David de Gea’s magnificent penalty save sows the seeds for Toffees’ dominance
Most would have thought Everton had squandered their best opportunity to score when Romelu Lukaku saw his spot-kick brilliantly saved by David de Gea. Ironically, that save ignited Everton spirits as they relentlessly attacked United’s goal in the second half.
Their pace on the counter-attack and Lukaku’s aerial strength made it only a matter of time before Everton would eventually. Once that inevitable goal came off an unlikely source in Chris Smalling, they kept pushing and pushing, but will now live to regret that they could not apply the finishing touch to some glaring opportunities.
David de Gea’s safe gloves and Marouane Fellaini’s commitment to cover some turf and get in the way of a Lukaku shot meant that United kept Everton down to just that single goal.