Monday 1 January 2018 20:47, UK
Sam Allardyce was disappointed with the way his Everton side "gifted" Manchester United both goals in the 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park.
Second-half strikes from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard proved to be the difference as United moved back up to second in the Premier League with a first win in five games.
Everton, meanwhile, appeared lacklustre in front of goal and, bar a brief spell in the second half, looked second-best as they fell to a second straight defeat.
Allardyce was left bemoaning the defensive display after United scored their first from a counter-attack, and the second from an Everton throw-in.
"Defensively we have to be very solid. Today in the first half we were not too bad, but in the second half we decided we weren't going to bother closing United down," Allardyce told Sky Sports after the match.
"On the first goal, we were outside United's box and they go all the way - we back off, we back off, we back off, we back off, we back off into our box and onto the penalty spot with Martial on the ball, and he picks his head up and pops it into the top corner.
"You look and say, 'Well lads, if you're going to back off like that, then everyone can have a free shot and score against you'.
"That was really disappointing, we could have prevented it. For the second goal, when it's our throw-in and they score, then we really have a problem. We gifted them two goals.
"But they were the better side. You don't gift Manchester United goals, particularly the second after we came back into the game."
With Everton trailing 1-0, Allardyce looked to shake things up when hauling off Wayne Rooney and introducing James McCarthy.
The substitution drew jeers from the home fans, though McCarthy eventually had the fans off their seats with a number of crunching tackles to disrupt United's rhythm.
"McCarthy came on and showed the rest of the team what we should have been doing - tackling, it's still part of the game you know," Allardyce added.
"Just a couple of tackles, getting us going forward, lifting the crowd, but there were 10 minutes to go when we threw away the game.
"We still have a lot to learn, I still have to press the lads on the fact that they understand they have to make less mistakes in the Premier League."
