For the third game this season, Everton failed to muster as much as a shot on target as they slumped to a second successive defeat under Sam Allardyce.
Beaten by Bournemouth on Saturday, Everton were again on the losing side when Manchester United came to Goodison Park this evening.
After a fairly tepid and goalless first half, it was the visitors who emerged for the second half looking the more energetic.
Although the breakthrough took a little bit longer than Jose Mourinho would have liked, goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard gave United a much needed win themselves after a poor end to 2017.
For Everton however, Allardyce has seemingly resigned himself to the idea that Everton do not currently have a "front line that can threaten and score goals."
Determined to alleviate the issue in this January transfer window if at all possible, Allardyce's generally grim outlook on the game was peppered with some brief praise for one of his substitutes; Ireland's James McCarthy.
While McCarthy's emergence into the game for a tired looking Wayne Rooney brought some jeers of derision from the home supporters, it was the Irish midfielder who gave Everton a bit of a lift according to Allardyce:
I felt James McCarthy came on and showed the rest of the team what we should be doing by going and tackling.
It is a part of the game still, you know? Just a couple of tackles and getting stuck into the Man United players ... it lifted the crowd.
Never shy of getting stuck into a challenge, one wonders if Big Sam is keeping an eye on the developing situation at West Bromwich Albion?
If its an impact player he wants who isn't afraid to throw in a tackle or two, he needn't look much further than McCarthy's international teammate James McClean.
For now, you can watch Allardyce's full post-match interview below.
