WASHINGTON: Bruno Fernandes scored one goal and set up another as Manchester United drew Everton 2-2 on Sunday to capture the Premier League Summer Series title.
The Red Devils earned a final point in Atlanta to top the table with seven in the pre-season friendly tournament, having previously beaten West Ham United 2-1 and Bournemouth 4-1 in the round-robin US tour.
Manchester United finished 15th last season in the Premier League, their worst showing since relegation in 1973-74, managing only 11 wins and nine drawn from 38 matches.
Everton’s James Tarkowski brought down Amad Diallo in the penalty area and Fernandes blasted in the shot from the spot to lift United ahead in the 19th minute.
French-born Senegalese international Iliman Ndiaye equalised for the Toffees in the 40th minute, tapping in off a pass from Senegal’s Idrissa Gana Gueye.
Mason Mount, who entered the field barely 10 minutes earlier, took a pass from Fernandes and curled in a shot past Jordan Pickford in the 69th minute to put United back in front.
But Everton pulled level in the 75h minute when a ball directed back by Diallo deflected off Manchester United Ayden Heaven and into the back of the Man United net for an own goal.
Manager Ruben Amorim inserted newcomer Bryan Mbeumo into his starting lineup, the arrival from Brentford missing earlier matches to finish pre-season training.
Meanwhile, Niclas Fullkrug and Jarrod Bowen scored to lift West Ham United over Bournemouth 2-0 earlier, giving the London side two wins from three matches in the Premier League Summer Series.
Spot-on set up passes by Senegalese left back El Hadji Malick Diouf, signed only on July 15, led to both West Ham goals.
Diouf’s centering ball found England’s Bowen in the box, but he was forced to slide a pass left to German team-mate Fullkrug, who fired in a shot from point-blank range in the 24th minute.
Bowen found the net in the 67th minute off a Diouf pass.
Bournemouth had plenty of chances in the first 15 minutes but the Cherries found the woodwork to squander early opportunities.
Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2025
