Everton defender admits one thing about the defeat against MU

Despite creating an evenly contested game, Everton ended up losing to Manchester United due to a single moment of distraction that changed the outcome.

In the early hours of February 24, Manchester United secured a narrow 1-0 victory at Hill Dickinson thanks to Benjamin Sesko’s goal. After the match, Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite admitted that the home team lost their advantage due to a brief loss of focus, even though their overall performance was not inferior to the opponent.

Speaking to tribalfootball, Branthwaite said: “I think in the second half we controlled most of the time. We had several chances entering the penalty area and created opportunities. I believe the whole team needs to improve in finishing those chances.” Everton actually played more proactively after the break, continuously applying pressure and forcing Manchester United’s defense to retreat deeply.

However, the turning point came from the only sharp counterattack by the visitors. Branthwaite admitted: “Just one moment of distraction during the counterattack and they scored the decisive goal. At the end of the match, we were very disappointed because we deserved more from this game.” A small mistake at the Premier League level was quickly punished.

The English defender emphasized further: “You could see how we started the second half with a lot of momentum, but just one lapse in concentration cost us.” Everton had already been warned in the first half when Bryan Mbeumo had a dangerous counterattack opportunity, but ultimately could not avoid the same scenario in the second half.

The winning goal came in the 71st minute when Matheus Cunha launched a quick counterattack, Mbeumo sprinted down the right flank before crossing for Sesko to finish with a one-touch shot past Jordan Pickford. The Slovenian striker continued to show his knack for scoring important goals, extending his impressive form since the start of 2026.

The victory extended Manchester United’s unbeaten run under interim coach Michael Carrick to six matches, including five wins, and lifted them to fourth place in the Premier League standings with 48 points. While MU thrived due to their efficiency, Everton left the field with great regret after dropping points because of a momentary lapse in concentration.