Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer suffered a bitter end to his 100th Premier League game when he said his team was kicked in the teeth in a 3-3 draw with Everton on Saturday.
United’s away league form has been outstanding this season, but improper simple mistakes by title contenders have led to four defeats at Old Trafford, the most recent a 2-1 setback to past team Sheffield United.
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United took a 2-0 lead against the Toffees, but the amateur defense allowed the visitors to eliminate the deficit and then snatch a tie with the last kick of the game from Dominic Calvert-Lewin after being left behind again.
The result took a toll on second-placed United’s hopes of winning their first league title since 2013 as they left them two points behind leaders Manchester City, who have two games in hand.
Solskjaer reacted with a touch of defiance and praised his team’s prolific scorer, but could not ignore the disappointment of having to settle for a draw that tasted like defeat.
“We deserved to win the game but that’s football for you, you have to take your chances and you can’t concede with every shot,” Solskjaer said.
“In the first half, I didn’t feel like we played particularly well, but we scored two fantastic goals. You go into halftime 2-0 with the feeling that we haven’t hit where we could.
“After 2-2, we played very well, then the last shot of the ball kicks our teeth and we go home disappointed.
“We have to focus on improving as a team. We are scoring more goals, creating opportunities and you felt like you dominated the game and you should have won it.”
United’s woes were compounded by a thigh injury to fit midfielder Paul Pogba, who limped off in the first half after looking like he was throwing something while making a single pass.
“It looks like a muscle injury so we have to check it out tomorrow, do a scan and treat it,” Solskjaer told MUTV. “Hopefully he recovers quickly.”
Everton coach Carlo Ancelotti was delighted with his team’s effort and stressed that they were struggling above their weight to stay in contention for a top four result.
“It was like a victory, but it’s only one point,” he said after the result put his team ahead of Chelsea in sixth place with 37 points, three points behind fourth-ranked Liverpool, one game behind.
“We compete against one of the best in the Premier League. We are not at the same level but we can fight and compete with our qualities. I am proud of my team.
“We deserved it, although we were shy in the first half. We played with more courage in the second half. We attacked and advanced. In the end, we deserved to have a point.”
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