Everton 3 - 1 Manchester United
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Ferguson admits Man Utd second best in Everton defeat
Manchester United's title hopes took a dive as they crashed 3-1 to Everton at Goodison Park.
United took an early lead through Dimitar Berbatov, but the Toffees quickly levelled through a superb Diniyar Bilyaletdinov effort.
Then, with the game seemingly heading for a draw two Everton youngsters took centre stage.
Both 20-year-old Dan Gosling and 18-year-old Rodwell came off the bench in the second half to hand United their sixth league loss of the season with goals in the 76th and 90th minutes respectively.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson conceded his side were second best, particualrly in the second half.
"We were well beaten, simple as that," assessed Ferguson.
"We started the game well enough, but their goal galvanised them and gave them the incentive.
"You don't want to lose a goal so quickly after going in front, but the real effect showed in the second half when we were second best.
"I'm disappointed and the players are disappointed. They're human beings, they play for Manchester United, and they don't like losing, but they've lost today.
"This is a bad result, and at this time of the year we can't afford results like that.
"We hope others drop points, and that's the way it's been going this season. Hopefully it turns out right again."
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what happened. i didn't see this game.
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i cant comment much, i dint watch too.
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Everton 3 Manchester United 1: Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell come off the bench to halt Reds' title charge
After flattening Chelsea with a sucker punch on their last league outing, Everton completed a spectacular one-two to leave Manchester United's title challenge on the ropes.
Just as they did against Carlo Ancelotti's men 10 days ago, David Moyes' team roared back from a goal down to register another famous win, which could have even greater consequences at the top given United are the ones playing catch-up.
This time, young substitutes Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell did the damage, Gosling bundling home Steven Pienaar's cross 15 minutes from time before Rodwell sent the home fans into ecstasy at the end.
Applying the gloss: Jack Rodwell (second left) is jubilant after notching Everton's third
For Wayne Rooney, Everton's first victory over United - excluding penalty shoot-outs - for five years, and only their second in 32 games, would have been particularly galling given his history, although for once, England's talisman failed to make much of an impact.
Unlike Rooney, the debate over Dimitar Berbatov's value to United continues to rage.
At £30.75million, the Bulgarian cost them more than any other player.
Blue heaven: Dan Gosling fired in from close range
Yet he has largely become a peripheral figure, to the extent that he was making his first away start since December when he strutted into proceedings.
The argument goes that Berbatov's languid style is not suited to United's all-action approach and with Ferguson preferring to use Wayne Rooney as a lone front-man, flanked by a couple of industrious wingers, the former Tottenham star frequently finds himself surplus to requirements, as he was in Milan this week.
Yet there is little doubt either that Berbatov is blessed with sublime skill.
Letting fly: Everton's Diniyar Bilyaletdinov levels for the hosts
And when Sylvain Distin failed to cut out Antonio Valencia's low cross, he killed the ball with one touch before smashing it into the roof of Tim Howard's net.
Given the dominance United had enjoyed until that point, Everton desperately needed to score next.
That they did so inside two minutes was probably beyond David Moyes' wildest dreams.
The goal had route one stamped all over it as Phil Neville launched the ball out of his own half.
Jonny Evans jumped with Louis Saha but, off balance, could only head the ball straight to Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.
There appeared to be no imminent danger to Edwin van der Sar's goal, but, spotting a gap low to the Dutchman's left, Bilyaletdinov let fly with such power, there was no chance to move before it flashed into the net.
The atmosphere instantly lurched from apprehensive to expectant.
As Rooney, possibly guilty of trying too hard against his old club, was having a rare off-day, the visitors' dominance of possession failed to translate into threats on the Everton goal.
Flying start: Manchester United hail Dimitar Berbatov's opener
Instead, United were the ones who found themselves rocking, just as Chelsea had
done once their lead disappeared.Bilyaletdinov drove over following an excellent piece of skill from Saha, then Landon Donovan wasted an even better chance after Wes Brown had prodded Leighton
Baines' cross into his path.The interval was not kind to Everton in the sense that it allowed their visitors time to regroup and rediscover the poise and authority they had enjoyed before Bilyaletdinov's leveller.
Darren Fletcher exchanged passes with Rooney before drilling a shot wide.
Berbatov then showed his frustrating side when he glanced a header wide from Rooney's cross when he should have at least kept his effort on target.
It proved to be the Bulgarian's last meaningful contribution before Ferguson reverted to the two winger approach and introduced Gabriel Obertan with a quarter of the contest still remaining.
Hard fought: Everton's Landon Donovan is tackled by Duncan Fletcher and Gary Neville
Moyes made the most telling substitution shortly afterwards, when he replaced
Bilyaletdinov with Gosling.Ferguson will be demanding to know why Valencia let Steven Pienaar run unchecked onto Donovan's short pass towards the byline.
It provided the South African with time to pick out Gosling's run and, getting in front of Patrice Evra, the youngster duly bundled home from six yards.
Hearts continued to be in mouths and fingernails shorn as Rooney's free-kick shaved the post.
But this was to be Everton's day.
It has been claimed Rodwell will one day follow Rooney out of the blue half of Merseyside to Old Trafford.
Once Ferguson has spat out the bitter taste of his side's sixth defeat of the season, even he will probably admire the clinical way he finished off Mikel Arteta's through-ball at the death.
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GOALS & HIGHLIGHTS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCVr24_RrRE&feature=player_embedded
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Rodwell's goal simply brillant.
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simply footwork, great finishing.
this lad have got a bright future ahead.
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let me summarise it for you.
everton was brilliant today. they wanted the ball more than united. their midfield dominated more than manchester united fletcher and carrick. rooney was abit off fire today imho.fergie has to bite his own tongue today, he lost hands down to moyes spirited bunch.
rodwell got yellow card for stripping ^^^
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Was going so well at first, the we collapsed somehow... booo MU...
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Cant blame them, they were maxed out during the milan match
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Originally posted by One Harmonius Blend:
Cant blame them, they were maxed out during the milan match
agreed....having a choice of Milan at San Siro or Everton at goodison..id rather max everything at Milan..
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true.
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i watch man u win.
i dont watch everton win.
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Enjoyed this victory very much.
To the other 18 teams in the EPL, this is how you do it !
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Originally posted by Airbus330Captain:
Enjoyed this victory very much.
To the other 18 teams in the EPL, this is how you do it !
how? mediocrity and a flash in pan win?...lol...but it was good to have manu lose, keeps the race tighter....
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the title race is still very much open
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Tactical play by David Moyes... playing Bilyaletdinov, a left footer on the right.
Anyway, it was an awesome goal by this Russian. No doubt about it! -
velly velly good..................bad news for Man Utd is good news for me...............
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I think fergie substitutions were the killer. Berbatov was playing well and he was hauled off, he may be injured, ok thats fair enought but park was working off his socks and he was replaced by the pacy but ineffective obertan, whose crosses likened to Nani cross from the left lol. then fergie also hauled off Valencia, and in came owen, who did almost nothing on the pitch at all. then fletcher had to play at right side instead in the centre, where he can run tirelessly and harry and tackle in the middle of the pitch.
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defence was terrible. and rooney was half-hearted.. valencia was nonsense.. oh wells.. everton played really well.. kudos for de win!
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i think this gave a slap to all those MU fans ^^
ho ho ho
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everton did well, and their youngsters good.
basically, MU was too mechanical and beaten by a well thought and eager team.
hopefully, they can secure the 4th spot again.