Manchester United picked up a vital victory in their quest for Champions League football, beating Everton 2-0 at Old Trafford.
This was the Red Devils’ eighth clean sheet of the campaign, the joint-third most in the Premier League.
However, luck was most definitely on their side, alongside the Toffees woeful finishing. The visitors had 23 attempts at goal, which now means that only Sheffield United have faced more shots than Erik ten Hag’s team this season.
Nonetheless, one individual stepped up once again and put in an 8/10 performance, according to The Manchester Evening News.
Jonny Evans’ 23/24 campaign in numbers
In the summer, Jonny Evans returned to Man United on a free transfer from Leicester City after leaving the club back in 2015 to join West Bromwich Albion.
The 36-year-old was never meant to be a frequent starter this season, with the fact that he only started once in pre-season being the biggest indicator of that.
However, with Lisandro Martinez suffering from multiple injuries and the left-back position being vacated by Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, Evans has really stepped up amid the defensive injury crisis, with football creator Liam Canning even stating the following.
Indeed, the Northern Ireland rock was impressive once again this weekend during his 18th Premier League game of the season, the second-most for a United centre-half behind Raphael Varane.
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ByTom LeverMar 5, 2024 Jonny Evans’ performance vs Everton in numbers
Everton had so much joy against United on Saturday, and if it wasn’t for Evans’ excellent proactive defending and experience, it’s fair to say that it would have been another disappointing day at the office.
The number 35 dealt started consecutive games after impressing in the Manchester Derby, and he recovered from a knock in time to make the starting lineup this weekend.
This was Evans’ fourth clean sheet in 2023/24 when featuring from the off, which proves that his inclusion in the team brings success.
Minutes
89
Goals conceded
0
Shots blocked
4
Clearances
4
Interceptions
2
Touches
65
Pass accuracy
88%
Key passes
1
As you can see by the table above, Evans was an absolute rock at the heart of the defence, putting his body on the line to deal with Everton’s crosses from open play and set pieces and their attempts at goal from in and around the box.
United Stand presenter Beth Tucker described the Premier League winner’s performance as a “masterclass,” as the defender was also important in possession, a fact highlighted by his one key pass, 88% pass accuracy, 65 touches, and one successful dribble, according to Sofascore.
Overall, it was another fantastic showing from Evans, with his signing being one of the most valuable moments of the season for Ten Hag. On this showing, the central defender certainly deserves a more permanent role in the starting lineup.
In truth, without the Northern Irish centre-back, their Champions League dream would be all but over.