Manchester United 4 Everton 0 - Amorim's rotation strikes gold and Zirkzee ends drought in style

Manchester United thrashed Everton 4-0 at Old Trafford to pick up their first Premier League win under new head coach Ruben Amorim.

Two goals each from Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee eased the hosts to a comfortable victory that moves them into the top half of the table after 13 games. Amorim made several changes to his line-up following the 3-2 defeat of Bodo/Glimt here in the Europa League on Thursday and it proved sensible as United ran out easy winners.

There was also a pre-match protest by fans concerning the club’s recently-announced rise in ticket prices, which included chants aimed at minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Here, our writers analyse the key moments in the match.

Amorim’s rotation pays off handsomely

One noticeable difference between Amorim and predecessor Erik ten Hag comes in their approach to rotation. Where former Ajax manager Ten Hag opted to use many of the same players week in and week out to build player chemistry and “automatisms”, the new man has opted to rotate his options in order to preserve player fitness.

The recent arrival from Lisbon’s Sporting CP made six changes from the starting XI that beat Glimt in midweek. Zirkzee came in for Rasmus Hojlund up front, the 23-year-old Netherlands international making his first league start since the 3-0 home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in late September. Rashford, Diogo Dalot, Amad, Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro also stepped into the team.

On paper, it was a line-up that should have been too much for an Everton side who do not carry much attacking threat. However, United were out-of-sync and off-colour for the majority of the first half. The opening 20 minutes saw Amorim flip between two characters on the touchline; one of frustration at how Everton could regain possession and one of contemplation, often kneeling to try to figure out passing angles (similar to how Marcelo Bielsa or Mauricio Pochettino operate during games).

Everton counterpart Sean Dyche appeared to have taken tips from Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna on to how to impede United, following last weekend’s 1-1 draw with the latter at Portman Road. The Goodison Park side clogged midfield, making it difficult for Amorim’s men to progress through the centre. Dalot and Amad had difficulty beating their respective markers and getting into the final third out wide.

Despite all that, United found a foothold in the game in the 34th minute, when Bruno Fernandes’ corner found Rashford in space on the edge of the penalty area. Rashford’s shot looked on target, and he’s been credited with the goal, but Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite’s big toe made certain of things and poked it home.

The goal steadied nerves and allowed United – who have been a confidence team for some time – to establish dominance.

Amorim’s approach to rotation eventually came good, but it needed a bit of help at first.

Carl Anka

Zirkzee finally scores again… twice!

What to make of Zirkzee? The Dutchman is a curious attacking player, built like a traditional centre-forward and target man, but preferring to drop deep and link the play. He has never been a prolific goalscorer, but a return of one goal in his previous 18 matches for United (he scored in the first game of the season) had some of their fans worried.

What would Amorim do with a low-in-confidence, non-goalscoring striker?

The answer seemed rooted in the players the new coach put in the team around the £42.5million ($54.1m) summer buy. Rashford and Fernandes were deployed as the two No 10s off Zirkzee, which made a lot of sense as they are two players who relish running in behind defences.

On several occasions, the Dutchman dropped deep, pulling a marker away while his team-mates would push on ahead. Add to this, the potent threat of Amad at right wing-back and Zirkzee had increased opportunities to play in those running on ahead of him.

Those team-mates responded in kind by playing the 23-year-old in when he was late arriving into the box. United’s second goal was born from Amad hustling Branthwaite into losing possession, while Everton attempted the build from the back. Fernandes pounced on the ball and ran into the penalty area before pulling it back to a grateful Zirkzee.

The game’s fourth also came from Amad stealing the ball from an opposition centre-back, this time from James Tarkowski, before driving into the area and teeing up Zirkzee again.

The goals brought welcome relief for a player who has had difficulty adjusting to the increased pace and scrutiny of life in the Premier League following his transfer from Bologna of Italy’s Serie A. Zirkzee’s passing — previously his strong point — had gone awry in the early weeks of his debut United season, and he appeared slow to release the ball in the final third.

A good goal can do wonders for a striker however, and Zirkzee spent much of today’s second half rediscovering the flicks and tricks that caught attention when he was at Bologna. He might not yet displace Hojlund in Amorim’s strongest XI, but he has shown he has some goalscoring threat to offer the team.

Carl Anka

This was the Amad show

While it was a brace apiece for Rashford and Zirkzee, the Man of the Match award belonged to Amad. The Ivorian was exemplary from right wing-back, a creative force when in possession and a professional pest when out of it. United’s second and fourth goals were born from Amad hustling and harrying Everton defenders for the ball.

The third goal — scored 20 seconds into the second half — saw Zirkzee release the playmaker down the right, before Amad slipped in Rashford to apply the final touches.

It’s clear that United’s forwards enjoy playing with Amad. After his reintroduction to the starting XI under Ruud van Nistelrooy, Fernandes spent several games try to feed the ball to Amad, curious to see what the 22-year-old could conjure in the final third.

Amorim electing to use Amad as a wing-back rather than a No 10 raised question marks from some, but the forward — despite his size — has managed to remain an attacking threat, able to wriggle through tight spaces with the ball and make the correct pass more times than not.

Amad’s football intelligence can occasionally take team-mates by surprise. Where many United forwards might rush to goal or lose the ball attempting to beat three defenders at once, Amad appreciates the value of slowing things down.

Moments after scoring United’s third, Rashford sprinted at full pace towards Amad, hoping to offer an overlapping run and launch another fast break. But as Rashford approached, Amad put his hand out in a “slow down” gesture, and worked to recycle the ball back into midfield.

A diminutive playmaker who makes the forwards around him better on both sides of the ball, Amad could play a key role for Amorim in the weeks and months to come.

Carl Anka

Pre-match protest sours otherwise perfect day

This was United’s first Premier League outing since the announcement of Old Trafford’s mid-season price hike, with all tickets for the remainder of the campaign costing £66 ($84), and concession pricing eliminated.

Around 300 United supporters gathered at the Trinity Statue an hour before kick-off to protest against the change as part of a campaign run in conjunction with Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton fans, under a banner reading ‘Stop Exploiting Loyalty’.

And interestingly, Sir Jim Ratcliffe was as much a target of their ire as the Glazer family and the subject of several unflattering chants. But then this is INEOS’ call and their first major flashpoint with the fanbase since Ratcliffe’s minority ownership began.

There was more dissent inside the ground during the game and if fan groups are right to fear that this price hike is the thin end of the wedge, then Ratcliffe may look back on it as where INEOS’ honeymoon period ended.

Mark Critchley