Internet Desk: A late strike from Leighton Baines denied Manchester United a win over Everton in a Premier League match on Sunday. Baines scored from a penalty in the 89th minute to frustrate Jose Mourinho and his team as the match ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
Former Everton star Marouane Fellaini was the villain for his side as he tripped Idrissa Gueye unnecessarily inside the box, which prompted the referee to signal a spot kick.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic showed his class yet again as he gave United the lead three minutes before the break. The Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg also had a hand in it as he rushed out of his area, for no obvious reason, to try and beat Ibrahimovic to a hopeful through ball by Anthony Martial.
The Swede seeing Stekelenburg rushing towards him, cleverly lobbed the ball over the keeper and towards the open goal, the ball bouncing against the crossbar and the right-hand post before referee Michael Oliver judged it had crossed the line with the aid of goal-line technology.
The draw meant United are now 13 points behind leaders Chelsea as their poor run extended to one win in their last eight league games.
The encounter was full of fire but there were scant few chances in the first half, despite both teams showing an attacking intent.
United looked dangerous once again, although the final ball was lacking on a number of occasions. The best they could must in the opening stages was a long-range effort from Paul Pogba that he curled well wide of the left post on eight minutes.
Ramiro Funes Mori then blazed an ambitious shot from a long way out over the crossbar two minutes later before the best chance fell to Tom Cleverley on 17 minutes as he mis-hit a volley that David De Gea easily claimed.
Ronald Koeman’s men started the second half on the front foot, with a neat passing move leading to Kevin Mirallas breaking into the area on the right and firing a venomous shot that De Gea parried over on 53 minutes.
Martial then went close at the other end two minutes later as he collected the ball on the left and looked to pick out the far right corner, but a touch from Seamus Coleman saw it miss the target by inches.
Ander Herrera was a whisker away from doubling the Red Devils’ lead on the hour mark when he got on the end of Michael Carrick’s cross and cracked a half-volley against the crossbar from even yards out.
The visitors then survived a sustained spell of pressure, which culminated in Idrissa Gueye getting off a swerving shot from outside the area in the 75th minute that caused De Gea some problems as the keeper just about parried it away from danger.
De Gea was fortunate that Enner Valencia headed straight at him from close range following Mason Holgate’s cross on 81 minutes, but the Merseysiders finally found a reply at the death.
Marouane Fellaini made contact with Gueye inside the area and the referee pointed to the spot. Baines made no mistake from 12 yards out to earn Everton a share of the spoils following an improved performance in the second half.