Despite the 4-0 scoreline, Manchester United’s defeat of Everton wasn’t that much of a thrashing. But it was a perfect example of how to spend both big and wisely in the transfer market.
While the Red Devils jumped out to the lead early on Sunday, thanks to a perfectly struck rocket from Antonio Valencia in the 4th minute, it wasn’t until the final 10 minutes of the match that they really pulled away from their opponents. During those final moments of the game, Jose Mourinho’s men completely overpowered the Toffees; the final three goals — from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial — all feeling inevitable. By that point of the game, an Everton side that had regrouped well following Valencia’s opener was completely spent, unable to muster up the necessary effort to withstand a relentless wave of attacks from their bigger, stronger and faster opposition.
Two of United’s summer arrivals played a vital role in the late battering. Lukaku, who the club purchased for just over $100 million from Everton in July, and Nemanja Matic, who they got from Chelsea for $53 million. The two players made up the bulk of the nearly $200 million the club spent this summer — $42 million defender Victor Lindeloff has yet to earn a regular place in the starting XI — and solved two of its biggest needs, up front and in defensive midfield.
Though they’ve showed their worth throughout the early parts of the season, both contributed greatly to this latest victory. Lukaku gave the Everton defense fits with both his movement and hold up play. Though he should’ve scored twice in the first half, he made up for it by setting up Mkhitaryan’s goal and added one of his own minutes later getting on the end of a flicked on header in the box to put the result out of doubt. Matic, for his part, set up Valenica’s goal with a beautiful crossfield pass and repeatedly disrupted Everton’s attempt to get things going through the middle of the pitch.
While Lukaku and Matic have proven themselves money well spent, the jury is still out on Everton’s spending from this summer. Manager Ronald Koeman used the $100 million the club brought in from Lukaku’s sale to bankroll a $170 million spending spree, unprecedented in the club’s history. Although some definite quality was brought in — including attacking Gylfi Sigurdsson, defender Michael Keane and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford — it’s unclear whether these players will be able to help the team improve on last year’s 7th place finish.
This was best illustrated in Wayne Rooney’s performance. The former United star returned to Everton, his boyhood club, just before the Lukaku deal went through (it seems clear that he was part of the deal, though no one’s explicitly said that out of respect for the player), and while he has contributed early he looked off the mark on Sunday. Much like the rest of the Everton squad, the striker, who holds the all-time scoring records for United and the English national team, lacked the sharpness and speed needed to take advantage of the opportunities to make his former club pay.
The season’s only five games old but so far United is proving that it’s not how much you spend in the transfer window, but how well you spend it. United’s spending appears to have been clinical, specifically targeted to make the club better both now and in the future. Everton’s, on the other hand, seems less focused, having valued broad quality over clear needs. The Toffee’s new additions will eventually improve the team, but United’s have shown they’re ready to take the club to the next level right now.
Goal of the Week
Antonio Valenica, Manchester United 4-0 Everton
The stunning opener from Valencia was the sort of goal a player may try a couple times a season but never actually expect to pull off. Even if Jordan Pickford had gotten a hand on the ball he wouldn’t have been able to stop it.
Card of the Week
David Luiz, Chelsea 0-0 Arsenal
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte can complain all he wants about his club not getting the calls they deserve this year, but it hard to disagree with referee Michael Oliver’s decision to send Luiz off. Already on a yellow, the Brazilian almost seemed to go out of his way to kick Sead Kolasinac in the shin late in Sunday’s game, earning himself a three-match ban.