Manchester United looked destined to leave Everton with a huge away victory. Benjamin Šeško’s late header had seemingly delivered the perfect response after Everton equalised, putting United 2-1 ahead deep into the game.
Then came the heartbreak. 💔
Ainsley Maitland-Niles produced a stunning long-range strike in stoppage time to snatch a 2-2 draw for Everton, leaving United with just one point instead of three.
And naturally, the spotlight has turned towards Michael Carrick’s substitutions. 👀
Carrick made a series of changes as United attempted to protect their advantage. Marcus Rashford and Matheus Cunha were withdrawn, while Patrick Dorgu and Šeško entered. Kobbie Mainoo and Diogo Dalot were later replaced by Andrey Santos and Leny Yoro, before Noussair Mazraoui came on for Luke Shaw.
But which decision changed the game?
🔥 RASHFORD OFF… BIG PROBLEM?
Rashford was arguably one of United’s most dangerous attacking players, constantly offering an outlet and causing problems down the left.
His removal raised eyebrows, especially because United were leading at the time.
However, Carrick later explained that Rashford was feeling something physically and that the decision was precautionary. The United boss also praised Rashford’s sharpness and threat during the match.
So perhaps that particular substitution was less about tactics and more about protecting the player. 🤔
🔥 MAINOO OFF… AND UNITED LOST CONTROL?
This is where the debate gets REALLY interesting.
Mainoo had delivered an influential performance in midfield and assisted Mbeumo’s opening goal. His ability to retain possession and provide composure could have been crucial during the final stages.
Yet with Everton desperately pushing forward, Carrick replaced him with Andrey Santos.
Just minutes later, Everton found another opening and eventually forced United into a frantic defensive battle.
Was removing Mainoo the moment United surrendered control of the midfield? 👀
🧱 THE LATE DEFENSIVE CHANGES
United also changed their defensive setup, with Yoro replacing Dalot and Mazraoui coming on for Shaw.
Šeško’s goal came from Shaw’s cross, showing just how important the left-back had been in United’s attacking play.
But after Shaw departed, United struggled to keep Everton at bay. And when Mazraoui’s clearance fell kindly for Maitland-Niles, the Everton substitute unleashed an outrageous effort into the top corner. 🚨💥
To be fair to Carrick, United’s failure to close the game out cannot simply be blamed on substitutions. Everton had 18 shots and continued throwing bodies forward, while Carrick himself admitted that United made some decisions late in the match that made it harder to see the game out.
But football is brutal.
United were one kick away from three points and instead walked away with one. 😭
Now the big question for the fans:
👇 Was taking off Kobbie Mainoo the substitution that cost Michael Carrick two points?
Or was it Rashford’s withdrawal, the late defensive reshuffle, or simply United’s failure to defend that final Everton attack?
🔴 United fans, who do YOU blame? 👀🔥
