Thirty yards and six minutes too late
Manchester United had been clinging on to victory for eight minutes. Benjamin Sesko had headed in a Luke Shaw cross at the far post to make it 2-1 in the 88th minute. Then came stoppage time. In the 96th, with virtually the last touch of the game, Ainsley Maitland-Niles let fly from 30 yards and buried the ball in the top left corner of Senne Lammens’ net. Everton 2, Manchester United 2.
The scorer adds another twist. Maitland-Niles returned to Everton this summer from Olympique Lyonnais after a spell in Ligue 1. He was hardly back in England for that kind of strike, but it landed at the perfect moment for a club that is still unbeaten since the restart.
The first half offered no hint of what was coming. No goals, few chances, two sides feeling each other out. Then it all blew apart after the break.
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Mbeumo fires, George hits back
Four minutes after the restart, Kobbie Mainoo found Bryan Mbeumo on the right edge of the box. The winger curled his shot beyond the keeper and into the left side of the goal. Everton did not reply until the 83rd minute, when Tyrique George hammered one into the top right corner beyond Lammens.
Manchester United went back in front five minutes later, only to throw it away in added time. Michael Carrick’s Red Devils had arrived with momentum after a brutal 5-2 win over Ipswich Town that helped erase the opening-day defeat to Hull City, 2-0.
Everton had already beaten Crystal Palace 2-0 and drawn 1-1 with Bournemouth. The Merseyside club stay unbeaten and move up to eighth. Manchester United are still 11th.
Two points dropped
The maths is simple for Carrick. Two points gone in the last six minutes can sting over a season, especially for a club chasing the top end after an erratic start. Conceding in the 96th minute from distance is often just bad luck, but United let Everton keep coming without ever taking control again after the 2-1.
Everton are starting to look like a side with a bit of steel about them. Three matches, three results, no defeats. Toffees fans were in no hurry to leave their seats.
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