“He’s the only player we’re all afraid to face”: Everton player has given Manchester United a potential summer transfer target

Manchester United defeated Everton 2-0 at Old Trafford in a match decided on penalties, rekindling their hopes of making it into the Champions League the following season.

Alejandro Garnacho scored two penalties in the first half to give United the lead. Ben Godfrey and James Tarkowski both committed fouls, and Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford scored the goals to give the home team the lead.

It was a much-needed win for Erik ten Hag’s team, who will now watch at least one of their rivals drop points tomorrow when Aston Villa hosts Tottenham. The win came after back-to-back Premier League losses. Everton had their moments and United wasn’t totally convincing, but the Toffees lacked a goal scorer and Garnacho’s cunning was crucial.

The gift of Garnacho

Alejandro Garnacho has undoubtedly enjoyed his matches against Everton so far this season. His November overhead kick at Goodison Park stands as both United’s and most likely the Premier League’s season-long goal.

The teenager had never made it to five starts in a row, but it turned out to be the beginning of something more. This was his 25th consecutive start, and he hasn’t left the team since. Whether he plays on the left or right, he is now the focal point of United’s attack after beginning the campaign as an attacking option off the bench.

In an attack that was fairly fluid, he had an impact from both flanks. For the first penalty, he and Marcus Rashford moved to the left, where he was met with an inside pass from the other forward. With his fast feet, he turned inside James Tarkowski, who had already committed a foul and had hacked him down.

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Later in the half, he picked up the ball on the left flank and started an infield run, eluding multiple defenders and nudge Ben Godfrey as he went down. This was yet another obvious penalty, which the exciting winger triumphed over.

A few weeks ago, four Fulham players were booked for fouls committed against him due to his deft dribbles and lightning-fast feet, and Everton was ill-prepared to contain him.

Being more clinical in front of goal is something Garnacho can do better. He had one excellent opportunity late in the first half after Scott McTominay released him with a brilliant through ball, but he took too long to finish the shot.

Branthwaite truly is exceptional.

With Everton’s 21-year-old Branthwaite on their radar, it appears certain that United will be shopping for at least one central defender this summer. There is also a desire to bring in a younger player.

Along with Ben Mee, Michael Keane, and Tarkowski, Dyche has developed a number of central defenders at Burnley, including Branthwaite, who has had a fantastic season for the Toffees.

Tarkowski gave up a soft penalty in this game, which wasn’t his best moment, but Branthwaite had another calm afternoon. As one might anticipate from a 6′ 5in defender, he dominates the air in both penalty boxes and plays on the left side, an area where United needs to improve. They have had trouble there because Lisandro Martinez has been sidelined so frequently this season due to injury.

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The Cumbrian is confident with both feet, with his left foot likely being stronger. His passing range is also good, though it isn’t always evident for Everton.

Hopes for the Champions League

With this victory on an afternoon when they only needed to take all three points, United revived their Champions League hopes following a disastrous week in the Premier League.

Although the game lacked overall quality, the outcome was all that mattered. Tomorrow, Aston Villa will host Tottenham, pitting fourth against fifth. It was hardly convincing. Now that they know at least one of their opponents will be losing ground, United can relax for the remainder of the weekend.

Villa and Spurs have a more difficult remaining schedule than United, so this could potentially serve as a launchpad for a more determined effort to finish in the top four or even the top five, but they will need to step up their play to make that happen.

To be fired upon there

By moving Fernandes into a false nine position and bringing McTominay into the midfield, Ten Hag has altered United’s formation in the last few games, theoretically strengthening the center of the pitch. However, this has significantly slowed down the pace of play.

The main issue with this team is how many shots they give up to the opposition in nearly every game, which is why Everton won this week. They could have won if they had posed any threat in the last third, but their inability to score goals is a serious issue.

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They were still able to muster 23 attempts on goal against United, and they frequently exploited gaps in midfield to attack the United defense. United has given up 198 shots in the last ten games, and in each of those contests, the opposition has attempted at least 15 shots. It is obvious that this is not a long-term strategy for winning football games. Not every team has a poorer forward record than Everton.

Trafford Park

At Old Trafford, Manchester United has played 2,508 matches. However, the clock is running out and it looks like they might not be playing here for a while. This is more so than at any other point in recent memory.

It is now evident that Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to construct a new stadium, and a task force has been established to attempt to make that happen, though financing will continue to be a challenge.

The wisest course of action is to build a new facility on this sizable lot, but it will be a sad day if that means tearing down this location eventually. Although it’s no longer the most prestigious stadium in the nation, teams most likely still want to win at it because it’s the most iconic.

An early Saturday kickoff is never good for creating a buzz, and United’s early start unnerved some fans, but after Fernandes’ penalty goal, they found their voice.