The Reds took the lead with a ferocious Anthony Martial strike two minutes before half-time. But Rafa Benitez’s visitors hit back with a leveller after 65 minutes with a goal from Andros Townsend.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had freshened up his XI from the team that had dramatically beaten Villarreal 2-1 late on in the Champions League last Wednesday.
The selection looked to have worked with Martial opening the scoring but even the introduction of midweek hero Cristiano Ronaldo from the bench couldn’t force another last-gasp storyline with United also having to endure a nail-biting wait after 85 minutes when Everton's Yerry Mina thought he'd won the match before VAR cancelled his effort out.