Manchester United 3-0 Everton match report: The Sunday Mirror verdict

Manchester United maintained their pursuit of Chelsea with the kind of cruise they have enjoyed all too infrequently this season.

Driven by the splendid Darren Fletcher, they eventually over-ran an Everton team struggling to compete without some of their most influential players.

Appropriately, it was Fletcher who put United in front with a goal any of the club’s greats would have cherished.

Michael Carrick and Antonio Valencia completed the dismantling of the hapless Merseysiders, allowing United manager Alex Ferguson the luxury of giving Wayne Rooney and Carrick an early cut.

Fletcher, the Scotland midfielder for so long a

bit- part player at the Theatre of Dreams, has matured into a player of enormous significance,  energy and commitment now matched by guile and a scoring touch that mark him out as an outstanding player.

Everton can only envy United’s resources. They tried hard to contain the champions and succeeded for 34 minutes, but once Fletcher had broken their resistance there was no way back.

The pressure on United to deliver was intense. Chelsea’s 4-0 crushing of Wolves left the champions eight points adrift of the Premier League leaders and scarcely in a position to stumble again.

Michael Owen came in for Dimitar Berbatov as partner to Rooney against the team he supported as a boy, not least because his father played for them.

It was a rare league start and opportunity to strengthen his case not only at Old Trafford but also in the mind of England manager Fabio Capello.

Injuries and team shuffles have undermined United’s season, but their problems pale into insignificance with those endured by Everton manager David Moyes.

Ferguson paid Moyes a glowing tribute in the programme notes and his fellow Scot has required all his guile to steer his club through the past weeks.

The irony was that he did have in his starting side France striker Louis Saha, who was allowed to leave United because of his suspect fitness.

Saha’s pace, two-footed shooting ability and heading prowess have given Everton a much-needed source of menace and his pay-for-play deal is proving a sound piece of business by Moyes.

Ferguson, ahead of his two-match domestic banishment to the directors’ box, will have found the opening phase of the match comfortable viewing.

United were immediately into their stride, Owen and Rooney epitomising the team’s desire to assert themselves.

Leighton Baines’ crucial and perfectly-judged tackle in the area denied Valencia while Rooney scuffed a shot with the goal beckoning and Ryan Giggs forced Tim Howard into a lungeing save as United pressed for the breakthrough.

At the other end Nemanja Vidic had to make a vital intervention when Saha reminded United of his prowess.

Just when Everton sensed they might have weathered the mini storm, they went behind.

Patrice Evra, one of France’s better players in the controversial World Cup play-off against the Republic of Ireland, showed that form again to sprint down the left.

His cross was headed back by Valencia to Fletcher, who still had plenty to do with the bouncing ball but produced a hooked volley from 20 yards that beat the helpless Howard high to his right.

Moyes demonstrated his positive intent by sending on another striker, Yakubu, at the start of the second half.

But it was the elusive Saha who again found himself in a threatening position and turned away in frustration after snatching at the chance.

Owen picked up the ball in the Everton area and rounded Howard only to find the angle too tight and chipped his effort over the bar.

Edwin van der Sar saved at the feet of Tim Cahill before United were back on the  offensive and scored again in the 67th minute.

Giggs played an intelligent pass to Carrick, just inside the area, and the England midfielder swept his shot into the bottom corner.

Valencia claimed a third from substitute Paul Scholes’ lay-off, despite Baines’s best efforts to block.