2GS The Sunday Times April 10, 2022 3The 24-year-old, brought back into
the side to become the youngest
player to make 200 Premier League
appearances for United, could not
beat Pickford. His first effort, from the
edge of the box after a free kick was
cleared to him, was well struck but too
close to the goalkeeper, while his sec-
ond, a downward header from six
yards, yielded a terrific reflex save.
Gordon’s goal came out of very lit-
tle and was Everton’s first shot but
made possible because United
slacked off and began allowing their
opponents to get up the pitch. That
Gordon was the scorer was no sur-
prise. He had been Lampard’s bright-
est player, never afraid — despite Ever-
ton’s predicament — to get on the ball
and drive with it, and always looking
for the spaces and ways to be positive.
Now, he burst forward and played
to Richarlison on the left. Richarlison
had a poor game but this was his best
moment — a quick ball into the box
which Victor Lindelof, getting there
just ahead of Iwobi, could only clear
to Gordon, on the edge of the box.
Gordon got his head over the ball and
shot powerfully. Taking an enormous
deflection off Maguire, his shot flew
past a wrong-footed De Gea.
Everton had the lead and, sud-
denly, a shard of confidence. Keane
went close with a header and De Gea
tipped backwards to make a precari-
ous save as a Richarlison shot
deflected off Maguire and was looping
over him.
Everton’s finesse and decision-
making did not improve — Richarlison
played as if he was wearing a blindfold
at times — but they were still superior
to United, they still had that intensity
and courage to try things and commit-
ment to each other, which their oppo-
nents lacked.
A Gordon penalty claim in the 76th
minute was theatrical but had some
merit — he cut in front of Alex Telles,
who nudged his back, before he flung
himself down. Rangnick made
changes, introducing Juan Mata,
Anthony Elanga and Paul Pogba for
Nemanja Matic, Rashford and Fred,
but United remained aimless and star-
tlingly short on quality.
If you cannot score against a side
which has just shipped three goals to
Burnley, you deserve nothing, Ran-
gnick said. But United weren’t as good
as Burnley. What a mess they are in.
Star man Anthony Gordon (Everton).
Yellow cards: Everton Pickford, Gordon.
Manchester United Pogba, Ronaldo.
Referee J Moss. Attendance 39,080.
Substitutes: Everton O Doucouré (for Delph,
84min), D Gray (for Calvert-Lewin 71).
Manchester United P Pogba (for Fred 36, 5),
J Mata (for Matic 64, 5), A Elanga (for M Rashford,
64, 5).
RELEGATION
RUN-INBRENTFORD
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TodayWest Ham Utd (h)
Apr 16Watford (a)
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May 2Man Utd (a)
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May 15Everton (a)
May 22Leeds Utd (h)LEEDS UNITED
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Apr 16Brentford (h)
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Apr 30Burnley (h)
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TodayNorwich City (a)
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May 22Newcastle Utd (h)NORWICH CITY
P30
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TodayBurnley (h)
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Apr 30Aston Villa (a)
May 7West Ham Utd (h)
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May 15Wolves (a)
May 22Tottenham (h)De Gea7Maguire6
Wan-Bissaka5
Te ll e s4Rashford4
Sancho4Lindelof4Ronaldo3Matic4
Fred5Fernandes44-2-3-1Pickford8Godfrey6
Mykolenko6
Coleman6Richarlison5
Gordon8Allan6Calvert-Lewin6Keane6Delph7
Iwobi74-3-3200
At 24 years and 160
days, Marcus
Rashford is the
youngest player to
reach 200 games for
United in the PL,
overtaking Ryan
Giggs (24y 295d)David de Gea branded Manchester
United’s performance in a 1-0 defeat
by Everton as a “disgrace” yesterday
— and his manager, Ralf Rangnick,
was in agreement (Ian Whittell
writes).
And there were further issues for
United last night after social media
footage appeared to show Cristiano
Ronaldo slapping a mobile phone out
of an Everton fan’s hand as he walked
into the tunnel after the game. United
have been alerted to the incident.
United extended their run of poor
form to one victory in seven games, a
sequence which Rangnick admits has
left a top-four finish and Champions
League qualification a tall order. But
De Gea was even more dismissive of a
defeat that strengthened Everton’s
hopes of avoiding relegation.
“It is a disgrace from us, we should
be winning this game,” De Gea said.
“We are not good enough, that is for
sure. It will be very difficult now to be
in the top four. They had more desire
than us, which is not acceptable.”
Reports this week suggested that
United are edging ever closer to
announcing the Dutchman Erik ten
Hag as their long-term managerial
choice, but the interim manager
admitted that De Gea’s analysis was
accurate.
“I totally agree [with De Gea],”
Rangnick said. “If you don’t score
against a team who conceded three
goals at Burnley, it’s difficult to
explain. The players should be eager
to play European football, but if we
play like we did we don’t deserve it.”
“I know that we have fantastic
supporters and the only thing we can
do is stick together and raise the level
of performance. I don’t think the
place intimidated the players. My
feeling is that we struggle with the
level of expectation.”
Ten Hag appears to be on the brink
of appointment at United after new
reports that he is close to signing, as
reported by the Sunday Times two
weeks ago, but it was not an issue that
Rangnick believed had any bearing
on a poor performance, after which
his players were jeered by sections of
their own supporters on the final
whistle.
“No, I don’t see any connection
between these issues,” he said. “I
don’t think we should allow anybody
to have that alibi or excuse. The new
manager will come in, it doesn’t
matter if it is announced in five days,
15 days, 20 days.
“To qualify for Europe, you need
to be able to score in 95 minutes of a
game like today.”
The win was vindication for the
Everton manager, Frank Lampard,
after his opposite number, Sean
Dyche, suggested Everton had
“forgotten how to win” after the 3-2
defeat by Burnley on Wednesday.
“Sean didn’t mean it like that, I
spoke to him in the week,” Lampard
said. “I have to give a lot of credit to
the lads.”s (24y 295d)Ronaldo in
phone row –
while De Gea
says loss was
a ‘disgrace’
WATFORD
0
LEEDS UNITED
Raphinha 21, Rodrigo 73, Harrison 85 3Watford architects
of their own downfall
Watford equalled an unwanted club
record of nine successive home
defeats as dismal defending sent
them a step closer to relegation and
handed Leeds United three points
that should guarantee their Premier
League survival for another season.
Raphinha and Rodrigo took
advantage of errors from the home
side’s back line before Jack Harrison
sealed victory with a late, well-struck
third. This was a third win in four for
Leeds, who have been rejuvenated
under Jesse Marsch. As for Watford,
not since 1971-72, when they finished
bottom of the second tier, have their
fans witnessed such a dismal Vicarage
Road run.
Roy Hodgson has been in charge
for only four of those nine losses but
the former England manager had
been hired to make a struggling side
harder to beat. They now find
themselves six points adrift of safety
with seven fixtures remaining.
The day started badly for Watford,
with the news that fourth-bottom
Everton had beaten Manchester
United, and it went downhill from
there. “The mood among the fans I
guess is pretty bad because they keep
coming here expecting to see their
team win and it doesn’t but the mood
among the players is not as bad as all
that,” Hodgson said. “I wouldn’t put
the defeat down to any lack of belief
or desire. We have faith that results
are a distinct possibility for us.
“The second goal was a real killer
blow, the last thing you want in the
situation we find ourselves in. I would
have felt let down if they [Leeds] were
creating chance after chance, but this
was an unfortunate mix-up.”
The visiting team played on home
nerves from the outset, as Raphinha
tested Ben Foster with a header and
Luke Ayling, having previously
miscued a volley, headed wide from a
corner. A goal was coming and it
turned out to be a cracker from the
men in lilac in the 21st minute. DanJames seized on Hassane Kamara’s
poor clearance and fed Raphinha 20
yards from goal. The Brazil forward
turned exquisitely before unleashing
a shot that pinged in off a post.
Moussa Sissoko, the Watford
captain, headed over early in the
second half from virtually under the
crossbar before Christian Kabasele, at
the other end, slid in to stop
Raphinha setting up Dan James.
Marsch made a change on the hour
mark by bringing on Kalvin Phillips
for Mateusz Klich and Watford’s
clearest chance of the afternoon
followed directly but Ismaïla Sarr,
played into space on the right of the
penalty area by João Pedro, leant
back and blasted over. The home fans
howled their disapproval while
Hodgson cut a disconsolate figure.
Leeds had at least been kept quiet
for a while but Foster soon had to bat
away a long-ranger from Phillips.
Then came calamity and the moment
that Hodgson cited as ending his
side’s hopes. The centre back Samir
was the man at fault, with a poor
touch to let in Rodrigo as he and
Kamara backtracked desperately.
Rodrigo seized on the loose ball,
rounded Foster and found the empty
net. Kamara was hardly blameless,
having played the ball against his
team-mate in a panic.
It was, Hodgson knew, the sort of
defending that gets teams relegated
and it could have been worse as an
unmarked Diego Llorente volleyed
another opening wide. Harrison
showed no mercy in the 84th minute
however with a thumping drive
across Foster after Sam Greenwood,
the substitute, played him in.
Marsch refused to say his side —
now nine points clear of third-bottom
Burnley but having played three
games more — were safe.
“Everyone is getting results,” he
said. “Things are going to get tight
again, we just have to focus on us.”Star man Raphinha (Leeds United)
Watford (4-3-3) B Foster 6 — K Femenía 6,
C Kabasele 7, Samir 5, H Kamara 5 — M Sissoko
7, I Louza 6, J Kucka 7 (E Kayembe 72min) —
I Sarr 6, João Pedro 7 (J King 81), C Hernández 6
(E Dennis 39, 6). Booked Sissoko, Louza.
Leeds United (4-2-3-1) I Meslier 7 — L Ayling 7,
L Cooper 7, D Llorente 7, S Dallas 7 — R Koch 6,
M Klich 6 (K Phillips 59, 6) — Raphinha 7
(C Summerville 82), Rodrigo 7, J Harrison 7 —
D James 6 (S Greenwood 67, 5).
Referee A Marriner 6. Attendance 20,957.Rodrigo took advantage of slack Watford defending to put Leeds 2-0 upJon West
Vicarage RoadMALCOLM BRYCE