The backlash of bruised and battered champions it wasn’t, but then, Alex Ferguson may have preferred it that way.
A knee-jerk reaction to Manchester United’s Halloween come early a week ago may only have served to lengthen a saga which, it is clear, the devils of Salford are desperate to put in the cupboard for another year.
Instead United’s back on track performance came in characteristic style. A clinical one nil win at Goodison Park will not repair the damage Silva and co. inflicted on their goal difference column, but these are United’s bread and butter victories in the league, and after seven days of humble pie, this will taste good.
That David Moyes has seen his side go toe-to-toe with bigger, wealthier and more talented squads than his own for the second time in four days will be little consolation.
Injuries to Cahill, Neville and Distin, meant he had lost big characters in the combative engine of his functional unit. But in United they faced a team who still seemed to be soul searching, and in a game where they enjoyed more possession than the visitors and more meaningful chances get off the mark, the Toffees will know that opportunities to nick points from the big boys don’t come as good or as often as this.
For all of Louis Saha’s insistence that this was a bad time to play United, Everton clearly believed there were wounds to be re-opened. Seamus Coleman’s first minute slalom run through the heart of United’s defence which petered out with a weak shot, indicated as much.
And, as the visitors backed off in the early throws with Wayne Rooney playing a definite midfield role, a palpable sense of safety first play from United indicated a rarely seen self consciousness in their game.
But in Javier Hernandez the champions have an ever young, ever willing and ever dangerous predator, and it was Sir Alex Ferguson’s recalling of the little Mexican which made the difference on 19 minutes.
He pounced on a Patrice Evra cross after ghosting off John Heitinga in the area to take his tally to two in two against the Blues, and kick the Manchester machine ominously back into gear.
Rooney was reintroduced to football at Goodison after being spared the cauldron in recent seasons, and with the former Everton man growing into the game from the middle, a three point statement of intent looked on the cards for United.
But Everton, as Ferguson will know, are nothing if not willing under their hardy boss and it was the Blues who finished the first half stronger.
Jack Rodwell embarked on a marauding run from the middle before drilling a shot wide and Leighton Baines rattled the bar with a curling freekick five minutes before the break.
With United’s no.10 seemingly over the Goodison phobia which has prevented him playing a meaningful role at the Old Lady since his departure down the M62, Moyes rolled out what many see as the next big thing after the Rooney project.
Ross Barkley was given the whole of the second half to showcase his wares and Everton looked better in possession for his trademark crossfield balls aided quick variations in line of attack. But, seemingly aware of what was being asked of him Barkley struggled to make the marquee impression his unelected predecessor had at this ground seven years earlier.
It’s credit to United that the game wound to its conclusion without too much in the way of incident, Johnny Evans having gone someway to proving himself a viable option for Ferguson after his horrorshow against City, and Nemanja Vidic returning to the side with the type of solidity Ferguson will need from his captain as they try peg back Mancini’s "noisy neighbours".
David Moyes praised his players for the application in what has been a torrid run of games for his side, indicating a lack of quality in the final was the only thing seperating Everton and United.
He said: “I think we’re unlucky not to at least get a point, Man U had very few attempts in the second half, if any at all.
“It’s just maybe that little bit of quality in the final third which we didn’t have.
“We played well and deserved to get something, I thought, if anything, we looked the stronger in the second half we kept going for it and trying to get a goal, but it wasn’t to be.
“The players did a great job to do it again, we’ve gone toe-to-toe with Chelsea when we’re unlucky not to have gone through and I think we’ve done the same again playing against probably two of the most fancied teams in the league.
“I’ve got to praise the players for the way they’ve performed in the last couple of games.”
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Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard, Baines, Heitinga, Jagielka, Hibbert, Rodwell, Fellaini, Bilyaletdinov (Barkley 46), Coleman, Osman (Vellios 76), Saha (Gueye 84)
Subs: Mucha, Stracqualursi, McFadden, Gueye, Barkley, Vellios, Mustafi
Manchester United (4-4-2) De Gea, Evra, Jones, Evans, Rooney, Park, Hernandez (Berbatov 66), Vidic, Welbeck (Valencia 73), Cleverley (Nani 56), Fletcher
Subs: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Owen, Berbatov, Nani, Fabio Da Silva, Valencia.
Goals: Hernandez 19
Att: 35,494
Ref: M Halsey
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