Rashford, Zirkzee bag doubles as Amorim enjoys first league win at Man Utd

Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee bagged a brace apiece as Manchester United beat Everton 4-0 in Ruben Amorim’s first Premier League home match.

Rashford opened the scoring after half an hour as he was found just inside the box from Bruno Fernandes’ corner and half-volleyed home.

Fernandes was once again the provider seven minutes later as Amad Diallo’s pressure on Jarrad Branthwaite saw the ball break to the Portuguese midfielder, who squared it past Jordan Pickford for Zirkzee to double the hosts’ lead.

Rashford’s third goal in two league games came just 20 seconds into the second-half as he dispatched a close-range strike past Pickford after being slipped into the area by Diallo.

Diallo was also at the heart of United’s fourth as he pinched it off the Everton defence once again, this time dispossessing James Tarkowski, before driving into the area and teeing up Zirkzee to stroke home for his second.

After a disappointing draw away at Ipswich Town to kick off his tenure, Amorim’s first Premier League victory sees his side climb to ninth in the table.

As for Everton, they remain in 15th, just two points clear of the relegation zone having failed to score for a fourth successive match.

The visitors created very little, with their best chance of the afternoon coming in the first half as Beto rounded Andre Onana, but having been forced out wide, his effort on goal went wide of the near post.

Sean Dyche’s side are now without a win in their last five league outings and with a home fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers up next being followed by clashes against Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, things aren’t getting much easier.

Amorim, meanwhile, had the luxury of being able to withdraw key players around the hour mark, with Fernandes and Nouissair Mazraoui among those to be replaced with United’s trip to Arsenal on Wednesday in mind.

United’s 4-0 victory saw them win a Premier League game by four or more goals for the first time since August 2021. They achieved the feat in Amorim’s second league match in charge, having failed to do so at all under Erik ten Hag.

United’s attackers seem to be flourishing under the new management, with Rashford and Zirkzee having now scored more league goals under their new boss than they had under the sacked Dutchman this season.

Amorim’s system seems to be getting the most out of Rashford, in particular, with the Englishman also scoring in the draw against Ipswich Town.

The introduction of a back-three and wing-backs has relieved the 27-year-old of his tracking duties, which was an area of his game he had been criticised over in recent weeks.

With Rasmus Hojlund, who didn’t feature today, also in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, Amorim’s appointment appears to have been an inspired one for Old Trafford’s attack.

The 22-year-old has been an integral part of United’s upturn in form, first under Ruud van Nistelrooy, and now under Amorim.

He has quickly made the right wing-back position his own and was instrumental in three of the home side’s goals this afternoon with a blend of his defensive work-rate and attacking decision-making.

Manchester United: Onana 7; Mazraoui 7, de Ligt 6, Martinez 7; Diallo 9*, Casemiro 6, Mainoo 7, Dalot 7; Fernandes 8, Zirkzee 8, Rashford 8. Subs: Mount N/A, Ugarte 6, Garnacho 7, Maguire 6, Shaw 6.

Everton: Pickford 5; Young 5, Tarkowski 5, Branthwaite 4, Mykolenko 5; Doucoure 6, Gueye 6; Lindstrom 5, McNeil 6, Ndiaye 6; Beto 6. Subs: Calvert-Lewin 6, Harrison 5, Mangala 5, O’Brien 5, Patterson 6.

34′ – GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 EVERTON (RASHFORD): United win the corner down their left. Fernandes plays it just inside the edge of the box to Rashford, whose side-footed half-volley finds the back of the net.

41′ – GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 EVERTON (ZIRKZEE): Diallo pinches it off Branthwaite, who was looking to play out. The ball breaks for Fernandes to run onto in the right of the box and he is the provider once again as he squares it past Pickford to Zirkzee, who on the stretch, slots home for a second for United.

46′ – GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 3-0 EVERTON (RASHFORD): Diallo drives to the edge of the box and slips a ball through for Rashford making the run in behind into the right of the area, and the forward dispatches his effort past Pickford.

64′ – GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 4-0 EVERTON (ZIRKZEE): Diallo closes down Tarkowski and pinches it off him just over halfway before driving into the box and teeing up Zirkzee to his left, who strokes it into the bottom right corner.