Sunday 3 April 2016

Manchester United 1-0 Everton: Martial fires Van Gaal's men to crucial win

Manchester United 1-0 Everton: Martial fires Van Gaal's men to crucial win

The striker found the net early in the second half to secure three points for his side and keep them in a strong position in the fight for a top four finish in the Premier League

Anthony Martial struck Manchester United's 1000th Premier League goal at Old Trafford as Louis van Gaal's side maintained their push for the Champions League places with a 1-0 win over Everton.
Following an uneventful first half and a wave of Everton pressure to begin the second period, United became the first team to reach the landmark when Marcus Rashford and substitute Timothy Fosu-Mensah combined to set up Martial's 13th goal for United this season.
The win moves the hosts back within a point of fourth-placed rivals Manchester City, who they beat immediately before the international break, with seven matches remaining for each side
Before kick-off, United icon Bobby Charlton received a rousing ovation on the field as an in-stadium mosaic marked Old Trafford's South Stand being renamed in his honour.
United were unchanged from their derby win over Manchester City last time out, while the visitors welcomed England defender John Stones back from international duty with a place at centre-back ahead of Ramiro Funes Mori.
Everton winger Gerard Deulofeu – recalled in the visitors' other change - darted menacingly past Marcos Rojo but failed to get a shot off after bursting into the United box.




Both sides attacked willingly in an enterprising start and Martial saw his strike deflected narrowly beyond the far post by Everton full-back Leighton Baines.
David de Gea was out quickly to spare Chris Smalling, who lost his footing to leave reported United target Romelu Lukaku bearing down on goal in a first half which saw neither side produce a shot on target. 
Fosu-Mensah replaced Rojo at half-time and Matteo Darmian switched to left-back but Deulofeu continued to cause problems down the United left – his low cross to Lukaku prompting a last-ditch intervention from Smalling.
Daley Blind was the next man to bravely deny Lukaku and Smalling blocked from Tom Cleverley, although Everton's pressure would count for nothing when United picked them apart in the 54th minute.
Teenage striker Rashford rolled a backheel into the path of Fosu-Mensah, whose low cross evaded Stones and Seamus Coleman for Martial drill into the net via the legs of goalkeeper Joel Robles.

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