The Guardian:
‘Glorious history repeated itself for Everton last night, though Manchester United ensured the overriding memory of this contest will still be of their snarl. A decade after Duncan Ferguson planted a header beyond Peter Schmeichel to register the Merseysiders' last league success over these opponents, the Scot repeated the feat here, with the visitors merely mustering shameful indiscipline in riposte.
‘United traipsed in with nine men at the end, Paul Scholes's second bookable offence for a crude hack at Kevin Kilbane in stoppage-time prompting Phil Dowd's second red card of the evening. There were few complaints from the midfielder, who departed with little more than a bitter mutter at the Irishman, though United's mood had long since been darkened by Gary Neville's dismissal 18 minutes from time.
‘At Old Trafford back in August, with Wayne Rooney soon to switch allegiances, they arguably warranted more than the point they earned from a goalless draw. Last night they fully deserved this success.
‘Duncan Ferguson was a man possessed. Untouchable in the air, where he dominated Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown almost to the point of utter humiliation, he linked play wonderfully as the hosts prospered down either flank, as well as from the menace provided by Mikel Arteta and Tim Cahill in central midfield.
‘United were reduced to diving in search of parity late on, with Ronaldo tumbling disgracefully under David Weir's challenge in the area to warrant a caution for diving, for the second game running, flashed in his face as he knelt on the turf. John O'Shea had a header scrambled from the line by Leon Osman, but United warranted no consolation.’
Independent:
‘Duncan Ferguson rolled back the years last night, securing Everton's first Premiership victory over Manchester United in 21 attempts stretching back to 1995, when he also headed the game's only goal from a set-piece at the Gwladys Street end of Goodison Park.
‘Amid all the antipathy rolling down from the stands, United played the more measured football. Everton, unsurprisingly given that Ferguson was starting for only the third time in his 30 appearances this season, frequently resorted to the high ball. One such delivery, from a 33rd-minute free-kick by Lee Carsley, created the opportunity for Cahill to unleash an overhead kick, Wes Brown clearing off the line.
‘In the 55th minute, however, a combination of sloppiness by United and Everton's set-piece prowess led to the home side taking the lead. Rio Ferdinand played a lazy clearance which put Ronaldo under pressure and led to the winger fouling Kilbane. From the free-kick, swung in from the left by Arteta, Ferguson stole in front of Ferdinand to send a glancing header past Tim Howard from six yards.’
Times:
‘Gary Neville has had cause to wonder whether he truly “hates Scousers” in the months since he was joined in the Manchester United dressing-room by Wayne Rooney. Those old feelings resurfaced to his cost last night, though, when he was sent off after a senseless reaction to provocation from the home crowd in the closing stages of an ignominious 1-0 defeat by Everton in which United finished with nine men.
‘The England defender was shown the red card for kicking the ball at a spectator and, while the offence was petulant rather than malicious, it earned him a three-match suspension and a stern rebuke from Sir Alex Ferguson, as well as the possibility of a club fine and even the threat of a police investigation on an evening when Paul Scholes added to United’s woes by being sent off for a second bookable offence in stoppage time.
‘A three-match suspension is mandatory, but the Football Association could choose to take further action depending on what Phil Dowd, the referee, says in his report. Merseyside Police confirmed that they will investigate the incident if they receive complaints from spectators, which would appear inevitable given the outrage that Neville provoked in the lower tier of the Main Stand.
‘With Scholes compounding matters — Ferguson was involved in an angry exchange with David Moyes, the Everton manager, after United’s second dismissal — it was one of the darkest nights in United’s recent history, with defeat leaving them four points adrift of Arsenal in pursuit of the second automatic Champions League place.’
Telegraph:
‘The two men on the pitch who between them cost Manchester United £57 million might have reflected on the price of loyalty as their bus pulled away from Goodison Park. Naturally, Wayne Rooney was howled down but there was actually less spite and bile than there had been when he first returned for February's bitter FA Cup tie, which seemed to have drawn some of the poison.
‘There is, however, neither love nor gratitude to Rooney from the club he once adored, and should Rio Ferdinand force through his agent Pini Zahavi's threat to leave United unless they pay him £6.8 million a year, that will be his lot every time he returns to Old Trafford. Manchester United supporters may be caricatured as silent munchers of prawn sandwiches, but they do hatred as well as anyone.
‘Moyes's decision to employ Ferguson, who scored the winner on the last occasion Everton overcame Manchester United at Goodison a decade ago, would have gone some way to testing Zahavi's remark that Ferdinand is "the best defender in the world". It had been Ferdinand's task to pick up Ferguson and when, in the 55th minute, Mikel Arteta's free-kick was driven in, the striker, who is a master of the set-piece, met it perfectly. The great defender was nowhere in view.
‘In his dealings with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Ferdinand had hardly begun well. An elegant clearance that put the ball almost straight at the Scot's feet was not, perhaps, the best way to make Zahavi's point and when United required a decisive clearance in the first half it was provided by a combination of Roy Keane and Wes Brown.’