RUBEN AMORIM got his own slap in the face from Everton on his Manchester United anniversary.
This game threatened to be remembered solely for the bizarre 13th-minute dismissal of Idrissa Gueye for slapping team-mate Michael Keane.
Instead, Everton etched their name into the record books as the first team to beat United in the Premier League at Old Trafford with ten men a year on from Amorim’s first match in charge.
David Moyes struggled to win in the home dugout at Old Trafford during his ten months in charge and this was his first win in the away dugout at the 18th attempt in the Premier League.
Moyes has overseen backs-to-the-wall game plans hundreds of times and he did a number on his former club.
For Amorim, his first league victory was against Everton almost a year ago and this was one of his worst defeats.
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Beyond the embarrassment of losing to a team that played more than 80 minutes a man light, this was a regressive performance from United reminiscent of some of their hapless displays under the Portuguese last season.
Amorim picked seven defensive players at home against a team in the bottom half of the table when victory would have elevated United to fifth.
It is those bad habits that fuel the scepticism of a manager who has taken backward steps in recent weeks. There were boos at half-time and full-time.
Moyes‘ milestone was sullied by Gueye’s rash reaction.
Gueye, incandescent at sloppy defending that allowed Bruno Fernandes to have a swipe at goal, squared up to Keane, who shoved him away. Gueye then took his own swipe at the centre-back.
Keane, who had shown relative restraint, furiously pressed his finger against his temple and vented at Gueye.
Referee Tony Harrington immediately plucked the red card from his pocket. That only fuelled Gueye’s anger.
Jordan Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye attempted to restrain him and usher the Senegalese towards the tunnel. Not a single Everton player protested the decision.
It was not a civil war to rival the violence of Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer at St James’ Park in 2005 or Steve McManaman and Bruce Gribbelaar in the Merseyside derby in 1993.
Bowyer and Dyer saw red, as did Ricardo Fuller for lashing out at Andy Griffin at West Ham in 2008.
Gueye’s retaliation constituted violent conduct and he will be suspended for three games.
Seamus Coleman had already skulked down the tunnel, kicking a water bottle en route. He soon had angrier company in Gueye.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ensured the contest would not be a foregone conclusion with his elegant 29th-minute strike that roused the travelling Liverpudlians in the away section.
While Everton lack a competent starting striker, they have a gifted attacking trio with Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye and Jack Grealish, the Manchester City loanee’s every touch booed.
United were so rattled they gave the illusion it was 11 vs 11. De Ligt misjudged a header, leading to an Everton throw-in, and Luke Shaw rounded on him.
There were also more murmurs of discontent from United fans at the toothlessness of Joshua Zirkzee.
This was Zirkzee’s first start in 225 days and you can see why. His last Premier League goal was against Everton on December 1.
James Tarkowski, doubtless wounded by Zirkzee’s two-goal performance against him at Old Trafford a year ago, tried to soften up the Dutchman in the eighth minute with an off-the-ball foul.
Zirkzee squared up to Tarkowski but was felled by him again later in the half and milked the contact. Tarkowski had cowed him.
Zirkzee’s recall was only enforced by Matheus Cunha’s “training accident” that prevented him from switching on the Altrincham Christmas lights. It could be lights out for Zirkzee’s United career after this season.
Mason Mount or Kobbie Mainoo, both brought on in the second half, would have been more suitable selections than Zirkzee.
United have shown they are a sharper side without an out-and-out striker at the tip of the arrow.
It was not until the 79th minute that Zirkzee became a goal threat and his flicked header was clawed behind brilliantly by Pickford. The England No1 denied Zirkzee again nine minutes later.
United had been toothless with ten men until Dewsbury-Hall arched the ball into the net.
Suddenly, Amad tested Pickford and Patrick Dorgu, a scorer at Hampden Park last week, endangered the Stretford Enders with a wayward side-footer.
The Stretford End was also on Dorgu’s case for his reluctance to attack Jake O’Brien down the left.
For the second game running, Amorim picked Noussair Mazraoui on the opposite flank. Two full-backs as wingers. Too defensive.
United paid tribute to George Best before kick-off on the eve of the 20th anniversary of his death. Amorim is yet to fully embrace the winger identity United are famed for.
The Stretford End angrily chanted, “attack, attack, attack” late on. Their mood worsened when only four minutes were added on.
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Amorim redressed the balance by hooking Mazraoui for Mount at half-time, shifting Amad to the right wing. Dorgu did not see out the hour.
Fernandes, guilty of trying too hard, lazily lofted Mount’s pull-back over the crossbar on 71 minutes. Even he was not spared grief from the exasperated United matchgoers.
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