At Home to United

A lot happened in the build-up to the game on Sunday, 26th November 2023. Thousands were raised to produce giant banners and to print enough cards for every person in the ground, which were handed out at several places outside the ground before kick-off. Several Everton fan groups came together to organise a protest that would be inescapable for the powers-that-be.

It was loud and it was pointed, the tip of the spear aimed directly at the throat of the Premier League and their kangaroo court commission. We shall not be moved!

I have always been proud to be an Evertonian but yesterday made my heart swell even more so than usual. Hearing the boos shake Goodison's rafters as the Premier League anthem played, sustained for the entirety of the "fair play handshake" until kick-off, the sea of purple cards that filled the stands at the same time was a thing of beauty. Repeating the feat on the tenth minute was also masterfully done and at every opportunity when cameras focused in on corner kicks, throw-ins and the penalty that was handed to Manchester United by one of their former friends, Ashley Young.

On the pitch it was a chance for Everton to continue a great run of form that saw them in their rightful place of fourteenth, before having the legs cut out from under it by corruption. All week, we had heard from several players, staff members and the manager himself state that they would be up for the fight but it quickly turned out those would seem like empty words.

Less than five minutes into the game and Alejandro Garnacho scored what will predictably be the goal of the season unless someone scores from orbit. As spectacular as the goal was, I have to look at the positioning of Ashley Young as he seemed to be around five yards aware from the Spaniard and failed to see what was coming despite being the most senior player in the Premier League at the moment. What good is twenty years of experience if you look like you've learned nothing? Initially I had given Ashley Young the benefit of the doubt, trusting Sean Dyche's judgment and believing he could bring a calming influence and experience to help what is quite a young squad. Now I cannot see what Nathan Patterson has to do to get a game, the kid is a full international for Scotland for goodness sake.

Things did not improve for Everton as while we had chances to level the score, we seemed to snatch at them and overthink things; Doucoure came closest with a limp effort wide of the post and Calvert-Lewin seemed to misjudge every cross that came his way, given several free headers which he either put straight at the goalkeeper or missed the target entirely. He didn't seem to have his killer touch.

Both wingers disappointed, Dwight McNeill seemed like he was running on empty from the first whistle and Jack Harrison looked to be trying things but was given very little support.

Manchester United's second goal was typical of current day Everton. Yes, Ashley Young (him again!) left a leg in to trip Martial, but the Frenchman arguably could have done more to avoid Young's carelessness. Last time I saw something similar, an Everton player was retrospectively banned for deceit. Do those rules no longer apply? Had it been the other way around, I'm sure the referee would have found any excuse not to give the same result.

Everton battled on and again, had a few decent chances, Idrissa Gueye hit probably the best shot of the night that didn't result in the Gwladys Street net bulging. Usually when Gana goes for goal from distance there are collective groans as we all know someone's about to get 2nd degree burns as their bovril is bulls-eyed mid-sip.

Then the third goal came as Anthony Martial danced straight through out back line and dinked past Pickford who, to be fair to him, could get nowhere near anything all night and really had no saves to make, United shooting was such that it was either top-bins or top of the stands. He did have one save, with five minutes of regular time to go, Pellestri his one straight at him, dead centre of the goal.

And that was it, Everton's big night on centre stage started with one of the loudest crowds ever witnessed in the Premier League, punctuated by fireworks from outside the stadium and ended with a good few empty seats around the ground having had the wind knocked out of us again.

Oh and that Mainoo kid is bloody impressive.