Manchester United’s Premier League woes continue as they suffered their fourth defeat in the season, marking the first time in seven rounds that they’ve endured such a challenging start. The Red Devils were dealt a 0-1 loss by the visiting team, Crystal Palace.
This troubling run in the league reflects a dismal start in the club’s history, even though they haven’t clinched a Premier League title in the past decade. Over the course of seven matches, they’ve stumbled to defeats against Tottenham, Arsenal, Brighton, and now Crystal Palace. Just four days prior, Manchester United had comfortably triumphed over the same opponent in the third round of the Federation Cup. However, this time, the away team fielded their strongest lineup, leaving the home side disheartened.
The pivotal moment in the match arrived in the 25th minute when Crystal Palace astonishingly scored from a set-piece, catching Manchester United off guard despite their promising start. From a free-kick on the right, the ball found midfielder Joachim Andersen unmarked at the far post, with the home defenders mere spectators. Andersen’s one-touch volley skimmed past Dalot into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Andre Onana leaping but unable to thwart it. This solitary goal ultimately sealed the fate of the game.
Manchester United dominated ball possession, holding an 80% share after conceding the goal, and crafted several dangerous opportunities, albeit without luck. In the 60th minute, Fernandes delivered a cross from the left, met by Hojlund’s headed attempt, but goalkeeper Sam Johnstone parried it away just in time.
Johnstone, a product of Manchester United’s youth academy, spent seven years with the club from 2011 to 2018 but never featured in a Premier League match for the senior team. On this occasion, he denied Fernandes’ long-range strike with a spectacular save. Following the visitor’s goal, the crowd echoed chants of “United, United.”
The Red Devils also found themselves unlucky in the 59th minute when a favorable opportunity emerged, with the ball heading towards Rashford’s path in the penalty area. However, the ball struck defender Danny Ward’s hand, albeit with his back turned, resulting in no penalty awarded after referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR review.
Crystal Palace, content with their lead, adopted a defensive posture, focusing on a robust backline and time-wasting tactics. Their 76-year-old coach, Roy Hodgson, instructed his players to maintain possession close to Manchester United’s corner, sapping the home team’s momentum and diminishing the late-match pressure. Hodgson became the first manager to secure five consecutive unbeaten matches at Old Trafford in the Premier League.
In the dying minutes, coach Erik ten Hag rolled the dice by introducing midfielder Harry Maguire as a makeshift striker. Regrettably for Maguire and his team, his sole touch of the ball resulted in a pass that inadvertently struck teammate Alejandro Garnacho before going out of play in the final seconds.
As the match concluded, the camera continuously captured coach Ten Hag’s evident frustration over the loss. The upcoming two fixtures hold significant importance for Manchester United, with the Red Devils hosting Galatasaray in the second round of the Champions League group stage and then facing Brentford away in the eighth round of the Premier League. Failure in these encounters could signify another forgettable season for the club.