Manchester United slump to another defeat at Old Trafford
Manchester United 0 - 2 Crystal Palace
Manchester United’s home struggles continued as they slumped to a fifth defeat in six Premier League games at Old Trafford, with Jean-Philippe Mateta’s second-half brace sealing a deserved 2-0 victory for Crystal Palace.
In a bold tactical gamble, United head coach Ruben Amorim opted to leave £100m worth of striking talent on the bench, deploying Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine while Marcus Rashford edges closer to a move to Aston Villa. Despite a promising start, the experiment failed, and Palace grew into the game before substitute Eberechi Eze, returning unexpectedly from injury, delivered the moment that changed the contest.
His inch-perfect 64th-minute free-kick caused havoc in the United box, with Maxence Lacroix’s header rattling the bar before Mateta reacted quickest, bundling the ball home past a stranded André Onana. The French forward added his second in the dying moments, tapping in Daniel Muñoz’s low cross to take his Premier League tally to 10 for the season – six of those coming in his last five appearances.
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As if defeat wasn’t bad enough for United, Lisandro Martínez’s injury added to their woes. The Argentine defender was left in tears after being stretchered off following an awkward tangle with Ismaïla Sarr, raising fresh concerns about his long-term fitness.
The win marked a third consecutive away victory for Palace, their best run on the road since 2019. Since December, Oliver Glasner’s side have picked up 16 points away from home – more than any other Premier League team. United, meanwhile, slipped to 13th place, still yet to win back-to-back league games under Amorim. Their seventh home defeat of the campaign matches an unwanted club record, set in the 1893-94 season.
Martínez injury adds to United’s mounting problems
The unveiling of £25m signing Patrick Dorgu and young defender Ayden Heaven before kick-off was supposed to signal a new era at Manchester United. Yet for all the talk of change, their problems remain deeply rooted.
Rashford’s impending departure, alongside that of Antony and potentially Tyrell Malacia, underlines the club’s willingness to overhaul the squad. But reshuffling personnel alone won’t turn United into a team capable of competing at the top again.
Amorim’s decision to use Mainoo as his focal point in attack hinted at a lack of faith in Rasmus Højlund, who hasn’t scored since mid-December, and Joshua Zirkzee, who has just four goals since arriving from Bologna. Even with Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho supporting from wide, United rarely looked like breaking down a disciplined Palace defence.
Bruno Fernandes, stationed in a deeper role, struggled to exert influence, and as the game wore on, United’s attacking efforts grew increasingly disjointed.
Martínez’s injury only deepened the sense of crisis. With Luke Shaw only just returning to training after a long lay-off, Dorgu may have to be thrown straight into action sooner than expected.
Defensive resilience has been the key to Palace’s resurgence
It seems remarkable that, after eight games this season, Palace had just three points and looked destined for a relegation scrap. Now, they sit 12th and within touching distance of consecutive top-10 finishes for the first time since the 1990s.
Glasner has instilled an impressive defensive structure, and it’s easy to see why Newcastle were so keen on prising Marc Guéhi away in January. The Palace captain was outstanding at Old Trafford – quick, composed, and dominant in one-on-one duels. Alongside him, Chris Richards handled Garnacho well, while Lacroix not only excelled at the back but almost scored at the other end.
Behind them, Dean Henderson enjoyed a solid return to his former club. A sharp low stop denied Fernandes in the second half, and moments later, he was out quickly to smother Manuel Ugarte’s close-range volley.
With their defensive shape providing a solid foundation, Palace had the perfect platform for Eze and Mateta to make the difference. Once again, they delivered – and by full-time, it was the away end at Old Trafford making all the noise.
