Manchester United suffered a humiliating and historic defeat at Old Trafford on Monday night, falling 1-0 to an Everton side that played for over 75 minutes with just ten men.
A Night of Madness and Missed Opportunity
The match took a dramatic turn after just 13 minutes when Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye was shown a straight red card following a bizarre physical altercation with his own teammate, Michael Keane. This moment of madness handed the initiative to the home side, who were expected to capitalise on their significant numerical advantage.
However, it was Everton who stunned the home crowd, taking the lead against the run of play on 29 minutes through an impressive strike from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The goal proved to be the winner, as a resilient Everton defence, marshalled by a sensational Jordan Pickford in goal, held firm against a barrage of United attacks.
Unwanted Premier League History for United
The result cemented an unwanted piece of Premier League history for the Red Devils. According to Opta, this was the first time Manchester United have ever lost a league game at Old Trafford when the opposition has received a red card.
The statistics make for grim reading for United fans. Opponents have been sent off at Old Trafford on 46 previous occasions in the Premier League. Before this match, the home side had won 36 of those games and drawn the other 10, making this defeat a truly unprecedented event.
Manager Reactions: Frustration and Pride
A visibly frustrated United manager, Ruben Amorim, did not hold back in his assessment when speaking to the BBC. 'They were the better team with 11 players and 10,' he admitted. 'I felt we were not there with the same intensity. They deserved the win.'
He added, 'The other team helped us with the sending off. We need to do [more] in every moment... Forget the result. The result is really bad but I was more concerned by the feeling I had during the game. Everyone should play better today.'
In stark contrast, Everton manager David Moyes was 'incredibly proud of the players and the supporters' in his comments to Sky Sports. He praised his team's resilience, stating, 'We have come close loads of times and not quite been able to get over the line, but tonight we incredibly got over it with 10 men. I think it was probably the hardest way to get a good result here.'
The match statistics highlighted United's dominance in possession but also their inefficiency. The home side managed 25 shots to Everton's mere three, but could not find a way past a resolute Pickford and a determined ten-man defence, leaving Old Trafford echoing with boos at the final whistle.
