Five key lessons from Manchester United’s nail-biting 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace
· Yahoo Sports
Manchester United moved into third place in the Premier League after coming from behind to beat Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.
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Much like in their previous meeting with Palace this season, United fell behind early when Maxence Lacroix headed home from a corner for Oliver Glasner’s side.
But Bruno Fernandes equalised from the penalty spot before Benjamin Sesko scored again, sealing a second-half turnaround to give United a 2-1 win.
United are now unbeaten in 11 league matches, and Michael Carrick has overseen six wins in his first seven games as interim head coach.
Leny Yoro struggled again
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty ImagesEarlier in the season, United came out on top with a 2-1 win over Palace at Selhurst Park. But they found themselves trailing early again after Leny Yoro gave away a penalty with a clumsy challenge.
This match at Old Trafford looked like a chance for Yoro to make up for that mistake, but things didn’t go his way. The French defender was caught out once more.
For Palace’s opening goal, Yoro misjudged the flight of the ball and lost track of Maxence Lacroix, who took full advantage to head past Senne Lammens.
Luke Shaw’s run of starts was interrupted by an injury
Luke Shaw has been a regular in United’s line-up this season, starting every Premier League match so far in what has been a rare stretch of good health for the left-back.
While injuries have often disrupted his time at Old Trafford, Shaw had managed to put together a consistent run of games before this latest setback.
The 30-year-old was forced off in the first half with a foot injury, raising questions about his availability for the upcoming fixture against Newcastle United.
Benjamin Sesko’s magic continues to deliver
Sesko was also the difference maker against Everton, scoring the only goal in a narrow win. His run of form earned him a place in Michael Carrick’s starting lineup against Palace, his first start under the interim boss.
And he made good on that faith again. Sesko found the net once more, making it four goals in his last five Premier League matches and taking his season tally to nine.
Carrick praised Sesko after the game, telling reporters: “He’s got such a presence about him and you feel like something is going to happen.”
Crystal Palace struggles under Oliver Glasner
This was another poor result for Crystal Palace under new manager Oliver Glasner.
The Austrian boss is still looking for his first win as Palace manager. After seven games, he has two points from a possible 21 – both coming from draws against Nottingham Forest and Leicester City.
Bruno Fernandes and Dean Henderson meet again
Bruno Fernandes has been reliable from the spot since joining Manchester United in 2020, and he added another to his tally against Palace.
He was up against former teammate Dean Henderson, now Palace’s No. 1. The two players will know each other well from their time together at Carrington.
But even with that inside knowledge, Henderson went the wrong way, leaving Fernandes to celebrate another successful penalty.
Photo by Alex Dodd – CameraSport via Getty ImagesMichael Carrick and Oliver Glasner go head-to-head
The search for a new permanent manager at United is well underway, with two leading candidates squaring off at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Carrick remains the fan favourite to stay in charge, but Oliver Glasner is also reportedly in the running and will be available this summer when he leaves Palace.
Glasner praised United ahead of the game, but his hopes of landing the role took a hit after Carrick’s side came out on top in a tightly contested match. Although Palace went ahead through a set piece, Carrick’s tactical changes helped United turn things around after half-time, adding another highlight to his growing managerial résumé.