After Everton's 3-0 win over Manchester United, we look at the key talking points from the game.
James McCarthy, John Stones and Kevin Mirallas secured the home side victory - but what does the result mean for United's top-four chances and how can the visitors turn possession into goals?
Fellaini frustrated
A frustrated unused substitute in Manchester United’s defeat to Everton last season, Marouane Fellaini was expected to make a happier return to Goodison Park this time around.
After all, the Belgian had been United’s star performer in their Manchester derby victory, described as ‘unplayable’ by Wayne Rooney and seen Premier League leaders Chelsea alter their tactics to contain him in recent weeks.
Yet, just as Kurt Zouma nullified United’s tall target man at Stamford Bridge, Gareth Barry marshalled him for Everton on Sunday. After spurning United’s best opportunity of the game and picking up a booking for a rash tackle on Ross Barkley, Fellaini was replaced with Radamel Falcao at half-time.
It was an unceremonious exit for the man United paid Everton £27.5m for, and Graeme Souness highlighted after the game how much Fellaini’s performance - and removal - affected the visitors.
“We highlighted before the game how much of the attacking set-up of United is down to him,” said the Sky Sports pundit. “He’s a real threat in the final third. The threat was taken away last week with Zouma and this week he gets himself in trouble, looks like he’s getting sent off, so Louis van Gaal takes him off. He’s such a large part of United in the final third. If you take care of Fellaini, you’re a long way to taking care of United.”
Everton's upturn continues
Everton’s success over Manchester United perhaps should not have come as a surprise. After all, United have now not won in any of their last seven trips to Goodison Park, losing the last three. But Everton’s form should also have indicated this would not be any easy Sunday afternoon for Van Gaal’s men.
Roberto Martinez’s side have been a team transformed in recent weeks. Unbeaten in six, Everton have taken 16 points from a possible 18 and victory over United moved them into the top half of the table for the first time since Christmas.
Five wins in their last six is a remarkable return for a side which has only managed six other Premier League victories all season. Everton’s home form has been central to their upturn; they've now won their last four on their own patch without conceding a single goal.
The streak has come too late to bring Everton success this season but, as goalscorer John Stones told Sky Sports after the game, it will set them up nicely for the 2015/16 campaign.
“We all know we’ve been under par this season but we’ve shown in last 10-15 games we’re coming back to ourselves,” he said. "This run is going to do us the world of good into next season."
United must find answers
Despite limiting Everton to just 34 per cent of possession – their lowest total this season – and registering more attempts (17 v 9) and a better passing accuracy (86 per cent v 70) United left Merseyside with nothing.
It was a similar story in last week’s 1-0 defeat at Chelsea and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher reckons opponents have now discovered a way to play against Van Gaal’s side.
He said: "We’ve been very complimentary about United over the last few weeks. It looks like Van Gaal has a system, a way of playing. But these last two weeks it looks like teams have come up with a way of playing against them, saying ‘have the ball’.
“Last week it was Jose Mourinho. He’d accept he is that type of manager. But with Martinez, his teams would never normally have such low possession. But they accepted ‘they’ll have the ball and we’ll hit you on the counter-attack’.”
Now, says Souness, the challenge is for Van Gaal to find a solution. “United will feel hard done by again,” he added. “They’ve had all the ball, most of the shots, played in the opposition's box and still lost 3-0. They’ll have to look at that and come up with some answers.”
Offside rule causing confusion
“People who don’t understand football, historically, said they didn’t understand the offside rule – but I’m beginning to think like that now. I’m not quite sure,” Souness told Sky Sports after watching Mirallas score Everton’s third.
The Belgian latched on to a through ball intended for Romelu Lukaku – who was standing in an offside position – and, with the United defence stood still with their arms in the air appealing for a flag to be raised against the striker, Mirallas slotted past David de Gea to end the contest.
Technically, Lukaku, who halted his run onto the pass, was not involved in the play, yet Souness says that is unfair on the United defence who held their line to play him offside, only to see Mirallas run from deep to collect the ball.
"There’s too much grey area," said Souness. "There’s too much discretion that’s left up to the referee and the linesman. United are entitled to feel hard done by. The rules say that can happen, but it’s unfair on the defenders. As a back four, the idea is to stay up the pitch. That’s a fundamental rule, there’s so much greyness attached to it, it’s very difficult for defenders."
However, Gary Neville on commentary had little sympathy for the United defence, and in particular Antonio Valencia, who should have been marking Mirallas. He said: "You never stop. Look at Valencia at right back, with his hand up in the air. United have given away three really poor goals."
McCarthy and Barry key
Neville awarded McCarthy the man of the match prize and had plenty of praise for the 24-year-old and his midfield partner, Gareth Barry.
"They’ve been the outstanding two on the pitch for me," he said. "The way in which Stones and Phil Jagielka have been protected by Barry and McCarthy, they’ll feel like they’ve had a very comfortable afternoon. They won’t feel like they’ve been put under any pressure. As much possession as United have had in front of them, they haven’t tested the goalkeeper or defenders in any real way.
"I’ll give McCarthy the man of the match. All through the game he’s been non-stop, protecting his back four, breaking up play."
It was a view echoed by defender Stones in his post-match interview with Sky Sports and the stats back up the impact both McCarthy and Barry had on the game.
The two covered more ground than any other Everton player (Barry 11.44km, McCarthy 10.74km), while Barry won more duels (seven) than any midfielder on the pitch and McCarthy regained possession for his team on more occasions (seven) than any Everton outfield player.
The pair only gave away three fouls between them all game, while Barry made more tackles than anyone on the pitch (five), made more clearances than any other midfielder (five) and lost the ball fewer times than any outfield player to complete 90 minutes (seven).
Liverpool back in top-four race?
While Van Gaal will no doubt spend the next few days analysing United’s performance at Everton, his attention will turn to Hull on Tuesday night, where Liverpool can move to within four points of the top four with victory in their game in hand.
After a frustrating 0-0 draw at West Brom, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers said his side would have to win their remaining five games to stand any chance of making the Champions League spots. Yet, United’s defeat at Everton will give the Reds a boost.
United still have Arsenal to play at Old Trafford. Defeat in that fixture, would mean anything other than victory against West Brom, Crystal Palace or Hull would open the door for Liverpool to snatch a top four spot.
Of course, United still have a superior goal difference to Liverpool and Rodgers’ men must face Chelsea in their run-in. But Everton may just have given their Merseyside neighbours hope…