The Manchester United team shared the top of the English Premier League with the defending champion Liverpool, after its victory over Aston Villa 2-1 on Friday evening in the 17th round, which saw West Ham win at home to Everton 1-0.
Manchester United advanced with a goal scored by Anthony Martial in the 40th minute, and Aston Villa tied with a goal by Bertrand Traore in the 56th minute, then Bruno Fernandez scored the second goal for Manchester United in the 61st minute with a penalty kick.
United, fighters, one family ❤ # United pic.twitter.com/unmbcJPKXc
Manchester United (@ManUtd_AR) January 1, 2021
Manchester United raised its score to 33 points in second place on goal difference behind Liverpool, who face Southampton next Monday, in contrast, Aston Villa's balance stuck at 26 points in sixth place.
To the top of the table This is how we start the new year 🔴 # United # UnitedVilla
Manchester United (@ManUtd_AR) January 1, 2021
The defeat of Everton
In a previous game, Tomás Socic scored a goal with a missile shot 4 minutes before the end, to lead West Ham United to a 1-0 win over Everton in the first match of the new year in the Premier League.
End of the match: perfect start of the year, three points, clean sheets and a great performance 🤩🔝 # Everton_West_ham pic.twitter.com/BjfuyKxQ5f
- West Ham United (@WestHamUtdAr) January 1, 2021
Goals were absent from the match until the Czech midfielder scored the deserved victory in the 86th minute.
The Giant Man 🤩🔥
📸 @ tomassoucek28 pic.twitter.com/gbr2TblyME
- West Ham United (@WestHamUtdAr) January 1, 2021
West Ham lost the effort of goalkeeper Okash Fabiansky due to injury during the warm-up, but his substitute Darren Randolph missed a shot on goal after Everton struggled to break through the opponent's defense.
West Ham missed some fine chances until the late Sochik goal to give West Ham coach David Moyes his first win at Goodison Park since leaving Everton in 2013.
West Ham occupies tenth place with 26 points, while Everton, who could have advanced to second place if he had won, continued in fourth place with 29 points.
Everton coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed his disappointment with the loss, saying, "It was a level game. We didn't create a lot of chances and neither did the opposing team."
"We have to accept the result. We must continue to believe in ourselves ... we have reached the position we want and we hope to finish the season in this position. This is the goal we set for ourselves," he added.
"Playing at Goodison Park and coming out with the three points was all our efforts after a good performance," West Ham coach Moyes said.
"It was important to get something out of the match. It was our third game in 6 days, and we asked the players to win and they did a great job," he added.