Clearly, David Moyes had been pursuing the wrong left-back.
While the crocked Leighton Baines watched on from the dug-out, his replacement Bryan Oviedo earned himself a place in Goodison folklore by earning Everton their first win at Old Trafford in more than 21 years.
Oviedo struck four minutes from time to give Roberto Martinez’s men a thoroughly deserved victory and further underline their credentials for Champions League qualification.
But for Moyes, coming up against his old club for the first time since leaving for Manchester United in the summer, this was a chastening experience, his team well beaten and his ever-decreasing standing among the Everton support clear by the chants emanating from the away end.
In just 14 Premier League games, Martinez has made this Everton team his own with a positive approach that reaped its rewards in dramatic style last night.
This, of course, was always going to be an evening dominated by a man up against his former team.
Moyes, though, was overshadowed by Tim Howard, whose heroics in goal allowed Oviedo the platform to produce his moment to remember.
The Costa Rican has had to live in the shadow of Baines since arriving 18 months ago but his second goal inside a week means he doesn’t have to kick a ball again for his legendary status to be assured among Evertonians.
Infamously, United was one of four leading clubs – Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool the others – where Moyes failed to win in the Premier League during more than 11 years in charge at Goodison.
Soccer – Barclays Premier League – Manchester United v Everton – Old Trafford Everton’s Bryan Oviedo (left) scores the winning goal during the Barclays Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Martinez won at Old Trafford at the first time of asking. Next up, the Emirates on Sunday, and having been beaten only once in the Premier League this season, the fixture will offer little fear.
Everton trio Ross Barkley, Romelu Lukaku and Gerard Deulofeu weren’t even born the last time their team won at Old Trafford back in August 1992.
Now they have helped write a new chapter in the club’s history, Martinez winning at Old Trafford at the first time of asking.
Howard wasn’t the only hero in blue last night. From the power and tenacity of Lukaku up front, the endeavour of the excellent James McCarthy and Gareth Barry in midfield and the resolute defending of Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin at the back, this was a true team performance.
Moyes had been expecting a “mixed” reception from the away end after his initially convivial exit from Goodison in the summer soon evaporated with Everton supporters unhappy at United’s prolonged pursuit of Baines and Marouane Fellaini and subsequent comments regarding his former club.
The travelling fans, though, had other ideas. And after Moyes was jeered on his first encroachment into the technical area, he was serenaded by a song that suggested the Evertonians present believed their club’s former manager contained plentiful waste matter. Fellaini, too, was the target of boos.
The visitors, buoyed by their emphatic 4-0 thrashing of Stoke City last weekend, began in impressive fashion.
After Lukaku’s shot was deflected behind, United failed to properly clear a Steven Pienaar corner and a bout of Everton pressure ended with Kevin Mirallas – recalled along with Barkley to the starting line-up – cutting in off the left and smashing in a shot from 20 yards the United goalkeeper David de Gea beat over.
But while Martinez’s faith in his team’s expansive approach made for an entertainingly open game, it ensured it wasn’t long before United were fashioning chances of their own.
The first came on 16 minutes when, with United recycling possession at pace, Wayne Rooney’s shot from eight yards was pushed out by Howard, who saved from Shinji Kagawa shortly afterwards.
Ryan Giggs, 40, then glanced a header wide from Antonio Valencia’s right-wing cross before the visitors had a lucky escape on 29 minutes when Rooney’s shot deflected off Sylvain Distin and struck the base of the post and Howard cleared with his foot before Kagawa could bounce on the rebound.
Lukaku, who troubled Nemanja Vidic throughout with his physical presence, forced a scrambling save from de Gea and, from Seamus Coleman’s subsequent cross, Mirallas saw his shot blocked.
In a manic end to the half, Barkley wasted an excellent chance when, with United outnumbered on the counter-attack, the youngster’s pass to Lukaku was overhit and the danger fizzled out, while at the other end Rooney was gifted a second bite after misreading Kagawa’s cross but his improvised flick was held by Howard.
The second half saw no deviation from the end-to-end pattern of play. Fellaini had an ambitious effort blocked while Chris Smalling hacked clear as Coleman caused havoc inside the area, and Mirallas worked space for a shot but excitedly thrashed his effort well off target.
Rooney allowed his frustration to get the better of him when picking up a deserved yellow card for a petulant late foul on Jagielka, evidence of Everton’s maintaining a significant foothold in the match.
On 70 minutes, just moments after replacing the tiring Barkley, Deulofeu’s pace took him clear down the right on to Lukaku’s fine pass, but his shot was straight at de Gea.
United substitute Adnan Januzaj then drew a decent stop from Howard, before the Everton goalkeeper excelled himself further on 72 minutes with a brilliant save from point-blank range to keep out Patrice Evra’s header that deserved the fortune of seeing Danny Welbeck then nod the rebound against the crossbar.
Everton, though, finished the stronger, United’s unease shown by Fellaini’s poor high challenge on the McCarthy that deserved a booking.
Then came the decisive moment. Mirallas smashed a free-kick against the post from 25 yards and, with the ball still in play, the attack ended with Lukaku smashing across the face of goal where Oviedo arrived to slot home left-footed under de Gea.
History had been made. And for Martinez, the honeymoon continues.
MAN OF THE MATCH. James McCarthy. Covered almost every blade of glass with a selflessly hard-working performance
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): de Gea; Rafael (Nani 58), Smalling, Vidic, Evra; Fellaini, Giggs; Valencia, Kagawa (Januzaj 58), Welbeck (Hernandez 81); Rooney. Subs: Lindegaard, Evans, Young, Cleverley. BOOKINGS: Rooney and Giggs (both fouls).
EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Oviedo; Barry, McCarthy; Mirallas (Naismith 90), Barkley (Deulofeu 69), Pienaar (Osman 80); Lukaku. Subs: Robles, Heitinga, Jelavic, Stones.
REFEREE: Martin Atkinson.
ATT: 73,210.
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