Manchester United pummel Everton to ensure unhappy return for Rooney
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Updated 17/09/2017 at 18:53 GMT
Premier League, Old Trafford - Manchester United 4 (Valencia 4, Mkhitaryan 83, Lukaku 89, Martial pen 90+2) Everton 0
Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring for Manchester United against Everton
Image credit: Getty Images
Manchester United moved level with neighbours City at the top of the Premier League table with a 4-0 win over Everton.
United pinned back Everton in the opening stages, and Antonio Valencia's superb volley gave them an early lead.
Wayne Rooney, returning to Old Trafford for his first competitive game since rejoining Everton, missed a tempting chance, and his United replacement Romelu Lukaku missed an even better one of his own.
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Everton's Wayne Rooney shakes hands with Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho
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In second half, Juan Mata crashed a free kick against the post, and Rooney missed another excellent chance, but victory was made certain only with a late Henrikh Mkhitaryan strike from a defensive mix-up, and Lukaku grabbed one against his former side, before Anthony Martial made it four from the spot in injury time.
United stay second on alphabetical order only, level with Manchester City with an exactly identical record. Everton in turn dropped into the relegation zone, and have lost their last four games by a combined 12-0.
TALKING POINT
Everton need a striker to support Wayne Rooney. Rooney threatened from the right places for Everton, but at the very least he needed someone alongside him to help stretch play and give him someone to play off. Ronald Koeman tried to rectify this before the transfer window ended, but four games without a goal makes the failure stark.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United): He rarely impressed against Manchester United while at Everton, but since switching sides he has been superb. It was the same today, despite a poor first half miss. In the second half, his assist and goal sealed victory after a nervy period for the home side. He has settled in at Old Trafford superbly.
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Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring for Manchester United against Everton
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PLAYER RATINGS
Manchester United: De Gea 7, Valencia 8, Bailly 6, Jones 6, Young 7, Matic 7, Fellaini 7, Mata 7, Mkhitaryan 7, Rashford 6, Lukaku 8. Subs: Herrera 6, Lingard 7, Martial 7.
Everton: Pickford 6, Baines 6, Keane 6, Williams 5, Jagielka 6, Martina 7, Schneiderlin 6, Gueye 6, Davies 6, Sigurdsson 5, Rooney 6. Subs: Ramirez 7, Mirallas 6, Calvert-Lewin 6.
KEY EVENTS
4' - GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Everton. Valencia scores - Young dinks the ball back for Matic, ready for a cross. It looks as if Matic has mis-hit his cross, but he's actually pulled it across for Valencia, and he lashes a fierce volley into the top corner.
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Manchester United celebrate Antonio Valencia's goal against Everton
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21' - ROONEY MISS - Martina pulls the ball back across the box for Rooney's run, and he fizzes in a low shot that is only a yard or so wide of the post.
83' - GOAL! Manchester United 2-0 Everton. Mkhitaryan scores - Williams plays a loose ball straight to Lukaku. He waits, and picks out Mkhitaryan to his left, and he squeezes a shot past Pickford.
89' - GOAL! Manchester United 3-0 Everton. Lukaku scores - His low free kick is blocked and falls into the path of Matic. His shot is deflected, headed on by Lingard, and Lukaku is on hand at the back post to tuck it in.
90+2' - PENALTY! Martial gets through on goal as United break, Schneiderlin slides in to tackle, brushing it with his hand to concede a penalty.
90+2' - GOAL! Manchester United 4-0 Everton. Martial scores - Martial drills home the penalty down the middle - United now tie City on goal difference at the top.
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Anthony Martial scores a penalty for Manchester United against Everton
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KEY STATS
Nine of United's 16 Premier League goals have come after the 80th minute.
Jose Mourinho remains unbeaten as a manager in Sunday home league games, winning 81 and drawing 24 of 105 such matches.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan has now had a hand in more Premier League goals this season (6) than he did in the whole of 2016-17 (5).
Manchester United remain the only side Wayne Rooney has never ended on the winning side against in the Premier League.
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