Title favourites Manchester United cruised to victory over struggling Everton.
The damage was done during a fantastic first half by the champions, with Henning Berg scoring the first on 14 minutes - his first league goal for the
Premiership leaders - before Andy Cole added a superb second 20 minutes later.
Kevin Pilkington made his first league start of the season after Peter Schmeichel was believed to have left the ground to tend to a family problem just
before kickoff.
United took the first 10 minutes to find their stride but once they did, there
was no stopping them.
They opened the scoring when David Beckham's drilled corner was headed back
across goal by Ronny Johnsen and Earl Barrett knocked it towards his own net for
Berg to apply the final touch.
The header was Berg's second goal of the season, while it was also the first
time Thomas Myhre has been beaten in 284 minutes in the Everton goal.
A minute later Myhre made a superb one-handed save to keep out Paul Scholes'
spectacular volley from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's cross.
United refused to show any Christmas spirit to the tortured Toffees, who had
seven players out injured and another two suspended.
Beckham cut in from the right to graze the crossbar with a shot while
Solskjaer fired into the side netting on the left.
Scuffles broke out in the United end as stewards tried to make standing fans
sit down in the latest episode of that long-running saga.
A small section of supporters refused to be seated and jeered chairman Martin
Edwards.
United scored a second on 29 minutes through Cole, but it was disallowed
because he was offside.
Still the home side poured forward and Solskjaer shot just past the post, but
on 34 minutes came the inevitable second goal thanks to a piece of magic from
the on-song Cole.
Gary Pallister played the ball out of defence to Nicky Butt, who released Cole
and checked before chipping the ball beautifully over Myhre and into the top
left-hand corner.
It was his 16th goal of the season and his 13th in his last 12 games.
The jubilant United fans could even afford to jokingly mock Gary Neville after
he unleashed a wayward shot into the crowd.
They were nearly celebrating a third goal four minutes before half-time when
Solskjaer's header from Gary Neville's cross was tipped over the bar by Myhre.
At half-time, Everton gave teenage striker Francis Jeffers his debut when he
replaced Dave Watson.
United picked up where they left off after the interval and Solskjaer wasted a
glorious chance to make it 3-0 after 51 minutes.
The Norwegian broke free of Craig Short and was through with just Myhre to
beat, but he blazed wide of the goal.
But for Myhre Everton could have been even deeper in the mire and he produced
another fine save, this time to deny Beckham.
The visitors could not stop the flow of one-way traffic towards their goal and
Myhre caught Butt's overhead kick in the 63rd minute.
A minute later Carl Tiler mishit the ball and let in Beckham who fired into
the side netting.
Midway through the half Everton brought Graham Allen on for the
transfer-listed Barrett, while Karel Poborksy replaced the highly-impressive
Beckham.
The pressure on the visitors' goal eventually began to slacken and on 74
minutes Brian McClair came on for Pallister.
Claus Thomsen came on 11 minutes from time to boos from the Everton fans to
make his first appearance since the opening day of the season.
Allen and Poborsky were then booked for diving by referee Uriah Rennie.
John Curtis was given a taste of the action seven minutes from time when he
replaced Phil Neville as the game petered out towards the final whistle.
Everton remain next to bottom of the league and to add to the Merseysiders'
misery, Barnsley drew to move within two points of them.
Teams
Man Utd: Pilkington, G. Neville, Johnsen, Pallister (McClair 74),
Beckham (Poborsky 66), Butt, Cole, P. Neville (Curtis 83),
Scholes, Solskjaer, Berg.
Subs Not Used: Sheringham, Giggs.
Booked: G. Neville, Cole, Poborsky.
Goals: Berg 14, Cole 35.
Everton: Myhre, Barrett (Allen 65), Short, Hinchcliffe, Tiler,
Watson (Jeffers 45), Ball (Thomsen 78), Oster, Farrelly, Barmby,
Cadamarteri.
Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Thomas.
Booked: Farrelly, Allen.
Att: 55,167
Ref: U D Rennie (Sheffield).
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