Despite a commanding 4-0 victory over Everton, Manchester United’s performance has been described as “very average” by former Premier League star Dean Ashton, casting a shadow over Ruben Amorim’s first Premier League win since taking over as United manager.
Marcus Rashford opened the scoring in the 31st minute with a low strike that deflected off Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. Just before half-time, United doubled their lead when Joshua Zirkzee capitalized on Branthwaite’s mistake to score in the 41st minute.
Rashford then made it 3-0 just 20 seconds into the second half, following a clever assist from Amad. Zirkzee rounded off the win with a cool finish in the 64th minute, completing the 4-0 scoreline.
However, Ashton, speaking on Sky Sports, was not overly impressed by United’s performance. “I didn’t think Manchester United were very good at all,” he said. “Once they got those two goals in the first half, they looked more comfortable and played through Everton better. There were moments on the counter-attack when they looked electric, but the XG tells a different story. United had an XG of 0.78, yet they won 4-0. There was hardly anything between the teams in terms of the game’s statistics.” Ashton emphasized that while the win was significant, the overall performance was far from impressive.
Ruben Amorim echoed similar sentiments after the match, acknowledging the team’s improvement but stressing the need for greater consistency. “It was far from a perfect performance,” he admitted. “After 15 minutes, Everton controlled the game, and it was difficult for us. We were losing second balls, and I felt that the players could solve some problems with their quality, but it wasn’t a perfect performance.”
Despite the lackluster display, Amorim was quick to point out the importance of securing a strong result. “It helps to have a new face,” he said. “We need to be honest with our fans, and this win is a good step, but we have a lot of work to do. Everyone defended well, and that’s what our fans want. In time, they’ll want better football, but for now, hard work is key.”
The victory moved United into ninth place in the Premier League, but Amorim is well aware that much work remains, especially with a crucial match against Arsenal looming on Wednesday.
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