three behind Manchester City, who are third.
(Guardian Service)
