Everton’s James McCarthy thinks the 3-0 win over Manchester United can help them put a frustrating season behind them as they move into next season.

The Republic of Ireland midfielder opened the scoring early on, before goals from John Stones and Kevin Mirallas sealed an emphatic victory and consigned Louis van Gaal to consecutive defeats for the first time in his Old Trafford career.

After the game, man-of-the-match McCarthy told Sky Sports: “Obviously it’s been a frustrating campaign but we’ve put a few wins on the bounce now and we want to kick on and finish the season on a high, but we don’t want to get carried away.

“We need to take a game at a time and try and go unbeaten until the end of the season.”

Reflecting on his own performance, he added: “It’s good to get a goal but the most important thing was to get the three points today.”

Stones, who scored his first goal in Everton colours, said: “It’s been a long time, I’ve had a lot of pressure off players and staff to get a goal so it’s a special feeling for me and to keep a clean sheet and score three against Manchester United, it’s a big day for us and keeps us on a run.

“It’s the big games you always look forward to. The best players bring the best out of you and I certainly enjoyed it today.”