Angel Di Maria's third goal for Manchester United has given the hosts a slim half-time lead in Sunday lunchtime's Premier League match against Everton, who missed a penalty with the last kick of the half.
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United began the match on the front foot and had two early half-chances through strikers Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie. The former could only head Luke Shaw's cross straight at Tim Howard, while Van Persie hooked over from Di Maria's centre.
Falcao, still in search of his first United goal, had another opening midway through the opening period when he ran onto Di Maria's inventive flick but pulled his first-time strike wide of the near post.
Di Maria then broke the deadlock in the 27th minute with a curling finish with his weaker right foot after being teed up by Juan Mata.
Everton's first shot didn't arrive until the 39th minute when Romelu Lukaku brought down a pass from Leighton Baines before swiping his effort wide of the target.
The Toffees had a golden chance to level in first-half stoppage time when Shaw recklessly brought down Tony Hibbert in the box, but Baines's penalty was saved low to his right by David de Gea.
It was the first time that Baines had missed a penalty for Everton in the Premier League having scored all of his previous 14 in a blue shirt.
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Pascal Lemesre
