September 9: Manchester United Held 2-2 by Everton After Late Equalizer; Cunha Denied Penalty Appeal, Carrick's Rashford Substitution Sparks Debate

A heartbreaking draw saw Manchester United share a 2-2 result with Everton at Old Trafford. As the referee's stoppage-time whistle approached, everyone thought victory was within reach, but the game was extended into the 96th minute and the three points that seemed destined for United disappeared at the final moment.

The moment was frozen at the end of the match, with only a short time remaining after the referee indicated stoppage time was nearly over. After Everton won possession, they launched a rapid counterattack that took only 12 seconds. The ball eventually reached Niles, who had come on as a substitute in the 84th minute. The former Arsenal academy player, who joined Everton from Lyon for £4 million in the summer of 2018, scored in the Premier League again after 2,808 days. He controlled the ball calmly, adjusted himself and curled a superb right-footed shot into the top-left corner, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Rams. The 2-2 scoreline meant United's three points became only one.

This spectacular strike was not the only long-range goal of the match. Earlier, in the 83rd minute, Everton youngster George scored with a difficult angled shot to beat Rams. Both dramatic equalizers came from impressive strikes by the opponent. United took the lead twice but were twice pegged back.

More frustratingly, this was the third consecutive match in which Manchester United conceded two goals in the opening three Premier League games of the new season. They lost 0-2 to Hull City in the first round, won 5-2 against Ipswich Town in the second, and drew 2-2 with Everton in this match. They have conceded six goals in total and collected only four points, currently sitting 11th in the Premier League table. It was only the second time in 50 years of United history that they had such a poor start.

A match that was expected to end in a home victory for United finished as a draw, raising the question: was the lost victory caused by controversial refereeing standards, or did United themselves throw away a win that was within reach?

First came the stoppage-time controversy at the end of the match. When the fourth official raised the board in the 90th minute to indicate five minutes of added time, the match continued until the 96th minute before Everton's equalizer was recorded. The official goal time was listed as 90+6. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) explained that the five minutes shown on the board represented a minimum amount of added time, and referees can extend it for actual delays caused by substitutions, injuries, goal celebrations and VAR interventions, but cannot arbitrarily reduce it.

In the 91st minute, United made a substitution, replacing Luke Shaw with Mazraoui. Along with Pickford's quick throw launching Everton's attack and the referee's usual practice of allowing the move to finish, Brooks' goal appeared to stand under the rules. However, even if the rules provide an explanation, public frustration remained. If the displayed stoppage time is only a minimum, what practical meaning does it have?

The second widely debated decision came in the 61st minute. Rashford broke down the left and cleverly used his heel to pass the ball to Cunha beside him. As Cunha prepared to shoot, Everton's Tarkowski made a strong tackle from behind and cleared the ball. United players immediately appealed for a penalty, but the referee did not award one. After a lengthy VAR review, the original decision was upheld.

According to football rules, a tackle from behind is not automatically a foul; the key factor is the referee's assessment of the player's action. Whether the player touched the ball first, whether the studs were raised and whether the challenge was dangerous are all important considerations. Tarkowski's tackle went between Cunha's legs, appeared to make contact with the ball first and kept the foot close to the ground, so it was considered a legal defensive action. Former referee Lee Hendrie also praised it as a "perfect tackle."

However, the Manchester Evening News questioned the decision, noting that although Tarkowski did touch the ball, he brought Cunha down from behind at the crucial moment when the forward was about to shoot. It created a dilemma: should the decision follow the strict wording of the rules, or should it consider instinct and the flow of the match?

The third debatable decision involved United manager Carrick himself. In the 70th minute, he replaced Rashford with Doku. Notably, it was Rashford's 300th Premier League appearance. Before that, he had produced several dangerous runs on the left, and his combination with Luke Shaw had put Everton's defense under significant pressure.

Carrick explained that the substitution was made because Rashford was feeling discomfort. Cameras showed Rashford going to the sideline to ask team staff for energy supplements before being replaced. After the match, Carrick admitted Rashford was indeed feeling uncomfortable but did not provide further details, such as whether it was related to his hamstring.

However, the situation on the pitch became ironic. After Rashford left, United's attacking threat from the wings clearly declined, and they lost a player capable of beating defenders one-on-one through individual ability. This gave Everton a major boost in confidence, and their attacks became increasingly dangerous. The Manchester Evening News described it as Carrick's "wrong move" in the match.

After the match, Carrick did not mention the refereeing decisions or the stoppage-time issue at his press conference. He pointed to the team itself, saying: "It was our own decisions, not the referee's problem." He also added: "It feels like a defeat."

If Rashford, the player willing to challenge Everton's full-back one-on-one on the left, had still been on the pitch during those final seconds, would the score have remained 2-1 and given United a valuable victory? Perhaps only time will provide the answer.