Manchester United are sparked by Garnacho’s acrobatics, while Everton are extinguished.

Everton are enraged by the record 10-point deduction, which has reignited relegation fears just as Sean Dyche’s side appeared to have left them behind. Manchester United, on the other hand, played with cool heads and cold intent and savored their biggest win of the season as a result.

United’s previous seven league wins this season had all come by a single goal, but against an Everton squad suffering from the Premier League’s biggest sporting sanction in history, an ultimately comfortable triumph was built on character as well as the clinical touch that their opponents lacked.

Alejandro Garnacho’s spectacular overhead kick set Erik ten Hag’s team on their way to an amazing win, in which the 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo impressed on his full debut. Marcus Rashford’s second-half penalty was decisive in snatching the game away from Everton. Late in the game, Anthony Martial added gloss with his first goal of the season.

Dyche’s players created a slew of decent chances – they had 24 shots on goal to United’s nine – and adjusted effectively to the club’s unusual circumstances. But, once again, they failed to complete at Goodison Park. Everton are five points from safety and cannot afford to be demoralised by a punishment that is not the fault of their players.

“The message to them is, we can cry and worry about it and say it is unjust, and I think the whole of football thinks it is unjust,” Everton manager Brendan Rodgers said. “Or we get on with it.” We can’t guarantee the appeal, but we can do something about it each week on the field.”

Everton’s anti-Premier League protests were well-funded, with more than £40,000 raised for the different banners and 38,000 pink cards that filled Goodison Park, all of which were impressively coordinated and executed in mass. There was a raucous atmosphere inside the ancient stadium, with boos beginning as soon as two men carrying Premier League placards went onto the pitch before kick-off.

An irate crowd and a firedup squad, however, could not legislate for Garnacho’s early moment of utter genius. His incredible overhead kick temporarily alleviated Everton’s rage and served as a stark reminder of Ten Hag’s unique brilliance. Despite the uncertainty surrounding United’s season, the club has been the league’s in-form team since the beginning of October, with five wins from six games and 15 points. Garnacho has a lot of confidence, as he confirmed after only 136 seconds.

A crossfield pass from Victor Lindelöf out to Rashford on the right exposed Everton. It would not be the only time. Rashford sent Diogo Dalot to the byline, and even though his deep cross was sailing out of danger, Garnacho judged its flight well. Taking a step back and turning away from goal, the teenager threw himself into the air to meet Dalot’s pass with an unstoppable overhead kick that sailed into the top corner of Jordan Pickford’s goal, leaving the Everton goalkeeper with his back to goal. The goal was reminiscent of Wayne Rooney’s amazing winner for Manchester United against Manchester City in 2011. It came as little surprise to hear United supporters reciting their old Rooney chant shortly later.

Everton were taken aback by Garnacho’s goal, but their ball control progressively improved to match their effort. The hosts had enough chances to get up at the half. Dominic Calvert-Lewin connected with James Garner’s corner with a thunderous header that he placed too close to André Onana.
With a first-time shot, the Everton striker forced a better save from the United keeper, and Dwight McNeil was inches away from converting the rebound only for Mainoo to clear off the line. The 18-year-old was tremendously impressive in his Premier League debut, demonstrating why Ten Hag had such high hopes for the central midfielder until preseason injury hit. When the Everton winger got space inside the United area, he denied him once more with a magnificent block.

Both Abdoulaye Doucouré and Idrissa Gana Gueye, who scored against Crystal Palace before the international break, had glaring misses as Everton intensified the pressure before half-time. After a series of questionable rulings, including booking Doucouré for dissent after questioning why Garnacho was not reprimanded for kicking the ball away, Goodison’s rage was directed at the referee, John Brooks.

Manchester United’s lead has been doubled by Marcus Rashford’s penalty. Photograph courtesy of Tom Jenkins

Everton’s resentment grew when Brooks awarded United a penalty following a pitchside review. As he sprinted into the area, the referee first booked Martial for diving over Ashley Young’s outstretched right foot. VAR instructed Brooks to reconsider, and he determined that Martial had been tripped by the veteran defender. In order to boost Rashford’s confidence, Bruno Fernandes demonstrated a captain’s touch by awarding the penalty. He promptly scored his second goal of the season into the top corner.

Martial sealed the victory after a fluid United move initiated by substitute Facundo Pellistri. Fernandes dismantled the home defense, allowing the forward to lift a nonchalant finish over Pickford and score his ninth goal in 17 games against Everton. Everton feel he is not the only one who has a vendetta against them.