Everton boost survival hopes with win over woeful Man United
LONDON - Manchester United’s miserable season continued on Saturday (April 9) as Everton boosted their Premier League survival hopes with a 1-0 win over Ralf Rangnick’s side at Goodison Park.
Out of all cup competitions, United were looking to earn a victory that would have moved them level on points with Tottenham Hotspur in fourth.
But their task was made all the more difficult when Anthony Gordon gave Everton a first-half lead.
For the Toffees, hovering above the relegation zone, the nerves showed after the break, but the visitors lacked the quality to get back into the match despite a wealth of attacking options on the pitch.
A late Cristiano Ronaldo effort was as close as United came to an equaliser as they slipped to a loss that leaves the team with the most English top flight titles ever seventh in the standings, three points behind Spurs, who play Aston Villa later on Saturday.
Everton defended for their lives at the death, hanging on for a precious victory that helped them pull four points clear of 18th-placed Burnley, who travel to Norwich City on Sunday.
For all their possession in the second half – United had almost 75 per cent of the ball after the interval – they could not find the killer pass, with a Paul Pogba effort from distance and Ronaldo’s late snap shot their only real opportunities of note.
Interim boss Rangnick rang the changes, but it had little effect, as United meander towards another disappointing season finish - five years without a trophy come the end of this campaign, and nine since their last league triumph.
United are set to announce Ajax Amsterdam coach Erik ten Hag as next season's permanent manager in the coming days.
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