Manchester United bounced back after a disappointing draw to Southampton with an emphatic 2-0 win at Goodison Park.

José Mourinho has been under a vast amount of pressure over the Christmas break, due to poor results and performances, but this win should quieten down those critics and allow him to get on with the job.

Here are five points that stood out in Manchester United’s win:

Paul Pogba looks more fluid in a three-man midfield

A rare occasion took place and that was Mourinho’s deployment of a three-man midfield. This season, he has opted for a 4-2-3-1, which prohibits Paul Pogba in an attacking sense – arguably his greatest strength.

However, when Mourinho chose Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matić to partner Pogba, it gave the Frenchman the licence to move forward into an attacking capacity and Man United’s attacks looked far better for it.

In the build-up to Anthony Martial’s opening goal, Pogba was an integral part in transitioning from defence into attack and was the player to deliver the assist and ball into Martial’s path.

The former Juventus midfielder impressed throughout the 90 minutes and a hugely positive effect on United’s attacking play and overall performance.

Marcos Rojo is slowly returning to his best

The Argentinean defender has not reached the heights of last season yet, but then again, he has only just returned from a cruciate ligament injury he suffered last April.

Marcos Rojo is now getting back to his best, and with more game time, the process should become quicker and quicker. Against Everton, the former Sporting defender dominated the aerial battle as well as clearing any danger away from his goal.

There was a moment of magic from Rojo when he made a successful last ditch challenge on Oumar Niasse, who was through on goal with a clear sight to David De Gea’s net.

Rojo is not a left back and should not be playing there any more (unless circumstances suggest otherwise). He is a completely different player when at centre back and also compliments the midfield nicely with his array of passing and decision-making.

Anthony Martial is outrageously clinical in front of goal

For Manchester United’s opening goal, it was a fantastic counter attack special that was led by Pogba. As the Frenchman waltzed past his markers, he delivered the ball into his compatriot on the edge of the box.

Martial shifted his body weight to the right-hand side and expertly placed the ball into Jordan Pickford’s top right corner. It was a finish that lifted the crowd and further reinforced Martial’s reputation of being a clinical finisher.

One major difference between Martial and Marcus Rashford is the level of finishing. The Englishman has been known to panic in front of goal, whereas the Frenchman takes it fully in his stride and only rarely misses when posed with a goal scoring opportunity.

 
Luke Shaw’s consistency has been a step in the right direction

Luke Shaw has been given a new lease of life after being trusted to play over the Christmas period. He has now started three consecutive games for the first time this season, and looks like he is slowly getting back to his best.

What has been pleasing to see from Shaw is his ability to overlap his winger and offer another alternative. With Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian, seldom do you see either cross the halfway line and actually pose a threat in the opposition’s half.

While Shaw still has plenty to improve on, he has made strong and important strides in the past month and is beginning to be used and trusted more by the Portuguese boss.

There is no doubt about it that Shaw has an incredible future ahead of him, but he must continue to work hard and fight for his place under Mourinho.

Jesse Lingard is finally coming of age

This season, Jesse Lingard has matured into a player that is now not only reliable, but also a genuine goal scoring threat in front of goal.

The England international has had his far few moments where he has been pivotal in Manchester United’s success, and this was another game in which he helped influence the end result.

Lingard made it 2-0 to seal the three points for the Red Devils with a wonderful, mazy run past the onlooking Everton defence to then open up his body and smash it past the flailing Pickford.

What has also been mightily impressive from Lingard is his ability to find passes in-between the lines of the opposition’s midfield and defence. He is not only about speed and agility, but also the delicate touches and intricate passes have made him a multidimensional threat.

The academy graduate has proven, especially this season, that he can be a pivotal player in Manchester United’s squad, and he certainly has not weakened that statement with another spectacular performance against Everton. SEE ALSO 5 players Manchester United could lose in January