TECH THAT AND PARTY ... Darren Fletcher shows
perfect technique to volley Man Utd ahead
The Scotland skipper's goal was only matched by the
class of the overall performance of Alex Ferguson's side, as
second-half strikes from Michael Carrick and Antonio Valencia gave
the scoreline a fair reflection.
It lifts United above Arsenal in the table and five
points behind Chelsea - who went one better than their Old Trafford
rivals by hitting four past Wolves earlier in the day.
United spent most of the first-half peppering the
Everton penalty area with crosses and corners without properly
penetrating the visitors' defence.
Rafael was booked for trying to haul Saha down and Jack
Rodwell curled a shot wide but it was a rare counter-attack by the
Merseyside outfit and United took a deserved lead 10 minutes before
the break.
Valencia nodded Patrice Evra's deep cross into
Fletcher's path and the midfielder - having the season of his
career - hit a superb volley that curled past former Red Devils
team-mate Tim Howard.
Tim Cahill received a harsh booking for deliberate
handball as Everton looked for an immediate reply and Johnny
Heitinga sustained a nasty cut following a clash with Nemanja Vidic
that left David Moyes enraged at the break.
Marouane Fellaini was cautioned for a late tackle on
Fletcher and the pressure continued as Howard was forced to race
out and turn away a Michael Owen chip that was heading for the far
corner.
Yakubu replaced Dan Gosling at the break to try and
give Everton some thrust up front and although they crafted more
opportunities it also led to more space at the other end.
A neat interchange of passes put Owen through but he
was adjudged marginally offside as Howard smothered his shot.
Then Heitinga made space on the edge of the penalty
area for a left foot shot but it was easily fielded by Edwin van
der Sar.
Owen had another chance on 52 minutes when Valenica was
stronger than Distin in the challenge but when the ball broke for
the England striker his touch failed him and he was forced
wide.
A long passing movement culminated with Owen squaring
the ball to Wayne Rooney, whose 25-yard strike clipped the top of
the crossbar. Owen was played in again soon after, with Distin
sliding across to deflect the finish behind.
However, from the corner Rooney screwed a shot across
goal, Ryan Giggs picked it up near the corner flag and pulled it
back for Carrick to strike a controlled finish low into the
corner.
Valencia scored a deflected third off Leighton Baines
after sub Paul Scholes had slipped the winger through on the right
as Everton's resistance visibly wilted.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva
(Scholes 63), Brown, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Fletcher, Carrick
(Gibson 83), Giggs, Rooney, Owen (Obertan 74). Subs Not
Used: Kuszczak, Anderson, Welbeck, De Laet.
Booked: Rafael Da Silva, Carrick.
Goals: Fletcher 35, Carrick 67,
Valencia 76.
Everton: Howard, Neill, Yobo, Distin,
Baines, Gosling (Yakubu 46), Rodwell, Heitinga, Cahill (Jo 82),
Fellaini, Saha (Hibbert 83). Subs Not Used: Nash,
Coleman, Duffy, Baxter. Booked: Cahill,
Fellaini.
Att: 75,169
Ref: Steve Bennett (Kent).
