ZEE-RO TO HERO
Man Utd 4 Everton 0: Amorim gets first Premier League win as Rashford and Zirkzee score twice each to thrash Toffees
Two United players made their return from injuries
RUBEN AMORIM said Marcus Rashford had to ‘want it’ to get back to his very best.
Well he certainly wanted it on this Sunday afternoon and he got it too with a pair of goals and a display that suggested the new boss is quickly finding the old Rashford.
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Goodness me Amorim even got a pair of goals out of Joshua Zirkzee as well and we were wondering if he would ever have a shot again.
It was only Everton, but it was also impressive from the Red Devils.
It is not often you get a comfortable win in the league for the fans to enjoy here at Old Trafford.
That’s two victories and a draw in Amorim’s first three games.
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The new boss bounce has put a spring back in the steps of United fans.
And back in Rashford who scored two in a game for the first time in 22 months when he did just that in the 3-0 win over Leicester City at home.
He was in a purple patch then, on his way to posting career-best figures of 30 goals in a season.
That is the Rashford Amorim wants back, that is the Rashford United needs.
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After he scored in the 1-1 draw at Ipswich last week, this was extremely encouraging from the 27-year-old.
The weight of the world he seemed to be carrying on his shoulders looked to be shaken off as he covered the Old Trafford turf with that effortless ease and speed he possesses.
Francis Ngannou tackles Andre Onana to floor moments after Man Utd's win over Bodo-Glimt
Mind you there was a bit of help for United from the opposition here.
Jarrad Branthwaite was desperate to help United out this season and finally he seemed to get his wish.
The Everton centre-back put a ball past his own goalkeeper and then could claim a partial assist for the home sides’s second as the struggling Toffees came unstuck.
Of course Branthwaite had been hoping to be wearing the Red of United in this fixture after the big spenders came knocking at Goodison Park’s door last summer.
They offered £45million plus add ons, Everton held out for £70million and United looked elsewhere.
He had an afternoon to forget here.
It was the 34th minute when Bruno Fernandes played a corner out to the edge of the area for the unmarkedRashford.
His shot to the bottom left-hand corner looked to be covered by the diving Jordan Pickford.
Then Branthwaite stuck out a foot and deflected it past him.
Just seven minutes later and Branthwaite was in danger of being carried shoulder high off the pitch by the United faithful.
Everton looked in no danger as Pickford advanced from his area with the ball and passed it forward to Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Still no danger as Doucoure laid it back to Branthwaite, then the alarm bellls rang as he dithered, Amad stole possession from him and fed Brunos Fernandes.
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Even United weren’t making a mess of this chance as the captain squared for Zirkzee to score only his second goal for the club.
Reward for United for being the more positive from the off against an Everton side who arrived in trouble at the wrong end of the table but with only one defeat from their previous eight league games.
Five of those were draws, however, and they had not scored in the previous three and any thought that dropping Dominic Calvert-Lewin to the bench with Beto going up front might change that was misplaced.
Although Beto would have Everton’s only chance of the first period when he was put through by Dwight McNeil, he rounded the goalkeeper but found the side netting from an angle.
That came with the scores level but United were always looking the more likely to break the deadlock.
In Amad and Rashford they had the most dangerous players on the pitch and they combined to extend United’s two-goal lead straight from the second-half restart and put the game out of Everton’s reach.
Not that Sean Dyche’s men had looked in touching distance of it from the start.
When John Brooks sounded the whistle for the beginning of the second period Everton laid the ball back for Pickford to launch upfield.
United would clear their lines and with a great turn and lay off, Zirkzee sent Amad away.
Rashford raced between two Everton defenders and across his teammate to receive a perfectly weighted pass and fire home.
Number four arrived in the 64th minute with the excellent Amad’s determination winning its rewards once more.
He charged through James Tarkowski to win the ball off him before finding Zirkzee who fired back across Pickford into the bottom right-hand corner.
This was United’s first league victory by four goals since the opening day of the 2021-22 season when they thumped Leeds 5-1.
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The trip to Arsenal on Wednesday will of course provide a sterner test of Amorim’s early days in charge.
He at least has United up and running with Rashford leading the charge again.
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