Fletcher Too Classy For Everton

Darren Fletcher conjures up a moment worthy of Zinedine Zidane in yesterday`s match against Everton.

As soon as Darren Fletcher’s graceful half-volley hit the back of the net, the memories flooded back of Zinedine Zidane at his majestic best.

Fletcher`s moment of genius in the 35th minute broke Everton’s resolve and put Manchester United on the path to a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Fletcher is now really steadily carving his name in to the Old Trafford hall of fame.

Few could have expected the ball to find the top corner after Antonio Valencia’s accurate header back, but Fletcher’s measured sweep from the edge of the box saw it sail in.

The transformation from pariah to messiah has been remarkable. Whistled from the stands in campaigns past, the crowd now adore his every move.

His shot resembled the French maestro at his finest, but the overall performance was cast in the image of Roy Keane as he snapped into every tackle. Everton never stood a chance as the Scotland captain led by example.

Second-half strikes from Michael Carrick and Antonio Valencia completed what manager Alex Ferguson described as a ''controlled performance''.

Each standout player on the pitch was a United player, and a midfield consigned to the scrap heap in the early months of the season stood up to be counted.