Cristiano Ronaldo made history and Manchester United made amends. The all-time top scorer in men’s international football and in the Champions League became the first player to score 700 goals at club level as Erik ten Hag’s side bounced back from their drubbing in the Manchester City with a stunning win at Everton.
Ronaldo’s last appearance at Goodison Park resulted in a lame-duck defeat and an FA charge for snatching a phone out of a young Everton fan’s hand. He will remember the comeback much more fondly. The 37-year-old’s first Premier League goal of the season earned him a deserved victory and a unique place in football history, achieving a milestone that neither Pelé, Ferenc Puskas nor Lionel Messi have yet achieved. United Part II will not be remembered as the happiest moment of Ronaldo’s remarkable career, but it did witness something special.
The win rewarded a far more unified and intelligent United performance than the one they delivered seven days earlier at the Etihad Stadium. It ended Everton’s seven-game unbeaten run, saw an ultimately encouraging league debut from Casemiro and a much-needed display of resilience to withstand a late rally from Frank Lampard’s side. “Criticism is normal when you have a defeat, especially in a big game, in a derby,” Ten Hag said. “You have to deal with it and learn lessons. We did that. We had a setback going down 1-0, but we responded a lot better by sticking to the game plan and doing our job.”
Ten Hag made four changes to the team that were flattered by their margin of defeat in the derby. Casemiro, the £70m summer signing, was given a rude introduction as Everton got off to the perfect start following their mistake. Receiving an awkward pass from Antony, he was dispossessed from behind by Amadou Onana’s strong challenge and was brought down as Demarai Gray picked up the loose ball. Gray ran at United’s exposed defense and squared inside Alex Iwobi, taking a slight deflection.
The Everton midfielder was urged to fire by the home crowd and heeding their calls, he curled a superb shot from 25 yards past David de Gea’s desperate left-hander. It was his first Premier League goal from outside the area and a vivid demonstration of the confidence that runs through a player who has been transformed since Lampard’s arrival. Goodison were on the bounce, Ten Hag a picture of deflation in their technical area, once again, but United would change the mood of both.
The visitors’ recovery was largely aided by an error-prone Everton display. Lampard’s side went into the game with the best defensive record in the Premier League, but sloppiness in possession weakened that foundation. As Lampard reflected: “There was a lack of edge to our play that is usually there and our composure in possession can improve. We let ourselves down to a degree in the first half.”
Idrissa Gueye was at fault for the equalizer when he allowed a pass from Iwobi to run under his foot. Bruno Fernandes played the ball to Anthony Martial, who released Antony into a gap down the left of the Everton defence. The former Ajax winger produced a fine finish over Jordan Pickford to register his third goal in three league games for United.
Cristiano Ronaldo scores Manchester United’s winner for his iconic goal. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images/Reuters
Pickford saved from Christian Eriksen, after Gueye lost possession again, and denied Martial from close range after a good turn inside the six-yard box. Martial left early with what appeared to be a hip injury suffered in the warm-up. Enter Ronaldo, and another milestone in the extraordinary career of one of the game’s true greats.
United dominated possession and forced Everton into a deep retreat with few escape routes. Casemiro should have put the visitors ahead with an exquisite cross from Marcus Rashford but, after ghosting behind the Everton defence, headed a free-kick wide. The midfielder made amends as he displayed the qualities that have made him such an integral part of Real Madrid’s success in recent years. First, the Brazilian read Iwobi’s intentions to regain possession. He then threaded a pass down the left channel for Ronaldo to sprint past and beat Pickford with a powerful shot that flew under England’s No.1 keeper.
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The goal came almost 20 years to the day since his first, for Sporting against Moreirense. It was a piece of history for him to savor in a United shirt. The overall disappointment of his second spell at Old Trafford cannot detract from the phenomenal achievement.
Rashford looked to have sealed victory with a fine solo goal after Ronaldo latched on to De Gea’s clearance, the forward beating Iwobi in the air, skipping a challenge from James Tarkowski before rounding Pickford and converting . United’s players were ready for the restart when VAR intervened. After a lengthy review, the goal was harshly disallowed by a handball from Rashford as he tackled Tarkowski.
Everton mounted a late rally as they looked to capitalize on the suspense with Dominic Calvert-Lewin making his first appearance of the campaign from the bench. De Gea deflected a shot from former United midfielder James Garner into the top corner but, despite an aerial bombardment, the visitors held firm.