Summary A 2-0 win against Everton moves Manchester United closer to fifth place in the Premier League. Alejandro Garnacho impressed by winning penalties and showcasing a strong performance. Varane's solid display contributes to Manchester United's path to a positive end of the season.
Manchester United defeated wasteful Everton at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon to move within three points of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, who albeit have two games in hand.
The win gave Erik ten Hag and his squad some respite after falling to successive defeats against Fulham and Manchester City, though the slightly peculiar flow of the game saw the Toffees unleash 23 shots but find little success, let down at the other end by committing fouls to provide two penalties for the hosts that were converted by Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford.
Alejandro Garnacho won both spot-kicks and proved his worth once again as one of the brightest lights in the Red Devils system.
Alejandro Garnacho's game vs Everton in numbers
Garnacho didn't deliver that goal again today but he proved to be a thorn in Sean Dyche's side nonetheless, winning both penalties and impressing with his dribbling ability.
The 19-year-old keeps going from strength to strength and is now surely indispensable in the starting lineup of this underperforming Manchester United team.
The Argentine winger drew fouls from Everton defenders James Tarkowski and Ben Godfrey, but that was not the extent of his performance, completing 81% of his passes, making two key passes, succeeding with two of his three attempted dribbles and winning five of his eight contested ground duels, as per Sofascore.
He's the real deal, but supporters already know that. While Garnacho impressed up front, he wasn't the only player to catch the eye against an Everton side that may well have created a different outcome were they not so profligate in front of goal.
Defensive duo Jonny Evans and Raphael Varane were solid and strong in front of Andre Onana's goal, with the latter impeccable as ever in the duel.
Raphael Varane's performance vs Everton
Indeed, Varane won all three of his duels, both on the ground and in the air against Saturday's opponents and impressed through his energy, making three clearances, an interception, blocking a shot and making two tackles – including one as the last man standing.
Moreover, he was hailed for his "magnificent" performance by well-known content creator Mark Goldbridge and is quietly continuing a rich vein of dependable displays for his side, experienced and composed while providing Evans with the perfect partner.
Matches played
19
Goals
1
Pass completion
89%
Ball recoveries per game
3.2
Clearances per game
4.3
Ground duels won per game
1.1 (59%)
Aerial duels won per game
1.1 (81%)
The Manchester Evening News' Samuel Luckhurst certainly thought that the France international enjoyed a good game, writing: 'A calm performance, although he was pitted against the impotent Beto for an hour until Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on.'
While it's true that Everton's forwards endured a match to forget, credit must be placed on Varane's ability to quell any danger.
Tougher tests lie ahead for Manchester United – namely, next weekend's FA Cup quarter-final tie against Liverpool – but much confidence can be extracted from a well-earned win in the Premier League, and with Varane producing such consistently good games, a positive end to the campaign is very much achievable.
