Everton 1 Manchester United 1: Watch highlights Leighton Baines’ late penalty earns Toffees point after Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores opener
Toffees star equalised late from the spot after Idrissa Gueye was brought down by clumsy challenge from Marouane Fellaini
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ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC struck his eighth league goal of the season but Manchester United were denied victory at Goodison Park as Leighton Baines scored a late equaliser for Everton.
The Swede fired home just before half-time when he latched onto a sumptuous chipped pass from Anthony Martial before lobbing the on-rushing Maarten Stekelenburg from 25 yards out.
But Baines made sure his side snatched a late point when Marouane Fellaini needlessly clattered Idrissa Gueye in the 88th minute.
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The left-back's spot-kick sparked a late surge from the home side, who had been largely subdued for most of the proceedings.
Both sides started slowly but it was United who took control as Paul Pogba roamed the final third in a free role.
However, Jose Mourinho was left fuming at the final whistle after seeing his side drop another two points.
The result means United are nine points off a Champions League spot, and the Red Devils can't afford many more slip-ups in their quest for a top-four finish.
FACTS, STATS, GOALS AND LOLS
- Marcus Rojo should have been given a red card when he nailed Idrissa Gana Gueye with a two-footed challenge. He escaped with a yellow.
- Yannick Bolasie provided Everton’s moment of the first half when he put the ball round Matteo Darmian on one side and collected it on the other.
- The decision to put Ross Barkley on the bench again is another concern for the Everton midfielder. For some reason Ronald Koeman does not fancy him.
- Bastian Schweinsteiger’s return to the first team squad did not last long. Germany’s World Cup winning captain made a cameo appearance against West Ham in the EFL Cup win. No sign of him here, though.
- Different crime, same punishment: Gareth Barry was cautioned for dissent when he walked away with the ball after ref Michael Oliver gave United a free-kick. Compare that with Rojo’s challenge and it looks crazy.
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- Difficult to tell at times who looks unhappier in their job: Jose Mourinho or Ronald Koeman. Everton’s manager is a right misery at the moment.
- There were ten red bottles... and all of them remained intact in their position on the edge of United’s technical area.
- Ibra’s goal was a moment of genuine class. He scored one like that when he hit four against England for Sweden at the opening of the Friends Arena in 2011. This one was a beaut, too.
- David De Gea’s save from Kevin Mirallas was absolutely top drawer. The Everton forward thought he had scored before De Gea flung out his right hand to turn the ball over the bar.
- This was a day when United’s luck was in. Ibra could have been sent off when he jabbed his heel into Seamus Coleman in the second half. The Everton defender went off a few minutes later, seemingly with concussion.
THE BIG PICTURE
Everton next five fixtures:
Watford (A): 10 Dec (Prem)
Arsenal (H): 13 Dec (Prem)
Liverpool (H): 19 Dec (Prem)
Leicester (A): 26 Dec (Prem)
Hull (A): 30 Dec (Prem)
Man Utd next five fixtures:
Zorya (A): 8 Dec (EL)
Tottenham (H): 11 Dec (Prem)
Crystal Palace (A): 14 Dec (Prem)
West Brom (A): 17 Dec (Prem)
Sunderland (H): 26 Dec (Prem)
DREAM TEAM RATINGS
Everton: Stekelenburg 4, Coleman 6 (Holgate 7), Williams 7, Funes Mori 7, Baines 7, Bolasie 6 (Valencia 6), Gueye 7, Barry 5, Cleverley 6 (Deulofeu 6), Lukaku 6, Mirallas 7
Subs: Robles, Jagielka, Barkley, McCarthy
Goal: Baines 89’ (pen)
Booked: Barry, Lukaku
Man Utd: De Gea 6, Valencia 6, Jones 7, Rojo 7, Darmian 6, Herrera 7, Carrick 7, Pogba 7, Mkhitaryan 7 (Fellaini 5), Ibrahimovic 7, Martial 7 (Rashford 5)
Subs: Bailly, Mata, Lingard, Blind, Romero
Goal: Ibrahimovic 42’
Booked: De Gea, Rojo, Fellaini
STAR MAN: Idrissa Gueye
SOCIAL SAYS
WHAT THEY SAID
Manchester United defender Phil Jones: "I think we controlled the game from the start to the 60th minute. We maybe didn't create as many chances as recent games. Maybe it's a lack of concentration or fatigue, but it's costing us points.
"That's four or five games where we have dominated but not won. Everton is a difficult place to come, but we were resilient up until we gave the penalty.
"The manager has shown a lot of confidence in me and it's nice. But at the moment it's about getting results."