Source: Daily_Mail
Man United v Everton classics: Four famous matches from the past
Well, things are already moving on a pace.[LNB]It only seems like yesterday that I was cursing the (far too) early start to the season, as the beautiful game rudely encroached on the summer's dramatic Ashes series and Berlin's blessed World Athletics Championships.[LNB]Now here we are three months later, with Christmas decorations already up in the shops and the season beginning to take shape.[LNB] Old rivals: United midfielder Darren Fletcher and Everton's Marouane Fellaini battle for the ball during last season's 1-1 draw at Goodison Park[LNB]Manchester United play Everton on Saturday evening at Old Trafford, in a match between two of the 'Big Five' as some of us still refer to mentally at times. (Apologies folks, but I still struggle to think of Chelsea as a bigger club than Everton or Tottenham Hotspur).[LNB]United lost at Chelsea a fortnight back, and are now five points behind the Londoners in the Premier League. Winning four titles in succession was always going to be a ridiculously tall order, but experience and hunger may yet keep United in the race into the New Year and beyond.[LNB]Everton badly needed their win at West Ham two weeks ago, after a disappointing set of results. To be fair manager David Moyes has had to endure some dreadful luck on the injury front, and only now is he starting to welcome back some of his regular first teamers from the treatment table.[LNB]But before we settle back and watch the action from Old Trafford, let's take a step back and wander once more down that street of streets. The place we couldn't prevent ourselves from travelling to if we tried. The lane of memories. [LNB]I have recalled four matches between Manchester United and Everton here, but you may have other favourites and I'd love to hear your own memories.[LNB]WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MATCH BETWEEN MANCHESTER UNITED AND EVERTON? HAVE YOUR SAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE 1984: BRILLIANT EVERTON PUT UNITED TO THE SWORD WITH THUMPING WIN AT GOODISON PARKEverton simply had a marvellous team in 1984-85. In my books, they remain one of the finest sides of the past three decades in English football. Probably only Liverpool's 1988 vintage and Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United creations of 1999 and 2008 rank higher.[LNB]It was this side that means Everton will always be a big club in my eyes, one of the English game's biggest.[LNB]Everton had quality all over the park, but their midfield shone thebrightest. Paul Bracewell, Trevor Steven, Kevin Sheedy and Peter Reidprovided a superb combination and made life unpleasant for allEverton's opponents in that campaign of great achievement.[LNB] Simply marvellous: Everton boss Howard Kendall and striker Graeme Sharp were key figures in the club's brilliant title success in 1984-85[LNB]Thegoal that always sticks in my mind is a diving header from Andy Gray ina 4-2 win over Sunderland, but for a game and complete performance the home match against United was quite something.[LNB]I well remember this autumn afternoon, when United under Ron Atkinson were simply nomatch for the rampant Merseysiders. The Goodison Park faithful hadnever had it so good.[LNB]Everton tore into United from the start, completely outclassing the visitors with a quite stunning show. They deserved their three goal lead by half-time, with Kevin Sheedy scoring twice.[LNB]He injured himself in the process of scoring the first with a superb header and after receiving treatment came back on to fire home a second.[LNB]HAVE A LOOK AT THE GOALS FROM EVERTON'S SUPERB WIN ....[LNB][LNB] Adrian Heath turned in a third goal before the break, and the hosts put the gloss on a splendid win with a powerful drive from Gary Stevens and a header from Graeme Sharp.[LNB]For good measure, Everton went to Old Trafford three days later and won 2-1 in a League Cup tie.[LNB]The Merseysiders claimed a richly deserved league title that season, and after an unforgettable semi-final victory over Bayern Munich they beat Rapid Vienna in Rotterdam to win the European Cup Winners Cup.[LNB] 1985: PIECE OF MAGIC FROM NORMAN WHITESIDE WINS FA CUP FOR BIG RON'S UNITED AT WEMBLEYEverton were chasing a golden treble on this May day, but United always had something about them in cup football.[LNB]Atkinson's United had already beaten Liverpool in a memorable semi-final but were underdogs at Wembley.[LNB] Enlarge Victorious: Manchester United players celebrate their FA Cup final victory over Everton in 1985[LNB]Now I'll always be one of life's sentimentalists, unashamedly so, but Ido remember this as being at the high point of Cup final romance.[LNB]Enlarge Hero: Norman Whiteside shows off the old pot to United supporters[LNB]Television coverage starting before 11am (and the preceeding 'SaturdaySuperstore' slot also being Cup final dominated), with coverage of bothteams at their hotels.[LNB]The days when 'Abide With Me' was properly sung by everybody and the old pot really meant something to everybody.[LNB]Referee PeterWillis really did make a name for himself on this afternoon, after he sent offKevin Moran. The United defender became the first player to be sent offin an FA Cup final, and I can still hear television pundit JimmyGreaves lambast the official.[LNB]In truth however it was a very late and pretty crude challenge on Peter Reid by Moran.[LNB]Everton were undoubtedly tired after their midweek European Cup Winners Cup triumph, and this was a clear factor as the match wore on. Even though they were down to ten men United fancied their chances as the game entered extra-time.[LNB]The winning goal is one of those moments that one saw so often afterwards and in the years that followed, that it became easy to forget how exciting a Cup final moment it was on the day.[LNB]It was a moment of pure magic from Norman Whiteside, as he curled the ball majestically beyond Neville Southall to send Big Ron and the United supporters into raptures.[LNB]WATCH NORMAN WHITESIDE'S MEMORABLE WEMBLEY WINNER ....[LNB][LNB] 1995: DOUBLE PAIN FOR FERGIE AND UNITED AS JOE ROYLE'S EVERTON WIN FA CUP FINALUnited hadn't lost an FA Cup final since their dramatic defeat against Arsenal in 1979 and bookmakers didn't fancy them to come unstuck on this occasion.[LNB]They probably didn't take into account how much the whole club was hurting after failing to break down West Ham's defence the Sunday before and conceding the title to Blackburn Rovers.[LNB]Alex Ferguson and his men were still suffering the hangover of all hangovers.[LNB] Enlarge Bruising battle: Joe Parkinson and Paul Ince clash at Wembley[LNB]That being said, you had to give credit where it was due. Evertonsensed their opportunity and grabbed it with both hands.[LNB]TheMerseysiders under their manager Joe Royle were inspired on the day,and went in front when Paul Rideout headed first against the crossbarand then into the net.[LNB] Pure delight: Everton players celebrate with the FA Cup in 1995[LNB]United toiled and battled in the second half to try and force anequaliser but apart from a Mark Hughes effort that was well saved byNeville Southall they never really looked like scoring.[LNB]Cup of joy: Paul Rideout celebrates[LNB]I can still remember the sheer ecstasy of a couple of Evertonsupporters that were watching the game in the same York hostelry as me,and fans of the club across the world would celebrate a famousvictory long into the night.[LNB]The Merseysiders had endured some frustrating years, and narrowly escaped relegation from the Premier League a year earlier, but they had claimed a first pot since their title win in 1987.[LNB]One salutory point though: it remains Everton's last trophy, which is a poor return indeed for a club of such stature.[LNB]Fergusonwould go away and lick his wounds after the Wembley defeat. He sold afew of his major stars in the summer, provoked Alan Hansen to claim'you can't win anything with kids' and then had the last laugh with amagnificent double.[LNB] 2007: UNITED STORM BACK FROM BEHIND AT GOODISON PARK TO EDGE CLOSER TO LEAGUE TITLEYou could identify a host of matches as symbolising the reign of Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, and here was another classic example.[LNB]Sheer will to win? Tick. Never-say-die attitude. Tick. Pure unrelenting drama. Tick.[LNB]United hadn't won the title for four years, but were favourites to deny Chelsea a third successive crown as the season entered its final stretch.[LNB]When they fell behind in this Saturday lunchtime clash at Goodison Park, and Chelsea took the lead against Bolton, the football world wondered whether the title race would take a decisive swing back in the favour of Jose Mourinho's side.[LNB] Jumping for joy: Wayne Rooney celebrates at Goodison Park after scoring United's third goal[LNB]Alan Stubbs gave the hosts the perfect start at Goodison Park when his early free-kick deflected in, and Manuel Fernandes smashed home a second goal just after the break.[LNB]The match then turned on a mistake from Everton's rookie goalkeeper Iain Turner (only playing only because United held the hosts to the strict terms of Tim Howard's original loan deal). He dropped the ball under no pressure and John O'Shea scored.[LNB]Cristiano Ronaldo was sent on off the bench as United sensed that a comeback was on, and almost instantly his header from a Michael Carrick corner forced Phil Neville into scoring an own goal. United were well and truly back in business. [LNB]Wayne Rooney then skipped his way into the Everton penalty 11 minutes from time to cooly score a third for United and Ferguson was doing his trademark crazy dances on the touchline.[LNB] One step closer: Sir Alex Ferguson couldn't hide his delight after United's dramatic win at Goodison Park[LNB]I was watching the drama unfold in a Barbados bar before cricket's World Cup final, and looked around to see punters everywhere in thrall to the action.[LNB]Some of us have long argued that the Premier League is vastly over-hyped, but you couldn't argue that we were witnessing some marvellous theatre, the sort that keeps the money rolling from all corners of the world whenever new television contracts are up for grabs.[LNB]When Chris Eagles added a fourth goal victory United supporters could really begin to celebrate, and their day became even happier when news filtered through that Chelsea had only drawn with Bolton. United were on their way to a 16th league title.[LNB] Delay means Ferguson will still be in the dugout when Man United face EvertonArteta rules out Atletico move as star admits: I want to end career at EvertonEVERTON FC
