Man Utd 1 Everton 1: Greenwood bags equaliser on milestone day for academy after controversial Lindelof own goal
IT WAS THE PERFECT day for Mason Greenwood to show that Manchester United’s academy keeps producing stars.
This was the club’s 4,000th consecutive game in which they had an academy graduate in their squad, a record dating back to 1937.
Greenwood, 18, is the latest to provide hope that another great is in Old Trafford’s midst.
He came in the second half to score a 77th minute equaliser, his eighth of the season after hitting two against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.
A point was no more than United deserved, in fact they will be disappointed not to have grabbed all three given their dominance.
So a year after the club got rid of Jose Mourinho with 26 points after 17 games, United have one point less at the same stage of this season.
Manager Ole Solskjaer says things are still going in the right direction, however and there continues to be evidence of that at least.
They would have continued their recent upsurge in results after victories over Spurs and Manchester City if others in the side could have found their shooting boots.
The Red Devils should have been well ahead by the break having torn into Everton from the first minute.
Make that the first seconds with Jesse Lingard having a great chance after just 14 of them.
He was quick to turn on a chance made by Anthony Martial only to send a shot the wrong side of the post.
From just eight yards out and with nobody on him it was a good opportunity and he knew it.
In the tenth minute a brilliant long ball from Victory Lindelof fell right into the stride of the breaking Marcus Rashford but his first time shot was wide.
Next up was Daniel James a minute later bursting onto a Scott McTominay through ball.
It was between him and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford from an angle on the right and again the goalkeeper was not tested as the young Welsh winger sent a shot beyond the far stick.
When a free kick was awarded Manchester United’s way in the 25th minute there was only one taker with Rashford stepping up.
It was a stinging drive superbly saved as Pickford had started to move one way before adjusting himself to beat the ball away with an outstretched hand.
By this time Everton boss Ferguson was in only a shirt and tie in the technical area having refused a coat at the start and then despatched his jacket.
It was an odd site given the temperature that had everyone else in hats and gloves and it was raining.
He was soon leaping down the touchline looking for a ball boy to hug as against the run of play Everton took a fortuitous 36th minute lead from a corner.
Quite how it was not adjudged to have been a foul on United goalkeeper David De Gea only VAR Craig Pawson could tell us.
Leighton Baines swung the ball into the six yard box and both Yerry Mina and Dominc Calvert-Lewin clattered into De Gea as he went to punch clear.
The ball went over his restricted stretch and hit the startled Lindelof and went over the line.
De Gea made his point to referee Michael Oliver as both team left the field at the break but he waved his protests away.
United went for it again straight from the restart but both Fred and Rashford lashed shots wildly over.
When Luke Shaw powered down the left and got one on target Pickford was equal to it while James follow-up hit Lingard smack in the face.
Lingard would go after shortly afterwards to be replaced by Greenwood as the Red Devils looked to utilise the teenager’s undoubted talent in front of goal.
He did not let them down, cracking home the leveller.
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James found him with a crossfield ball and showing incredible poise Greenwood moved it from his right on to his left taking a touch with the outside of his boot before firing into the near bottom corner.
United pushed for one of those dramatic late winners but it wouldn’t come.
Once again a team from lower down the table provided more problems to those higher up.