Manchester United -v- Crystal Palace
Premier League
Old Trafford, Manchester
Sunday 2 February 2024, KO 14:00 GMT
Manchester United return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford as they welcome Crystal Palace to the Theatre of Dreams. United are winless against Palace over the last three matches and will need to change that as they must better their Premier League position this season or break another record.
United beat FCSB in the UEFA Europa League 2-0 on Thursday evening in Bucharest, securing their place in the round of 16 without having to play in the play off round. In securing their place in Europe later this season, United did so unbeaten, drawing their opening three matches and winning the next five of the eight matches played.
United sit in 12th place in the Premier League at the time of writing with 29 points from 23 matches so far this season. Palace sit in 13th place in the league with just 27 points from 23 matches. United will need to beat the London club to keep them from leapfrogging them at this stage of the season. Can United step up and win?
United – Form, Goals Scored & Assists
FCSB 0-0 WDL, Fulham 1-0 W, Rangers 2-1 W, Brighton 3-1 L, Southampton 3-1 W, Arsenal 1-1 (5-3) W
Goals: 9 – Amad, Bruno Fernandes, Alejandro Garnacho, 7 – Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, 4 – Christian Eriksen, Joshua Zirkzee, 3 – Casemiro, 2 – Lisandro Martinez, 1 – Antony, Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo
Assists: 11 – Bruno Fernandes, 7 – Amad, 6 – Alejandro Garnacho, 4 – Christian Eriksen, 3 – Marcus Rashford, 2 – Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui, Joshua Zirkzee, 1 – Rasmus Hojlund, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte
Palace – Form, Goals Scored & Assists
Brentford 2-1 L, West Ham 2-0 W, Leicester 2-0 W, Stockport 1-0 W, Chelsea 1-1 D, Southampton 2-1 W
Goals: 11 – Jean-Philippe Mateta, 6 – Eberechi Eze, 4 – Ismaïla Sarr, 3 – Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Guéhi, 2 – Daichi Kamada, Daniel Muñoz, Eddie Nketiah, 1 – Justin Devenny, Romain Esse, Maxence Lacroix
Assists: 6 – Eberechi Eze, 3 – Will Hughes, Tyrick Mitchell, Daniel Muñoz, Ismaïla Sarr, 2 – Daichi Kamada, Jean-Philippe Mateta, 1 – Nathaniel Clyne, Marc Guéhi, Dean Henderson, Maxence Lacroix, Eddie Nketiah, Adam Wharton
Previous Meetings & Connections
United and Palace have met 31 times in the Premier League. United have won 19 times, drawn seven times with Palace winning five times. United have scored 48 goals, winning five penalties, scoring four. Palace have scored 21 goals, winning one penalty, scoring it. United need to keep their heads and win this match.
United have kept 18 clean sheets against Palace with the London club keeping eight clean sheets against United. Discipline can be an issue in these matches with United players shown 48 yellow cards and two red cards whilst Palace players have been shown 51 yellow cards and two red cards.
Wilfried Zaha, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Fraizer Campbell and Timothy Fosu-Mensah have all played for United and Palace. Fosu-Mensah and Campbell were academy graduates at United. Zaha was Sir Alex Ferguson’s last signing for United and Wan-Bissaka left United in the summer for West Ham.
Team News
United: United seem to be in a good position regarding injuries at this stage of the season, which is good for the club. Victor Lindelof has returned to action and Luke Shaw has returned to training, but it may be some time before he has fully fit again. Jonny Evans and Mason Mount remain on the sidelines.
Ruled Out: Jonny Evans (other) and Mason Mount (thigh)
Doubts: Luke Shaw (knee)
Suspended: None
Palace: Palace have many injury problems ahead of the clash with United at the Theatre of Dreams on Sunday. Adam Wharton, Matheus Oliveira, Cheick Doucoure, Chadi Dnanou and Joel Ward are all out of action for the London club, but they have strength in depth, which will be a positive for them against United.
Ruled Out: Adam Wharton (groin/hip/pelvic), Matheus Franca de Oliveira (groin/hip/pelvic), Cheick Doucoure (knee), Chadi Riad Dnanou (knee) and Joel Ward (calf/shin/heel)
Doubts: None
Suspended: None
Predicted United Starting XI – 3-4-2-1
Onana;
De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez;
Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot;
Amad, Fernandes;
Hojlund
Predicted Palace Starting XI – 3-4-2-1
Henderson;
Richards, Lacroix, Guehi;
Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell;
Sarr, Eze;
Mateta
History, training and the lead up to the big match
United and Palace have met 67 times in all competitions in the history of both clubs. United have won 41 times, drawn 14 times with Palace winning 12 times. United last beat Palace on the 26 September 2023 in the Carabao Cup, winning 3-0 with goals from Alejandro Garnacho, Casemiro and Anthony Martial.
United and Palace have met three times since that victory with Palace winning twice with the last match between the two teams was a 0-0 draw. United lost 1-0 and 4-0 to Palace in the Premier League last season so the 0-0 draw this season was a good start for United to go back to winning ways against Palace.
United will need to start well against Palace as their attacking threat is a problem for United as has been shown in the two matches they lost to Palace last season. United have seemingly turned a corner this season but there is some major work to be done before the club will return to the dominant way they once were.
Manchester United 2-1 Crystal Palace
Written by Paul
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