Gordon strikes against Manchester United to boost Everton survival hopes

It will not rank as the finest goal of Anthony Gordon’s career but it could prove the most important. The boyhood Evertonian brought his club a precious victory in their increasingly fraught attempt to avoid relegation as Manchester United’s top-four prospects suffered a serious setback.

Gordon’s deflected first-half strike was the difference between an Everton team that scrapped for their lives and a United side that is disgracefully going through the motions. They enjoyed plenty of possession but a spiritless, dispassionate display underlined the extent of the task the caretaker manager will bequeath to the likely successor Erik ten Hag.

Frank Lampard still faces a considerable job of his own keeping Everton in the top flight but here was the response he craved to accusations his players lack the character and quality to survive. Ben Godfrey was immense in central defence, Fabian Delph and Alex Iwobi tireless in midfield, while Richarlison and Vitalii Mykolenko gave everything to preserve a crucial three points.

Apprehension had stalked Goodison after two damaging, self-destructive defeats at West Ham and Burnley that had pushed Everton closer to the trapdoor and heightened suspicions their players are mentally shot. Lampard responded by recalling Allan and Michael Keane from suspension, dropping Abdoulaye Doucouré and turning to the experience of Delph in central midfield. It was the 32-year-old’s seventh appearance of another injury-plagued season but his 200th in the Premier League overall.

Delph and Allan provided a deep but valuable shield to a defence that caused its own problems given Keane’s tendency to concede possession cheaply.

It was a game of meagre quality, as expected from a team mired in relegation