Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Everton: Red Devils Stunned By Stoppage-Time Beauty

Manchester United were denied victory at Everton thanks to a sumptuous Ainsley Maitland-Niles strike with the final kick of the game.

The spoils were thus shared at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, as the Toffees fought back twice to earn a point.

Bryan Mbeumo’s pinpoint finish opened the scoring immediately after half time, but United retreated in the aftermath and allowed the hosts, still dazed and confused from a bizarre Deadline Day, to gather momentum. Still, their first equalizer didn’t arrive until the 83rd minute, when Tyrique George thundered an effort beyond Senne Lammens.

Benjamin Šeško‘s first Premier League goal of the season ought to have been the winner minutes later, but the Red Devils were stunned by Maitland-Niles’s majestic finish at the last.

One Thing We Can’t Ignore

Benjamin Šeško will ultimately want to evolve into something far greater than a mere “super sub” in Manchester, but he’s struggling to escape that tag.

The Slovenian struck four times from the bench last season amid a debut campaign that gradually increased in promise and productivity. Man Utd believe they have their center forward for the long haul, with Šeško, likened to Erling Haaland during his formative Red Bull days, complementing freakish athleticism with predatory box instincts.

It’s often a winning combination, and they came to the fore again at Everton. A shin injury limited his preseason and means he’s so far only featured off the bench at the start of the new season, but he looked for all money to be the difference-maker again on Merseyside.

Šeško scored the winner at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last term, rounding off a deadly counterattack. This was nothing of the sort, instead stooping to meet Luke Shaw’s wicked cross from the left and head beyond Jordan Pickford.

Man Utd’s poor management of their two leads meant Šeško’s antics were overshadowed.

Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Everton (4-2-3-1)

GK: Senne Lammens—6.0: It was a vicious Tyrique George strike, but Lammens shouldn’t have been beaten from there. Fair to say he couldn’t have done anything about Everton’s second equalizer.

RB: Diogo Dalot—6.7: Fortunate to escape an early booking, and had some issues up against George. Eventually carded for a tug on Jack Grealish’s jersey.

CB: Harry Maguire—6.7: Maguire soldiered with a bloodied nose, defending his box well enough when called upon. A few lapses in possession, though.

CB: Lisandro Martínez—6.3: Suspect he has to be more active in the build-up phase if Man Utd are to evolve with the ball. Still, Martínez provided a couple of standout emergency defensive sequences to deny Everton in transition.

LB: Luke Shaw—7.6: A bright showing from the defender, who made an excellent recovery challenge to deny the hosts amid their surge after Man Utd’s opener. Overlap and cross for the second goal was superb.

CM: Youri Tielemans—7.2: A serene presence with the ball. This was certainly an encouraging performance from the summer signing.

CM: Kobbie Mainoo—8.4: A dream in tight spaces, Mainoo often evaded pressure brilliantly to help the visitors get upfield. The young Englishman was a dynamic presence throughout, and teed up Mbeumo’s brilliant opener.

RW: Bryan Mbeumo—8.0: Imperfect, but did produce an individual sequence of serious quality at the start of the second half.

AM: Bruno Fernandes—7.1: Hit the bar in the opening exchanges, then struggled to make his presence known on Merseyside. However, Fernandes had a hand in the second goal, smartly delaying the pass for Shaw on the overlap.

LW: Marcus Rashford—7.1: Fun. Lots of fun.

ST: Matheus Cunha—6.3: Slack in the final third, and United needed more from him as a focal point amid periods of Everton pressure.

SUB: Benjamin Šeško (70’ for Cunha)—7.0

SUB: Patrick Dorgu (70’ for Rashford)—6.3

SUB: Leny Yoro (84’ for Dalot)—6.3

SUB: Andrey Santos (84’ for Mainoo)—6.4

SUB: Noussair Mazraoui (90’ for Shaw)—6.7

Subs not used: Karl Darlow (GK), Ayden Heaven, Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee.

What the Ratings Tell Us

Despite Man Utd’s summer midfield rebuild, Michael Carrick’s adoration for Kobbie Mainoo hasn’t ceased, and understandably so! Things may be different once Carlos Baleba is fit, but for now, the England international is an imperative figure in the Red Devils’ midfield.

Marcus Rashford is back, folks. He’s back. Well, he was pretty good in Barcelona last season, but it’s been far too long since the spritely wide man lit up a Premier League stadium. Rashford’s 70-minute showing was superb, full of energy and craft. Makeshift rightback Merlin Röhl did not enjoy the one-on-one battle with the rejuvenated Rashford, who’s going to be a very useful asset for Carrick this season.

It won’t be long until Benjamin Šeško is back leading Man Utd’s line. The Slovenian has understandably been eased into the new campaign, but the Red Devils require him desperately. Matheus Cunha has flattered to deceive as the leading man, with the Brazilian failing to retain possession once Man Utd were ahead, meaning the visitors struggled to threaten in transition throughout.

The Numbers That Explain Man Utd’s Merseyside Point

There were just two big chances created in the match, with both teams crafting one each. Man Utd were only able to generate 0.72 xG.

The visitors didn’t record a single shot on target between Mbeumo’s and Šeško’s goals.

For just the second time in the last 50 years, Man Utd have conceded at least twice in each of their first three games of a league season.