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GYLFI SIGURDSSON made it a happy anniversary for Carlo Ancelotti when Everton rose to second place.
The Italian coach, who marked his first game in charge of the Toffees a year ago with a win over Burnley, saw the Icelandic’s cold final 10 minutes from time repeat that success and moved them within two points of neighboring Liverpool in the first Market Stall.
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It was a heartbreak for Chris Wilder’s bottom table Blades after they showed a much-needed fight in this Boxing Day battle.
But it was not enough, as Sigurdsson’s third goal of the season saw the hosts fail to win 15 games.
Richarlison, who suffered a concussion in the Carabao Cup midweek loss to Manchester United, was ruled out for Ancelotti’s side.
The Brazilian striker claimed the winner when the teams met here in July, but his absence saw 19-year-old Anthony Gordon make a first start to the season, although he struggled to make the most of his opportunity.
With Sander Berge ruled out for up to four months with a hamstring injury and John Lundstram beginning a three-game suspension, the Blades brought Ben Osborn to midfield and Oliver Burke stepped up the attack by replacing John Fleck.
David McGoldrick moved up to 10th behind the forwards and almost caught Everton off guard in the 16th minute with the first chance.
Bursting into a Rhian Brewster pass, he circled Jordan Pickford, but landed a weak shot that Ben Godfrey was able to casually clear off the line. The offside flag could also have come to Everton’s rescue had it gone in.
It was optimistic on the part of the Blades and a thunderous challenge from John Egan on the right to stop Dominic Calvert-Lewin in his tracks showed the aggressive approach that irritated Ole Gunnar-Solskjaer when Manchester United faced them ten days ago.
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Alex Iwobi then put Aaron Ramsdale to the test with his team’s first attempt, a 20-yard drive that held up well.
After a messy and scruffy start affected by wind and rain, the match heated up with Calvert-Lewin so close with a spectacular 29th minute goal against his former club.
Picking up a long ball from Michael Keane to his chest just outside the box, the next hit was a poisonous volley that whistled past Ramsdale’s right post.
It would have been a goal for Calvert-Lewin on the field where he once dreamed of scoring for his hometown club, something he never achieved for four seasons with United after going through the lower ranks.
Elevated by that moment of magic, the visitors conjured another opening when Ramsdale under fire made a mistake throwing a Sigurdsson free kick in the way of Godfrey, but reacted well to block the shot.
Sigurdsson’s 25-yard effort didn’t bend enough to upset the home keeper and neither did Burke’s move after he struggled to pass Abdoulaye Doucoure in the box.
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That was Burke’s last contribution as the great Oli McBurnie came into halftime and the VAR dismissed a penalty claim after a slight push from Keane.
Wilder’s men have racked up some unwanted records during their sorry streak of results.
And a fifth straight league loss at home equaled a top-tier club record set in 1908, and gave Everton consecutive league wins at United for the first time in 123 years.
Wilder sent another Oliver, Norwood, to replace McGoldrick as he looked to do anything for the win.
But, with the first shot on goal in the second half, Sigurdsson ducked low into the corner after being attacked by Doucoure.
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