Everton vs. Manchester United: Winners and Losers from North-West Derby
Everton upset the odds by beating Manchester United 3-0 at Goodison Park on Sunday, complementing a brilliant counter-attacking performance with some clinical work in front of goal.
James McCarthy powered into the box and produced a stumbling finish to give the Toffees an early lead. Then John Stones headed in from a corner to double the advantage before half-time. Kevin Mirallas sealed the win in the second half after stepping off the bench.
United manager Louis van Gaal was predictably downbeat about his side's performance, per Goal.com's Tom Maston.
"In the first half we created a lot of chances—five, I think—but we never scored," he said. "When you see the shots on the goal, it is also without conviction. That is not good."
Here, Bleacher Report picks its winners and losers from the game.
Winner: James McCarthy, Man of the Match
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Sky Sports' Gary Neville awarded James McCarthy the broadcast's Man of the Match award on Sunday, and there are no complaints here. He put in a fine defensive performance and capped it with a goal.
Football Radar's Jack Rathborn believes it was a performance that solidifies the Irishman's status in the game.
"Many questioned Roberto Martinez for paying £13 million to bring McCarthy to Everton, but that price has been fully justified, superb today," Rathborn wrote. "[He is] one of Premier League's most complete centre-midfielders, not far off [Chelsea's Nemanja] Matic and [Southampton's Morgan] Schneiderlin for the best holding midfielder."
Sure, this has been a disappointing season for Everton, but McCarthy has been great whenever he's been fit.
Loser: Marouane Fellaini, Whose Return to Goodison Park Was Awful
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It was Marouane Fellaini's big day, and he flopped. The midfielder returned to Goodison Park as an in-form Manchester United player but failed to make a positive impact.
In fact, he had a bit of a shocker: He was withdrawn at half-time due to the 2-0 deficit, crashed into clumsy tackles to earn a yellow card and blazed a clear-cut chance well over the bar early on.
Hardly the lasting image you want to leave when you play your old club.
Winner: Roberto Martinez, Whose Tactics Were Superb
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Roberto Martinez deserves a huge amount of credit for his excellent game plan against Manchester United on Sunday. As poor as the visitors were, it was clear the hosts were brilliantly prepared.
Everton sat in and defended well, clogging the middle to blunt the effectiveness of Juan Mata and Co. They allowed United to have the ball in certain areas but slammed the door whenever play reached the 18-yard line.
The counters were ferocious and fast, and Martinez used his substitutions very well. Forward Kevin Mirallas was brought on to take advantage of the widening spaces in United's formation as they pressed for a reply, and he netted the third goal soon after entering the fray.
Loser: Louis Van Gaal, Whose Side Were Torn to Shreds on the Counter...Again
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Louis van Gaal's Manchester United hit a wonderful patch of form in March and won four straight games, but now the shine is wearing off.
For two successive weeks, the Red Devils have dominated possession of a football match, failed to score and lost the game. Chelsea first and now Everton have allowed them to pass as much as they want, then smashed them on the counter-attack to leave goalkeeper David De Gea helpless.
United fans will spy the absence of injured midfielder Michael Carrick and blame the frailties on that, but it's not all down to the Englishman's absence.
Possession does not equal control of a game, and Van Gaal's game plan must be looked at in the wake of another defeat.
Winner: John Stones, Who Played Superbly and Scored a Goal
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John Stones has perhaps not taken the progressive step forward many had hoped for this season, but in this game alone, he showcased his undoubted quality and promise.
The 20-year-old's headed goal from a corner more or less sealed the win for Everton despite the clock not yet ticking into the 40s, and he stood tall in the penalty area to block, tackle and clear all afternoon.
Chris Smalling has been earning praise for his form and signed a new contract this week, but it was the other young English centre-back who caught the eye on Sunday and may be elbowing his way to front of the queue to start for his nation.
With Manchester United and a few other top clubs looking as though they need a centre-back, a performance like this from Stones could raise attention, too.
