Everton failed to make it four straight wins as they went down 2-1 to Manchester United.

Paul Pogba opened the scoring for the hosts despite Jordan Pickford saving his initial penalty, when Idrissa Gueye was adjudged to have fouled Anthony Martial.

The Blues fell further behind after the half-time interval when Martial struck a curling close-range effort into the bottom left-hand corner of Pickford’s goal.

Gylfi Sigurdsson reduced the deficit from the spot after Chris Smalling floored Richarlison but Marco Silva’s side were unable to mount a successful comeback.

Here were the key talking points from Old Trafford:

Right flank, wrong choices

 

Everton’s summer recruitment strengthened most key areas. Except one.

That failure to address depth issues down their right-hand side is already beginning to prove costly for Marco Silva’s side, as Manchester United proved.

In defence, Seamus Coleman remains preferred to Jonjoe Kenny, whose inexperience led to the occasional mistakes, but he has emerged as a weak link.

United’s players took turns on exploiting the usually dependable Blues full-back while Theo Walcott, supposedly a solution in the attacking third, fared little better.

On this evidence, Silva might need to delve back into the market in January.

Silva puts his predecessors to shame

 

Going hell for leather has become something of a rarity for Evertonians whenever their team makes its annual trip to Old Trafford.

Performances of such ilk can be counted on one hand in the Premier League era.

But Silva succeeded where many of his predecessors failed in producing a resilient display even when contentious decisions went against them.

The temptation to rest on laurels whenever United led became too great for some. Ronald Koeman, arguably, was among the biggest culprits last season.

Little, however, deterred Everton this time around as they pushed to claw back a two-goal deficit and would have succeeded if but for David de Gea’s heroics.

Blues’ ref injustice continues

 

Jon Moss’s name instantly provokes a universal response at Goodison Park.

‘Not him again’ is one of the politer variants of when news of the Premier League referee being appointed to oversee another Everton game is announced.

After a contentious penalty decision awarded to United, it is easy to see why.

Idrissa Gueye’s ball-winning attempt was a risky one with a booking already to his name, but the midfielder can feel justifiably aggrieved at Moss’s decision.

Contact with Anthony Martial was limited solely to the Red Devils striker going over Gueye’s trailing leg. Somehow, Moss still saw fit to point to the spot.

Everton have justifiable cause to lament another ref injustice.

Pogba farce shouldn’t undermine Pickford

 

One crucial detail may be overlooked from Paul Pogba’s ridiculous penalty miss.

The United midfielder delivered an affront to the sanctity of spot kicks with a farcically prolonged shuffle in attempts to unnerve Jordan Pickford.

It was never going to work against Everton and England’s number one.

Pickford was able to deny another player from 12 yards for a second week running, even if Pogba fortuitously opened the scoring from the rebound.

A hamfisted attempt at gamesmanship by his opposite number should not detract from the increasing prominence of one of the best shot stoppers around.