Manchester Utd vs. Everton: Score, Grades and Reaction from Premier League Game

Manchester United 2-1 Everton

Radamel Falcao scored his first goal for Manchester United to help his side to victory over Everton at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Colombia international was on hand in the 62nd minute to guide a mishit effort from Angel Di Maria beyond Tim Howard.

United had dominated the first period and were rewarded when Di Maria opened the scoring in the 27th minute with his placed effort beyond the Toffees goalkeeper.

Jon Super/Associated Press

Everton were gifted a chance to equalise on the stroke of half-time when Tony Hibbert was upended by Luke Shaw in the area, but David De Gea became the first Premier League goalkeeper to deny a Leighton Baines spot-kick.

The Merseysiders did equalise in the 56th minute, though, when Baines atoned for his penalty miss with a brilliant cross for Steven Naismith to head home.

However, the stage was set for Falcao six minutes later when the on-loan Monaco striker finally opened his account for United.

The real hero of the day proved to be United goalkeeper De Gea, who produced three superb saves in the closing stages of the game to ensure the home team held on to their three points.

Robin van Persie took over as United captain in place of the suspended Wayne Rooney, while Falcao started for the Red Devils. Juan Mata also came into the starting line-up.

Steven Pienaar returned to the Everton starting XI, but there was no Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy or Sylvain Distin in the squad. Phil Jagielka made his 200th Premier League appearance for the Toffees.

Falcao tested Howard with a close-range header in the fourth minute from a Shaw cross, but the United States international dealt with the danger.

Van Persie got in ahead of John Stones to meet a Di Maria ball into the area, but the Netherlands striker sent it over the crossbar. The Dutchman was cautioned in the ninth minute for a foul on Gareth Barry by referee Kevin Friend.

Muhamed Besic joined Van Persie in the referee's notebook for a foul on Falcao in the 16th minute.

A looping Di Maria drive from distance looked promising, especially with a double deflection, but it eventually fell wide of Howard's goal in the 23rd minute. 

Piennar earned a yellow card for a foul on United defender Rafael, but worse was to follow for Everton in the 27th minute when the full-back's cross was only partially cleared by Jagielka.

The ball fell to Mata, who played an inviting pass to Di Maria, which the Argentina international sent beyond Howard in the Everton goal to give United the lead.

Moments later, Howard had to be alert to push away a Di Maria free-kick, which clipped Naismith on its way towards the American's goal.

Daley Blind was also cautioned for an innocuous-looking challenge on Pienaar in the 32nd minute.

Everton had offered little in attack to worry United, but a 35th-minute Baines cross almost found Romelu Lukaku to serve some warning to the Old Trafford side.

Lukaku collected a Baines ball into the area four minutes later and blazed just over De Gea's crossbar.

Falcao timed a run into the area perfectly to meet a Di Maria corner three minutes before the interval, but he fired over on connection.

In the second minute of injury time, Everton were handed a lifeline. Pienaar broke into the area and laid the ball back to Hibbert, who was brought down by Shaw.

The referee pointed to the spot where Baines placed his penalty to De Gea's right, but the United goalkeeper got down low to palm the ball away. It was the first time the England defender had missed a penalty in the Premier League.

Great play by Shaw down the left flank in the 51st minute allowed him to find Falcao inside the area. The Colombian's touch was terrific but his strike less so as he sent the ball high and wide.

Antonio Valencia became the latest player to receive a yellow card in the 55th minute for an illegal challenge on Lukaku, and the subsequent free-kick saw Everton level.

Baines sent a low ball to Barry on the edge of the United box and played over an inch-perfect cross for Naismith to head home on its return to the full-back.

Another Baines set piece almost saw Everton take the lead, but Falcao cleared off the line after Jagielka connected well with a corner.

United reclaimed the lead in the 62nd minute courtesy of the Colombian. After a poor Howard clearance, Rafael found Valencia, who played the ball to Di Maria 30 yards from goal. His mishit drive rolled into the Everton area, and Falcao simply lifted his effort over Howard to make it 2-1.

Everton introduced Bryan Oviedo, who scored the winner at Old Trafford last season, for Pienaar.

Shaw was withdrawn from the action in the 70th minute after an injury to be replaced by Tyler Blackett.

Valencia then made way for Marouane Fellaini after Everton had sent on Tyias Browning and Leon Osman for Hibbert and Aiden McGeady.

With four minutes remaining, De Gea had to be alert to get down to save a terrific drive from Osman, and then the Spaniard produced a superb stop to deny the same player in injury time.

De Gea then found the save of the match in the dying seconds when he pushed over a goal-bound drive from Oviedo. 

Selected Player Ratings

Radamel Falcao: A-

The Manchester United striker showed some brilliant movement to baffle the Everton defence, allowing Van Persie greater space. His aim had not been so good when provided with opportunities, but he finally hit the target to give United a 2-1 lead.

Romelu Lukaku: B

A quiet first period for the Everton striker, who showed precious little apart from one effort sent over the crossbar. Needed more aggression to his game.

David De Gea: A+

Largely untroubled for much of the game, but he produced three superb saves in the closing stages to preserve United's three points after stopping Baines' penalty at the end of the first period.

What's Ahead

Both teams will now enter the international break from the Premier League until United travel to The Hawthorns to face West Bromwich Albion on Oct. 20. Everton play host to Aston Villa two days earlier.

Post-Match Reaction