Everton pulled off a second-half comeback to take a point at Manchester United.

Saturday’s encounter got off to a difficult start for the Blues as Edinson Cavani opened the scoring by converting Marcus Rashford’s cross to the far post.

Matters worsened on the stroke of half time, when Bruno Fernandes doubled the hosts’ lead with a stunning strike from the edge of the penalty area.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side responded after the interval with Abdoulaye Doucoure reducing the deficit as David de Gea spilled Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s shot.

They completed a turnaround just three minutes later courtesy of James Rodriguez controlling Doucoure’s cross before firing the ball low past De Gea.

Scott McTominay appeared to have given the Red Devils maximum points when he headed past Robin Olsen, who slipped trying to claw out his effort.

But Calvert-Lewin snatched a draw for Everton with a sliding finish in the final moments of the game from Lucas Digne’s well-worked free kick into the area.

Here were the key talking points from Old Trafford:

Ancelotti’s rocket turns the tide

 

Just what exactly did Carlo Ancelotti say to Everton’s players at half-time?

Only those inside the visitors’ dressing room at Old Trafford will be able to attest to their manager’s words of wisdom, but they clearly had an impact.

Within seven minutes of the restart, the Blues had level-pegged a team that had designs of unseating Manchester City at the Premier League’s summit.

It was in stark contrast to the lacklustre display in the first half where passes were short, predictable and offered their hosts free reign to create chances.

But whether Ancelotti opted for a softly-spoken or more incendiary approach at the break, Everton responded in a far more determined fashion afterwards.

Even despite falling behind again to Scott McTominay’s avoidable effort, they continually pushed for an equaliser and finally reaped that reward late on.

Such resilience has not often been seen in previous Everton sides but Ancelotti knows how to turn the tide of games that appear beyond reach.

Davies is masterful in midfield

 

No player currently splits opinion more at Goodison Park than Tom Davies.

Some Evertonians believe the homegrown midfielder is a useful asset while others are quick to point out a frustrating inconsistency in his performances.

The truth lies somewhere in between the two but successive managers, both permanent and interim, have continually placed their faith in Davies’ abilities.

Ancelotti is the seventh to persevere with the 22-year-old and saw that belief vindicated with a truly masterful display in the six-goal thriller at Old Trafford.

From the outset, Davies was willing to go toe-to-toe with United’s star-studded cast in the middle of the park; battling them at virtually every turn.

Although he will be scrutinised in standing off Bruno Fernandes for his strike, redemption arrived in the second half as he helped Everton close the deficit.

A smart pass into Dominic Calvert-Lewin allowed the England international to ultimately tee up Abdoulaye Doucoure for their lifeline back into the game.

This was Davies’ best performance of the season and while one swallow doesn’t make a summer, it might go some way in helping unlock his truest potential.

Continuity still needed at the back

 

Contrary to general consensus, Everton’s most pressing issue in their hard-fought draw at Old Trafford was not caused by Robin Olsen’s slippery feet.

The Swede admittedly should have done better in trying to stop United’s third goal but it was one of his backline cohorts that is a more pressing matter.

Ancelotti’s decision to rotate saw Mason Holgate handed a starting berth at right-back in place of Seamus Coleman but it was far from a like-for-like swap.

He did not appear comfortable in the role and was routinely exposed in the first half as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side began to make their dominance felt.

Holgate’s versatility has been both his making and undoing at Goodison, with that ability to operate in multiple roles affording him more first-team outings.

Yet with that comes obvious drawbacks as it adds a worrying level of fragility to the defence compared to Ben Godfrey’s fleeting stints in the same position.

Godfrey thrived in a second game at centre-back and his unstinting all-round capabilities make him a far better fit in the role that Holgate struggled to fill.

Does Richarlison need a break?

 

There was a time when Everton playing without Richarlison was unthinkable.

Statistics backed up the Brazilian’s influence on the side with no victories recorded when he had failed to feature through either injury or suspension.

On his 100th appearance, though, the question is now starting to be asked.

Ancelotti explained on the eve of this trip to Old Trafford that his sole reasons for benching players are either to avoid burnout or because of poor form.

Richarlison’s place remains assured with an intensity that has never waned, as shown by his willigness to mount attacks out wide, but confidence is an issue.

He also spurned a golden opportunity to finally put himself back among the goals with a rusty finish late on which gifted United a massive reprieve.

Opportunities to hand Richarlison a rest are few and far between with Everton’s growing fixture list leaving increasingly little room for manouevre.

However Josh King’s deadline day arrival offers Ancelotti the option to take his talisman out of the firing line to recalibrate and get back to his best.