Everton unfortunate not to win final USA friendly against United

Everton concluded their involvement in the Premier League Summer Series with a creditable 2–2 draw with eventual winners Manchester United in Atlanta.

Played inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium which offered comfortable and dry conditions with the roof closed, the Blues looked more energetic and competitive than in the defeats to Bournemouth and West Ham in New Jersey and Chicago.

For 60 minutes they more than matched the Red Devils and despite finishing the contest with a weakened team following a series of second-half personnel changes they will feel as though they probably should have won.

After Beto had had an early goal chalked off for offside, James Garner forced a parrying save from Altay Bayındır with a direct free-kick that the keeper could only push into the path of Jake O’Brien but the Irishman could only fire a shot off the far post when he really should have scored.

Instead it was Ruben Amorim’s team who took the lead when they were awarded the softest of penalties for what the officials deemed to be a pull by James Tarkowski on Amad Diallo.

Bruno Fernandes sent Jordan Pickford the wrong way with the spot-kick but Everton levelled before the break when Vitalii Mykolenko won a tackle outside United’s penalty area and Idrissa Gueye curled a beautiful ball behind the defence for Iliman Ndiaye to steal in and find the far corner with a crisp first-time finish.

The Manchester club restored their lead shortly after Moyes made his first substitutions, Mason Mount whipping a shot around Pickford to make it 2–1 but the Toffees avoided a hat-trick of defeats in the USA thanks to a comical own goal.

Tyler Onyango played on as Ndiaye squared up to Fernandes off the ball after the Portuguese had taken a cynical and unnecessary swipe at his ankles from behind and when Dwight McNeil tried to control the youngster’s cut-back, two United defenders got in each other’s way and the ball dribbled into the net off Ayden Heaven.

Tarkowski completed 60 minutes as he nears match fitness following his hamstring injury, James Garner shone in a deeper midfield role and new signing Adam Aznou made a positive impression when he came on for the first time as a left wing-back.

Everton now return to the UK to prepare for Saturday’s sold-out curtain-raiser against AS Roma at Hill Dickinson Stadium before they kick off their Premier League campaign at Leeds on Monday 18 August.