Premier League, GWK3
David Moyes decided that the deadline day signings of Jack Grealish and Ainsley Maitland Niles would start from the bench in this home encounter with Manchester United.
Brennan Johnson was given his first start of the Premier League campaign on the right hand side of midfield with Merlin Rohl maintaining his place at right back with Tyrique George starting from the left of midfield after Illiman Ndiaye departed the blues for Man City.
The visitors named an unchanged team from the one that got their first win of the season last weekend at Old Trafford when they thumped newly promoted Ipswich Town 5-2.
Manchester United had won their previous visit to the Hill Dickinson stadium towards the back end of last season with a late strike on the counter attack from substitute striker Benjamin Sesko but had been beaten in their first game of this season away to promoted Hull City.
The first meaningful action came in the 7th minute and it was Manchester United who were on the attack. Marcus Rashford out wide on the left touchline found Luke Shaw on the overlap and the Utd full back put a ball into the blues box from the byline and Mbuemo won the header to find Bruno Fernandes hovering around the penalty spot. Fernandes crashed a volley onto the crossbar and the ball bounced up for Jordan Pickford to claim. Good play from United and a big let off for the blues.
In the 13th Minute referee John Brooks upset the Home crowd when he showed zero hesitation in brandishing the yellow card to Harrison Armstrong for a very minor pull on Bruno Fernandes just inside the blues half. The crowd were incensed because Diogo Dalot had done more of a pull back just a few minutes earlier and yet there was no booking shown in his direction.
In the 34th minute John Brooks showed a yellow card to Brennan Johnson who could have few complaints really after his blatant foul with United breaking.
In the 43rd minute there was a glorious chance for Everton to take the lead just before the break. Merlin Rohl had found himself in a very advanced position out on the right hand side and he put in an excellent cross towards the back post for Thierno Barry. Thierno got under the ball somewhat and powered a header goalwards, but his effort went just over the bar.
That was to be the last meaningful action of the 1st half and the blues went in level at the break in a tightly contested first half.
Everton 1st Half Man Utd
0.34 XG 0.29
47% Ball Possession 53%
5 Total shots 7
1 Shots on Target 1
1 Big Chances 0
9 Touches in oppo box 10
The second half saw its first meaningful attack in the 46th minute and it was United who were on the attack.
Kobbie Mainoo played a simple pass out wide on the right to Mbuemo who had several blue shirts in close proximity.
Mbuemo darted through the gap in the blues defence and was able to apply his trademark run & finish into the bottom corner of Pickford’s goal to put the visitors into the lead. 0-1
Everton responded by forcing United back but were struggling to create clear opportunities to test Lammens in the united goal despite getting plenty of shots away.
In the 57th minute Brennan Johnson burst in behind Dewsbury Halls through ball before his strike deflected off Martinez and went just over the bar! Lammens was beaten there but the ball went just a fraction too high when it easily could have ended up in the Utd net.
The 59th minute saw Tyrique George out on the left hand side, running infield cutting past Dalot and Mbuemo before slipping the ball to Barry just outside the area. The blues striker showed brilliant footwork to dribble past a Utd defender but his shot was blocked. The rebound went sidewards towards Dewsbury Hall who hit a right side footed attempt but it lacked any power and was easily delt with by the Utd keeper.
Luke Shaw & Merlin Rohl picked up bookings but in the 66th minute Hill Dickinson rose to its feet as Jack Grealish made his way onto the pitch to replace Brennan Johnson and take the applause from the Evertonians absolutely delighted to see Jack return to the club after impressing last season but having his time on the pitch with the blues cut short due to injury.
There was another effort from Dewsbury Hall in the 67th minute from a central position on the edge of the are but his effort hit his own player in Thierno Barry and Utd could clear.
Patrick Dorgu and Benjamin Sesko replaced Cunha & Rashford for Utd in the 70th minute
and David Moyes responded in the 75th minute with Merlin Rohl replaced by Hayden Hackney and another debutant followed for Everton in the 77th minute as
Ainsley Maitland-Niles came onto the pitch because James Garner couldn’t continue after suffering from cramp.
Maguire and Dalot then picked up bookings as the pressure from the Blues was starting to tell on the visitors who were clearly aiming at holding on to defending their one goal lead and try to see the game out.
They got to the 83rd minute and then Hayden Hackney was driving the blues forward and he recovered his own attempted pass that was cut out to find Tyrique George alone on the right side of the box. George took advantage of that space inside the box to send an unstoppable shot crashing into the Utd net to draw the blues level. 1-1
Michael Carrick decided to substitute Diogo Dalot and he was replaced by Leny Yoro then Kobbie Mainoo came off the pitch to be replaced by Andrey Santos.
In the 88th minute Utd were back on the attack & Bruno Fernandes held the ball up to then find the overlapping Luke Shaw. He then produced a beautiful lofted cross into the box, where Benjamin Sesko rose high to head the ball low into the middle of the goal and beyond Jordan Pickford 1:2.
Jordan put his head into the ground perhaps feeling he could have done better to keep out Seskos header.
Utd made a substitution as added time began and it was to provide Everton with some crucial added seconds in the game.
Luke Shaw was replaced by Noussair Mazraou.
The game reached the 96th minute due to the substitution of Utd taking the game beyond the minimum of five added minutes and Everton were able to launch one final attack.
Jack Grealish on the left fed the ball down the left side of the box for Hayden Hackney to find Dewsbury Hall on the edge of the penalty area. KDH tried to get a shot away but the ball was blocked and rolled to outside the area where Ainsley Maitland Niles lurking outside the box. The debutant and long awaited Right back signing for the blues executed an exquisite side foot finish that left Lemmens on his knees in the utd goal simply watching as the shot fizzed right into the top corner to put the blues level at 2-2 at send Hill Dickinson into an absolute frenzy of noise!! 2-2
A last gasp point for the Blues and nothing less than what was deserved after another good performance to put Everton on 5 points from their opening 3 games and close out a week that started with a seriously under whelming and potentially worrying close to the summer transfer window. David Moyes and his smaller than hoped for squad now head into their next game at the weekend away to Tottenham Hotspur.
Everton 2nd half Man Utd
0.67 XG 0.4
43% Ball Possession 57%
13 Total shots 7
5 Shots on Target 2
0 Big Chances 1
23 Touches in oppo box 16
Everton Total Man Utd
1.01 XG 0.69
45% Ball Possession 55%
18 Total shots 14
6 Shots on Target 3
1 Big Chances 1
32 Touches in oppo box 26
Referee & Attendance
John Brooks
52,302
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