Manchester United’s struggles under Ruben Amorim continued as they fought back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Everton at Goodison Park.
Despite the late comeback, questions were raised about £50m signing Manuel Ugarte’s performance.
Everton came out strong, quickly taking control of the match. Beto opened the scoring with his fifth goal in as many games before Abdoulaye Doucoure doubled the lead with a powerful header, leaving United trailing at halftime.
Starting his first game after returning from injury, Ugarte failed to impress TNT Sports co-commentator and former Scotland striker Ally McCoist.
He criticized United’s midfield, pointing out that neither Ugarte nor Casemiro were coping with Everton’s intensity.
“The first thing you have to say is Everton have been great,” McCoist remarked. “But United need to lift their game. I’m not seeing it with Ugarte right now – those two in midfield aren’t handling the pressure.”
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand echoed McCoist’s frustration, calling United’s first-half display “embarrassing.” He criticized the team’s lack of desire, comparing their energy unfavorably to Everton’s.
“I don’t know if I’ve seen a United team play this badly,” Ferdinand said. “One thing that’s unforgivable is a lack of desire. They need to learn from Everton’s intensity.”
However, United showed resilience in the second half. Bruno Fernandes sparked the comeback with a stunning free-kick in the 70th minute. Ugarte, despite his earlier struggles, then silenced some critics with a well-taken volley to level the match.
Both teams pushed for a winner in the closing stages. Everton thought they had a chance when VAR reviewed a late penalty incident, but no foul was given, and the match ended in a 2-2 draw after a heated contest.
Reflecting on United’s fightback, Ferdinand acknowledged the impact of the substitutions, particularly Alejandro Garnacho’s introduction and Fernandes’ deeper role. Still, he insisted United’s lackluster starts must change.
“Goals change games, but they can’t keep starting like this,” he said. “The positives came at the end, but there’s so much to improve.”
The draw leaves Everton in 12th place and Manchester United 15th, with both sides still searching for consistency as the Premier League season progresses.