Here we go again- Manchester United failing to beat a lower table side, just one week after they accomplished an impressive victory against one of the Premier League’s best. We’ve heard this song before! United could only manage a 1-1 draw, at home no less, against 15th place Everton today.
At least they scored both goals huh? (That’s a joke). The Toffees only got on the board due to a very controversial own goal scored by Victor Lindelof, but the play came about only due to the pressure Dominic Calvert-Lewin put United goalkeeper David de Gea under. It’s hard to determine who is really at fault, but in the end United take just one point, not three and the season pattern of great against the best, terrible versus the worst continues.
https://twitter.com/PaulMBanks/status/1206241936597757952
At least Mason Greenwood was definitely a major bright spot, but first let’s take a look at that own goal, which some argued should not have stood. De Gea was far too weak in his challenge here, especially so for a keeper of his stature and pay grade.
It’s really more his fault than Lindelof’s. Watch the video below:
https://twitter.com/FootballOfEuro/status/1206230123000795137
Greenwood saved the day late, meaning Duncan Ferguson was denied his chance at two wins in two games as Everton caretaker manager. However, the draw means that Everton are now up to 16th, three points above the relegation zone.
United dropped to sixth, as Tottenham Hotspur won a thriller at Wolverhampton Wanderers to go fifth. Interesting stat and analogy here about the Greenwood goal:
Mason Greenwood's two Premier League goals for Man Utd:
?? 77': Off the bench vs. Sheffield Utd.
?? 77': Off the bench vs. EvertonHe's Solskjaer's Solskjaer. ? pic.twitter.com/wEamAaLulM
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 15, 2019
Up next for United is a League Cup quarterfinal against Colchester United on Sunday.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com on Twitter here and his cat on Instagram at this link.