United 0 Everton 1

With David Moyes coming back to M16 for the first time during his second stint as Everton boss, and Academy graduates Michael Keane and James Garner in his ranks, the visitors looked to have a tough task ahead when Idrissa Gana Gueye was dismissed in a baffling incident after just 13 minutes.

But Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s fine curler not long after - just before the half-hour mark - was enough to win the day for the away side, despite the Reds having plenty of efforts on the opposition goal.

All in all, it turned into a night of utter frustration, given what was at stake.

FIRST HALF - 10-MAN TOFFEES TAKE ADVANTAGE

After almost a month without a match for his side on home soil, Ruben Amorim made two changes to the team that drew with Tottenham Hotspur before the international break, with Leny Yoro coming into the defence, while Joshua Zirkzee was handed a first start of the season in attack, replacing the injured Matheus Cunha.

Zirkzee occupied the most advanced role in United's front three from kick-off, after Bruno Fernandes had won the toss and turned the Reds around, to attack the Stretford End in the first half. Everton had the first effort on goal in a quiet opening period, through a miscued Iliman Ndiaye strike which comfortably cleared Senne Lammens' crossbar, after he'd cut onto his left foot on the edge of the area.

Meanwhile, United's first signs of threat followed, as Bryan Mbeumo neatly exchanged passes with Noussair Mazraoui down the right flank, and although unable to get a shot away himself, a short Everton clearance fell fortuitously for Fernandes, whose rasping first-time drive edged just past the far post.

Already having been forced into an early change with Jake O'Brien replacing Seamus Coleman, who walked straight back down the players' tunnel after just 10 minutes, that Fernandes effort sparked a row at the back for the visitors, which saw another man in blue having their night curtailed prematurely. An off-the-ball disagreement between Keane and Gueye saw the latter dismissed for violent conduct, having raised his hand and struck the face of his team-mate.

United dominated possession for a prolonged spell thereafter, but failed to seriously trouble Jordan Pickford in the opposition goal, with Amad's strike being met by a James Tarkowski block on the edge of the box the only attempt of note.

But the visitors took an unexpected lead just before the half-hour mark, as Dewsbury-Hall drove through midfield and to the edge of the area, curling into the top-right corner with a fingertip touch from Lammens not enough to keep it out.

The hosts looked to respond through Amad, who stung Pickford's palms with a right-footed effort just after the Everton opener, before Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu shot over the angle of post and crossbar at the back post following Zirkzee's delivery from the right. Dorgu and Amad then combined, but after the latter skipped onto his right foot inside the box, he dragged his shot wide of the near post.

Our pressure grew in the closing stages of the first half with Fernandes leading the charge, twice denied in quick succession, first via another Tarkowski block, and then in terrific style by Pickford, who kept out his long-range effort at full stretch - enough to preserve the Toffees' advantage going in at the break.

Mason Mount was introduced for the start of the second half, and, as the Reds began the challenge of turning the tide, he was on the end of our first second-half opportunity, heading Amad’s fine delivery wide moments after the restart.

Casemiro chested down on the edge of the box and volleyed wide, and Mbeumo unleashed a shot at goal from similar range with an Everton body in the way. Our no.19 went down with cries for a penalty from the Reds faithful, under Keane’s challenge, but replays showed that the Blues defender had won the ball.

Kobbie Mainoo and Diogo Dalot were introduced on the hour, with both close to meeting an Mbeumo cross within moments of their arrival, before United forced Pickford’s heart to race for the first time since the break.

Mbeumo moved past a few opponents before drawing a diving save from the England international goalkeeper, with Dalot feeding it back to Mount from the resulting loose ball, whose strike across goal curled agonisingly beyond the far-right corner.

Perhaps our best opportunity came when a raking ball forward from Matthijs de Ligt picked out Mount’s run to the byline, but when he pulled it back to Fernandes closing on the six-yard box, the skipper’s outside-of-the-boot strike went over the bar.

United’s momentum appeared to have stalled slightly as Everton regained some control, until Pickford produced arguably his best piece of work all evening, brilliantly clawing Zirkzee’s goalbound header away, with Fernandes shooting marginally over from range following the resulting corner.

Two more headed chances would follow for Zirkzee, first nodding wide from Mainoo’s clipped delivery, before Pickford pulled off another impressive stop to keep out his looping header from a De Ligt cross.

United’s threat finally continued to mount deep into stoppage-time, including a chance for De Ligt who could only roll a shot into Pickford’s grateful grasp, but an equaliser failed to materialise, as Everton claimed a first win in M16 in almost 12 years.

MATCH DETAILS

UNITED

Line-up: Lammens; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Mazraoui (Mount 46) Casemiro (Mainoo 59), Fernandes (c), Dorgu (Dalot 59); Amad, Zirkzee, Mbeumo.

Subs not used: Bayindir, Heaven, Malacia, Martinez, Ugarte, Lacey. 

Booked: Mbeumo 45+1, Casemiro 49.

EVERTON

Line-up: Pickford, Coleman (c) (O'Brien 10), Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Gana Gueye, Garner; Ndiaye (Iroegbunam 81), Dewsbury-Hall (Alcaraz 87), Grealish (McNeil 87); Barry (Beto 81).

Subs not used: King, Travers, Aznou, Dibling.

Goals: Dewsbury-Hall 29. 

Red card: Gana Gueye 13.