Good things come to those who wait, so the saying goes, and David Moyes’ first win as a visiting manager at Old Trafford will have tasted sweeter than even the most perfectly poured pint of the black stuff. He recorded plenty of wins here as United boss – though not nearly enough to keep his job in the end. But Everton’s 1-0 victory at Old Trafford on Monday evening was his first success orchestrated from the away dugout. At his 18th attempt!
The Scot didn’t manage to claim a win at the Theatre of Dreams in his first spell at Everton. He also couldn’t get the job done with Sunderland, nor during his two separate stints as West Ham manager. As well as being momentous for Moyes, it was special for Everton as it was their first win at Old Trafford since back in 2013.
Back then, Moyes was the manager but having waited 11 long years to see Everton win away at United he will not have been pleased about the result, for he was the manager of the home team! Roberto Martinez was in charge of the Toffees, so this win was over a decade in the making for the club and came after a wait of 18 games and a managerial lifetime for Moyes.
Toffees Brilliant and More History Made
Everton started the game superbly, and that would have surprised United and their fans, who themselves came into this clash on the up. Ruben Amorim’s men were unbeaten in five games and were starting to click in attack, having scored two or more goals in each of those five games, including in a win against champions Liverpool at Anfield.
However, this game looked to have turned when Idrissa Gana Gueye was sent off for an altercation with his own player. It was little more than handbags, but the Senegalese midfielder’s slap on colleague Michael Keane was deemed to be violent conduct. The red card came after just 13 minutes, leaving Everton 77 minutes plus stoppage time to try and cling on for a point.
Idrissa Gana Gueye is the first player to be sent off in the Premier League for fighting with a team-mate since Ricardo Fuller with Andy Griffin for Stoke on 28th December 2008 🗓️🟥#BBCFootball #MUNEVE #EFC pic.twitter.com/6BFNRubcht
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) November 24, 2025
In the end they took all three, but having already lost their skipper Seamus Coleman to injury after 10 minutes, few would have predicted Moyes would finally end his Old Trafford away-day blues. Gana’s red card was just the third time in Premier League history that a player had been dismissed for an offence against someone on his own team. That was an unwanted piece of history but when the full-time whistle blew, the Toffees made a far more pleasing mark on the record books.
Amazing and unlikely as it might sound, Everton became the first team in Premier League history to win at Old Trafford despite going down to 10 men. What’s more, we believe this may well be the longest a team has ever played in the PL with a numerical disadvantage and gone on to win. There are no clear stats or resources to check this and unlike the fact of Everton’s unique 10-man PL win at Old Trafford, it has not been widely reported in major media outlets.
However, we believe there is a high chance it is true and cannot think of – nor find – another game to match it. That shows the scale of the task they faced when Gueye got his marching orders and while the Toffees’ fine start to the game could easily have come unstuck, somehow they not only managed to cling on without conceding a goal, but pinched all three points.
Brilliant Everton Keep Red Devils at Bay
Everton, perhaps spurned on by the injustice of a red card that both managers disagreed with, were simply brilliant at Old Trafford. Despite being down to 10 men they were good value for the lead that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall gave them after 29 minutes.
It was a fine goal from the former Leicester and Chelsea man too, as he jinked away from two players before curling home from the edge of the area with his weaker right foot. It was early in the game for Evertonians to dream of all three points but it certainly gave them hope. The travelling fans were in fine voice all night and that ramped up after the goal as the home supporters could only watch on, quietly, as their team struggled to find any momentum.
In the second period, United dominated possession and the away side did not even muster a single shot on target despite the odd chance to break. The hosts managed 17 shots in the second half but just four were as Everton defended with great heart and determination. On the rare occasion Amorim’s men found a way through, Jordan Pickford was on top form, although in truth none of the six saves he made during the match were ones he would not have expected himself to make.
As the game wore on, the home team became increasingly desperate, while the Toffees grew in confidence and belief. They hung on, giving their fans and manager a historic night to remember and a deserved three points.