The first half set the stage. The second half delivered everything.
When all four goals come after the interval, it usually points to a game that changed shape rather than merely opening up. That was the case here. The report says United twice moved in front, but they never built the control needed to turn those leads into a win. Everton stayed in the contest long enough to punish that.
Late equalisers are rarely accidents. They come from pressure, chaos and a side refusing to accept the result.
From a Manchester United perspective, this is the damaging part. A team with ambitions at the top end of the table has to manage moments better when ahead. Conceding once can be written off as a swing in momentum. Conceding again in stoppage time is harder to excuse.
The scoreline underlines a familiar problem for big clubs in volatile away games: possession or territory means little if the match remains emotionally open.
For Everton, the value goes beyond the point. A comeback built on persistence can shape dressing-room confidence, especially when it comes against a heavyweight opponent. Maitland-Niles will take the headline, but the wider takeaway is that Everton kept pushing when the game looked to be slipping away.
The next question is whether either side can carry the lesson forward. Everton will want to turn late drama into momentum, while United now need a cleaner, calmer response in their next outing.