The 96th minute is the whole story
Ainsley Maitland-Niles came off the bench, took one touch outside the box, and rifled it into the top corner with virtually the last kick of the game. Everton 2–2 Manchester United, and a win that had been in United's hands twice in the final eight minutes evaporated (1) (3). That is the column this week. Not a formation shift, not a squad note. A team that cannot close out a game it led twice.
The damage is concrete: three points from three league games, 12th place, and two of the five points won this season simply gone because of the last 15 minutes of football (1) (12). Benjamin Sesko had headed United in front in the 88th minute. Five minutes of added time later, the headlines were Everton's, not United's (7) (35). Carrick called the capitulation what it was in the post-match, but the word fans will remember is "very disappointing" (32).
The defence lost it, not the attack
Point the finger where it belongs. This was not an attack that failed. Bryan Mbeumo opened the scoring right after half-time, his second goal of the season (4) (24). Marcus Rashford spent the first half "causing Everton massive problems", in Simon Stone's words, winning six duels and completing three take-ons (12) (1). Sesko scored from the bench at 88 minutes. The forwards delivered.
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The back line did not. Twice United went ahead, twice Everton found an answer through late goals from distance (3) (12). The first warning sign came before half-time, when Thierno Barry rose unmarked and headed over a chance he should have scored (6). United's porous defending was flagged all through the match report, and the 96th-minute equaliser was the bill arriving (12).
Maguire's situation makes it worse. He took a heavy collision with Barry minutes into the match, left the pitch bloodied, and played on with a suspected broken nose (2) (43). De Ligt is still unavailable. Yoro spent the afternoon warm and ready on the sideline as the emergency plan (2). That is the depth chart at centre-back right now.
What to watch
Sabah FK arrive at Old Trafford on Thursday for the Champions League opener, then it is Manchester City on Sunday (1). Baleba's debut is now set for Fulham on September 20 after his ankle recovery, so he will not be the answer in either of these two (7). United need to stop a rot: no clean sheet in three league games, two leads thrown away at Everton. The City match will ask the same question Everton did, only louder. Can this defence hold a lead when it matters?
