Alejandro Garnacho scored from an outrageous overhead kick to set up Manchester United’s 3-0 win at Everton in the Premier League on an afternoon of protests inside and outside Goodison Park on Sunday.
The Argentina winger met a cross from the right by Diogo Dalot with a bicycle kick from 15 yards (meters) that flew into the top corner in the third minute. It had echoes of former United striker Wayne Rooney’s spectacular strike in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford in 2011.
“I can’t believe it,” Garnacho said. “One of the best goals I’ve scored and I’m very happy.”
Marcus Rashford converted a 56th-minute penalty after Anthony Martial was tripped, and Martial deftly chipped Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for the third goal in the 75th after being slipped in by Bruno Fernandes.
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The match was played against a backdrop of protests by Everton supporters furious at what they perceived to be an over-the-top sanction — a record 10-point points deduction — for financial mismanagement issued by a disciplinary commission last week.
This was the first game since that punishment. Everton fans marched in their thousands to the stadium, holding up pink cards featuring the word “corrupt” and the logo of the Premier League, and chanting “We shall not be moved.”
The protests continued inside the stadium but were briefly muted by Garnacho’s goal.
“A goal like this has to silence the crowd — even this Everton crowd,” United captain Fernandes said.
It was a fifth win in United’s last six league games, moving Erik ten Hag’s team six points behind leader Arsenal after 13 games.
Everton created enough chances to get something from the game but couldn’t finish past United goalkeeper Andre Onana, whose best saves were against Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Idrissa Gana Gueye.
Everton stayed in next-to-last place and above Burnley only on goal difference. The team is now five points from safety.
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