Man Utd Come from Behind to Secure Rare Win at Crystal Palace

At a glance

Jean-Philippe Mateta scores with twice-taken penalty

Palace profit from 25-26 rule change on double touch spot-kicks

Joshua Zirkzee levels with first league goal in 12 months

Mason Mount gives Man Utd first away win at Palace since 2020

Manchester United overcame a half-time deficit and their Selhurst Park demons to move back into the Premier League’s top six by beating Crystal Palace.

Anthony Martial was among scorers last time United won at this stadium in July 2020, while they had not managed a goal here since Bruno Fernandes’ effort in January 2023.

When Palace led at the end of a first half they dominated thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s twice-taken penalty, few would have predicted Ruben Amorim’s side would be changing their abysmal record.

But, as the visiting fans cheekily paid homage to legendary striker Eric Cantona, whose most infamous moment came at this ground in 1995 and led to a nine-month ban from football – and a prison sentence that was quickly overturned – their modern day heroes finally came to the fore.

Much maligned front man Joshua Zirkzee repaid Amorim’s faith in starting him again after an ineffective display in the defeat by 10-man Everton by levelling with a vicious drive from acute angle nine minutes into the second period.

Then Mason Mount drove Fernandes’ short pass from a free-kick on the edge of Palace’s box low into the corner beyond the grasp of Dean Henderson.

The victory ended United’s run of three games without a win and ensured Palace were unable to grasp the prize of a place in the top four that victory would have given them.

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There are no excuses for Palace performance against Man Utd

It was only at the start of this season that a new rule was introduced in the Premier League which means a retake is now given if a player scores with a penalty he has kicked twice before the ball enters the net.

When Mateta sent Senne Lammens the wrong way for what he thought was his seventh successful penalty from seven attempts nine minutes before the break, VAR Matt Donohue was quick to let referee Rob Jones know he needed to get involved.

It was the first time the rule had been used and evidently, judging by the way some United players complained, and the visiting fans cheered and then groaned as Jones announced what had happened and what the outcome would be, the rule change had passed many observers by.

Mateta didn’t seem bothered. He put the ball in the other corner, as Lammens again went the wrong way.

After getting beaten by a team reduced to 10 men because a player hit a team-mate against Everton in their last outing, it would have been another novel way to lose for Amorim’s team. As it turned out, it is just a note in the history books.

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Man Utd pace and intensity helped in comeback – Amorim

There have been many opinions offered about Zirkzee since his arrival at Old Trafford, not many of them good.

The Dutch forward has guts – he could not have recovered from the reaction he received from the United supporters when he was substituted after just 33 minutes of the home defeat by Newcastle last December without it.

But his ability has been a talking point. His lack of opportunities this season have led him to believe his future lay elsewhere – a view with added urgency given he has lost his place in the Netherlands squad.

Finally offered an opportunity against Everton because of the injuries that have sidelined Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, Zirkzee was again poor and few would have been surprised if he had been replaced.

Amorim had other ideas. He remained loyal even after another disappointing 45 minutes and was rewarded with a vicious swerving shot from the striker that had too much pace for former United keeper Henderson as it found the far corner.

It was his first league goal in almost exactly a year and might give all parties pause for thought about his future.

Within nine minutes, the visitors were ahead as Mount profited from quick thinking by Fernandes as Palace waited for a different kind of free-kick.

From there on, it was about game management as United made the most of inevitable Palace tiredness given they had an away game in Europe less than 72 hours earlier.

What comes next?

The first Premier League midweek match round of the season sends Crystal Palace on a long trip to Burnley on Wednesday, 3 December (1930 GMT). Manchester United do not play until Thursday, when they entertain another London side, West Ham at Old Trafford (2000 GMT).

Average rating7.32

Source: BBC