Mighty Maguire was the perfect answer to Everton’s aerial onslaught

Manchester United came out on top in a combative clash with Everton.

Michael Carrick’s side got back to winning ways with a 1-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium , Benjamin Sesko again coming off the bench to score a crucial goal.

It was another huge cameo from the summer signing, but at the other end there was a lot of work for United to do as Everton mounted a siege on Senne Lammens ’ goal.

After a drab first half from both teams the hosts settled into a physical approach, pumping ten corners into the box and crowding the six yard box.

Lammens was fantastic but was well protected by a robust backline fearlessly led by a towering Harry Maguire .

The Englishman rose to the challenge of rebuffing Everton’s tactic and made a match-leading ten clearances, more than double the amount managed by any of his team-mates.

In an illustration of the pattern of the game he did not make a single block, interception or tackle.

Unsurprisingly Maguire was involved in a lot of duels, contesting 12 – only Casemiro attempted more.

The centre-back came out on top nine times, winning two of the three ground duels he contested and seven of nine in the air.

The 32-year-old is often a goal threat for the Red Devils but was not given the opportunity tonight.

On the ball, only Matheus Cunha had a lower passing success rate than Maguire, whose game was more utilitarian than creative.

He found his man with 43 of 55 attempted passes for a success rate of 78%, and only managed two accurate long balls from 11.

It may not have been his most virtuosic showing, but his ultimate job is defending the goal and tonight nobody did a better job of it than Maguire.

Stats taken from sofascore .

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