For so much of this fixture Manchester United were simply abject and yet they somehow managed to turn it around to snatch a vital victory in injury-time.
It was desperately cruel on relegation-threatened Crystal Palace who could not hold on long enough to their two-goal advantage with Nemanja Matic scoring a wonderful half-volley from 25 yards to claim the improbable result.
A statement in terms of result but not in performance as they played for so long as colourlessly as their grey third strip.
It was another poor display by Paul Pogba and quite where Alexis Sanchez was playing was unfathomable and yet the record books will show that United won and, for now, that is what matters. But they still play like a team of individuals.
It was desperately cruel on relegation-threatened Crystal Palace who could not hold on long enough to their two-goal advantage with Nemanja Matic scoring a wonderful half-volley from 25 yards to claim the improbable result.
It lifts United back up to
second place and with a nine-point gap over fifth-placed Chelsea they
made an emphatic statement about qualifying for the Champions League.
It was another poor display by Paul Pogba and quite where Alexis Sanchez was playing was unfathomable and yet the record books will show that United won and, for now, that is what matters. But they still play like a team of individuals.
Under the
lights it was a raucous start by Palace and it got even louder. They
scored. It came as Luka Milovojevic slid the ball to Christian Benteke
who checked and rolled it across the face of the penalty area where it
was met by Andros Townsend with a first-time, left-footed shot. The ball
took a heavy deflection off Victor Lindelof, wrong-footing David De Gea
and flew high into the net. If that was unlucky for United then it
certainly was not unfortunate that Townsend had not been tracked by Paul
Pogba and had been left free while Lindelof had turned his back on the
shot.
Palace were depleted. Injuries are hitting them hard and they are haunted by the statistic that without their talisman, and former United forward, Wilfried Zaha they just do not win. Zaha was absent again as he works his way towards fitness but suddenly, improbably also, Palace had something to cling on to. It was also the first time they had ever led United in a Premier League game.
But there was a long way to go and even before they scored Palace could have conceded as United went close as
Romelu Lukaku headed on, Alexis Sanchez flicked on and another header, this time by Jesse Lingard as he ran into the area, was blocked by Wayne Hennessey at close-range. The ball rebounded off the goalkeeper’s face and away.
At the back United were vulnerable and almost conceded again from a routine corner which James McArthur met at the near post. However the midfielder got his body shape wrong and the ball thudded off his chest when he appeared set to head it past De Gea. Soon after the goalkeeper fielded a low shot by Alexandar Sorloth after he too easily out-muscled Nemanja Matic.
Palace were depleted. Injuries are hitting them hard and they are haunted by the statistic that without their talisman, and former United forward, Wilfried Zaha they just do not win. Zaha was absent again as he works his way towards fitness but suddenly, improbably also, Palace had something to cling on to. It was also the first time they had ever led United in a Premier League game.
But there was a long way to go and even before they scored Palace could have conceded as United went close as
Romelu Lukaku headed on, Alexis Sanchez flicked on and another header, this time by Jesse Lingard as he ran into the area, was blocked by Wayne Hennessey at close-range. The ball rebounded off the goalkeeper’s face and away.
At the back United were vulnerable and almost conceded again from a routine corner which James McArthur met at the near post. However the midfielder got his body shape wrong and the ball thudded off his chest when he appeared set to head it past De Gea. Soon after the goalkeeper fielded a low shot by Alexandar Sorloth after he too easily out-muscled Nemanja Matic.
United
dominated possession but it was too slow, too pedestrian. Sanchez
attempted to provide some impetus, and scooped a clever ball through to
Lukaku, who was unbalanced by Patrick Van Aanholt, but he soon showed
his frustration. As usual Sanchez began to waves his arms.
In the dugout Jose Mourinho slumped back in his seat. His frustration, also, was evident with passes over-hit, especially by Pogba, as attack after attack broke down before a half-chance opened up for Lingard who dragged his shot wide.
As disjointed as United were it still felt like a long time for Palace to hold out, despite the relentless backing of their supporters who sensed a famous, precious result as their team desperately fight against relegation. And yet they reached the harbour of half-time still ahead.
In the dugout Jose Mourinho slumped back in his seat. His frustration, also, was evident with passes over-hit, especially by Pogba, as attack after attack broke down before a half-chance opened up for Lingard who dragged his shot wide.
As disjointed as United were it still felt like a long time for Palace to hold out, despite the relentless backing of their supporters who sensed a famous, precious result as their team desperately fight against relegation. And yet they reached the harbour of half-time still ahead.
Mourinho’s fury was obvious. He returned to the dug-out for the second-half long before his team re-emerged and he took off Scott McTominay
for Marcus Rashford but United fell further behind. It was a shocking
goal to concede as they were penalised for a foul on Benteke but simply
failed to react as Jeffrey Schlupp took a quick free-kick to release Van
Aanholt. He ran on, clear on goal, and thumped a shot past a
wrong-footed De Gea and inside the near post. What were United doing?
Matic had committed the foul and had turned to the referee, Neil
Swarbrick, and Chris Smalling stood dawdling. Mourinho fumed.
Smalling had to redeem himself and quickly claimed a goal back as he reached Antonio Valencia’s cross, after a corner was only half-cleared and steered a header back across goal and past Hennessey as James Tomkins lazily played him onside.
Smalling had to redeem himself and quickly claimed a goal back as he reached Antonio Valencia’s cross, after a corner was only half-cleared and steered a header back across goal and past Hennessey as James Tomkins lazily played him onside.
United
threatened again with a side-footed shot from Pogba which was pushed
away by Hennessey with Mourinho throwing on Juan Mata, withdrawing
Valencia, as his team became even more attacking. Although, by now,
quite what the formation he wanted was another thing.
It was constant attacking from United with Matic denied by Benteke, with a superb goal-line clearance before a Sanchez shot took a huge, looping deflection off Martin Kelly. It struck the goal-frame and bounced back out to Lukaku who took his time before shooting low past Hennessey.
United were level but were then indebted to De Gea with a brilliant one-handed save as he clawed out a Benteke header. Just as it seemed to be destined to end in a draw Matic struck. It was tough on Palace. Very tough.
It was constant attacking from United with Matic denied by Benteke, with a superb goal-line clearance before a Sanchez shot took a huge, looping deflection off Martin Kelly. It struck the goal-frame and bounced back out to Lukaku who took his time before shooting low past Hennessey.
United were level but were then indebted to De Gea with a brilliant one-handed save as he clawed out a Benteke header. Just as it seemed to be destined to end in a draw Matic struck. It was tough on Palace. Very tough.
Hakuna maoni:
Chapisha Maoni