Garnacho stunner inspires United to win over Everton
Alejandro Garnacho’s extraordinary bicycle kick set Manchester United on course for a comprehensive 3-0 away win on a day when hosts Everton protested against its Premier League points deduction.
Goodison Park was a cauldron as the infuriated Toffees returned to action for the first time since Sean Dyche’s side was docked 10 points for breaching football's financial rules.
The Premier League felt the full force of Everton fans’ ire before and during a match that went United’s way as goals from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial complemented Garnacho’s acrobatic stunner.
The 19-year-old’s effort just 133 seconds into the match was a jaw-dropping goal-of-the-season contender, a fantastic overhead kick that stunned a rocking Goodison.
Everton responded well and came close to levelling before the break, with Kobbie Mainoo, 18, capping a mightily impressive first Premier League start with a key goalline clearance.
The home fans were angered by some of the officiating and the mood darkened shortly after half-time as Rashford scored his second of the season from a penalty that came after the VAR’s intervention.
Martial was fouled and went on to add his second of the campaign as United won by more than a one-goal margin for the first time in the league this season, with suspended boss Erik ten Hag watching from the stands.
It was a fantastic start to a run of three vital away games for the Red Devils and a frustrating afternoon for wounded Everton.
Boos greeted everything Premier League related, with a protest march followed by banners inside the ground as well as thousands of cards featuring the league’s logo above the word ‘corrupt’.
They were held aloft before kick-off as chants against the league filled the air. That protest was repeated in the 10th minute, but by that point the hosts were behind to a United goal that will live long in the memory.
Rashford collected a diagonal pass and played the ball through to Diogo Dalot, whose right-footed cross would have swung away from danger were it not for Garnacho’s ingenuity and flawless technique.
The 19-year-old leapt and hit a perfectly struck overhead kick back across goal, beating Jordan Pickford at full stretch and finding the top right-hand corner.
Garnacho ran into the corner almost in disbelief as much as delight, replicating Cristiano Ronaldo’s celebration after a goal his idol would have been more than proud of.
Viva Garnacho sung the away end as a hectic start continued, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin seeing a low shot saved before Luke Shaw whistled one over.
Things settled, with the only fireworks coming outside the ground, before Everton stepped up in final 15 minutes of the opening period.
Calvert-Lewin had two attempts, the latter a smart strike that forced a fine save out of Andre Onana. The United goalkeeper rose to his feet and got something on Dwight McNeil’s follow-up, with Mainoo brilliantly clearing off the line under pressure.
United had lost its grip on proceedings and was fortunate not to see Abdoulaye Doucoure’s first-time strike hit the net from 15 yards moments later.
Calvert-Lewin glanced over and Idrissa Gueye lashed off target as the Red Devils survived the onslaught and Everton anger turned to the officials.
There were cheers when referee John Brooks showed Martial a yellow card for diving shortly after the second half got under way, but the mood soon swung.
Video assistant referee Chris Kavanagh reviewed former United captain Ashley Young’s challenge on the forward and advised Brooks to check the incident on the pitchside monitor.
The referee eventually pointed to the spot and Rashford stepped up to beat England team-mate Jordan Pickford in the 56th minute.
Onana stopped Gueye from pulling one back superbly two minutes later and Doucoure saw a shot blocked as Everton kept knocking at the door.
But Dyche’s men would concede again as the game became stretched.
Shortly after Garnacho hit the side-netting from a tight angle, Martial was slipped in by Bruno Fernandes and coolly lifted the ball past Pickford in the 75th minute.
Vitalii Mykolenko saw a rasping drive hit the underside of the bar and Youssef Chermiti went close before a stoppage-time scramble as Everton sought a consolation that would evade it.
