Manchester United missed the chance to move 10 points clear of Liverpool after they became the latest victims of Everton’s late-season revival.
United could have increased the gap to their fifth-placed rivals in the race for Champions League places with a win.
But James McCarthy’s counter-attacking goal and John Stones’ header had Everton 2-0 ahead at half-time.
Kevin Mirallas beat the offside trap with 16 minutes left to clinch a fifth win in six league games for the hosts.
It was the third consecutive season that the Goodison club have won this fixture, with last term’s 2-0 victory proving the last game of David Moyes’ tenure.
Despite a worse reverse on Sunday, Van Gaal has no such fears but the Dutchman may well nurse concerns over the manner of this loss.
All three Everton goals – while well executed – were entirely avoidable.
McCarthy burst between Daley Blind and Paddy McNair who could only make timid challenges before converting coolly, Stones beat Antonio Valencia too easily in the air to fire in the second, and both Valencia and McNair switched off to allow Mirallas a free run at the exposed David De Gea for the third.
Further angst could be found in United’s apparent inability to capitalise on their possession.
Denuded of Michael Carrick by a calf problem, Van Gaal’s side were ponderous and became reliant on speculative efforts from distance by Marouane Fellaini and Blind.
The coach withdrew Fellaini at the interval – the former Everton player having been booked for persistent fouling in spite of Van Gaal urging him to maintain his composure – and Juan Mata just after the hour, with Radamel Falcao and Angel Di Maria being brought on. BBC
