Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford converted from the spot to hand Manchester United a 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday. It was the Red Devils' first Premier League victory in three games.
Manchester United were coming off successive league losses, to Fulham and Manchester City, which had ended an unbeaten run of four league wins. Erik ten Hag's team remain sixth in England's top-tier league but moved closer to fourth-placed Aston Villa. While United got 47 points, Villa are on 55 with a game in hand. Fifth-placed Tottenham, who host Villa on Sunday, have 50 points and two games in hand.
"Every game we have to win, so every game is a must-need," Ten Hag said. "We could have scored three or four goals not just the two penalties. We could have been calmer and more composed on the ball."
Sean Dyche's Everton -- winless in 11 straight league games -- are 16th on 25 points, five points above the drop zone.
Everton was the dominant team for long stretches against a United midfield that repeatedly gave away the ball. Both penalties, against the run of play, came courtesy of clumsy tackles in the box on Alejandro Garnacho. Captain Fernandes fired in the first from the spot in the 12th minute, and handed the ball to Rashford to take the second in the 36th minute.
"We both kick the penalties. I asked Marcus if he wanted to take and he said he was confident," Fernandes said. "I felt I had my one, Rashy could get his goal from the penalty." Rashford stutter-stepped before sending keeper Jordan Pickford the wrong way. Fernandes became the club's all-time leading scorer from penalties with 29 conversions, ahead of former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy's 28. The Portuguese international almost had a second goal with a beautiful free kick in the first half that Pickford had to leap high to bat away.
Garnacho almost had a goal of his own when Fernandes played him in in the second half, but the 19-year-old launched it just over the bar. Everton had 23 shots to United's 15 but squandered their chances with poor finishing touches, including a terrific late chance that saw Lewis Dobbin send a pass across goal that a sliding Dominic Calvert-Lewin was just a step too slow to connect with.
