Goals from Richarlison, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lucas Digne and Theo Walcott as United go from bad to worse with their fifth straight defeat on the road
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THE wheels have well and truly come off for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Everton humiliated Manchester United 4-0 at Goodison Park leaving their top-four hopes in tatters.
Marco Silva's side were full value for the three points.
Goals from Richarlison, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lucas Digne and Theo Walcott embarrassed the visitors, subjecting down and out United to their fifth straight defeat on the road, their worst run since 1981.
That is six defeats in the last eight games and scratchy wins against Watford and West Ham cannot disguise the alarming dip in form since that famous Champions League night in Paris.
The Toffees were far superior in every department with Dominic Calvert-Lewin running the Reds defence ragged, while Idrissa Gueye and Gylfi Sigurdsson dominated Paul Pogba, Fred and Nemanja Matic.
The warning signs were there a minute earlier when Richarlison's strike from a deep cross was well saved by De Gea, but the Toffees forward scuffed his follow –up effort.
But he made for it when he opened the scoring after United failed to deal with a Lucas Digne long throw.
Chris Smalling was easily beaten in the air by Calvert-Lewin and the Brazilian smashed it past the United keeper for his 15th goal of the season.
If Solskjaer was looking for a response from his players, he was sadly mistaken, the home side were on the front foot dominating in every department with more energy and intensity.
United’s first and only effort on goal in the first-half took twenty minutes to arrive - a tame Marcus Rashford effort from a long ball from Paul Pogba.
The home side doubled their lead when Idrissa Gueye sent Sigurdsson on his way who cut inside Nemanja Matic far too easily to fire past a flat-footed De Gea who should have done better with his long-range shot.
Solskjaer brought under-fire Ashley Young and Scott McTominay for the injured Phil Jones and the awful Fred at half time to spark a revival.
But whatever he said in the away dressing room was a waste of breath as the game was over minutes later when the impressive Digne drilled an unstoppable volley past the unsighted De Gea.
Walcott who replaced the injured Richarlison made it four when United were exposed again losing the ball on the halfway line.
The former Arsenal man raced through to cooly finish past the Spanish keeper who can't buy a clean sheet, eleven games since United last shut out the opposition.
It was a huge result for Everton and boss Marco Silva who has masterminded home wins over Chelsea, Arsenal and a hapless United.
It doesn't get any easier for Solskjaer, just the simple matter of a Manchester Derby on Wednesday against Pep Guardiola's title chasers who will give the home fans a reminder of what a well-oiled football machine looks like.
