Erik ten Hag by no means does issues the simple method. The Manchester United supervisor had complimented Marcus Rashford’s improved perspective however dropped him to the bench after which watched his substitute, Alejandro Garnacho, fail to discover a well beyond the excellent Dean Henderson, who was impressed in opposition to his former membership.
By the point Rashford made it on to the pitch within the second half, a surprisingly off-colour Crystal Palace had lastly woken up and United wanted a superb double save from André Onana to keep away from a second successive defeat right here in opposition to Oliver Glasner’s facet.
At the least this was a much-improved show from the 4-0 debacle again in Could that was one of many low factors of final season beneath Ten Hag, with United’s defence standing agency beneath late strain.
Having praised Rashford after three objectives in his previous two appearances, it was shocking to see Garnacho most popular in United’s solely change from the win over Southampton final Saturday. Ten Hag mentioned the England ahead’s absence was “not troublesome determination as a result of now we have to rotate” as in addition they welcomed again Mason Mount and Rasmus Højlund to a powerful substitutes’ bench containing 9 internationals.
It was fairly a distinction to United’s final go to to those elements 138 days in the past once they had two goalkeepers and 4 gamers who had by no means made a senior look.
A lot has modified at Palace since that victory impressed by Michael Olise, with the France ahead having starred for his new group, Bayern Munich, in a 5-0 win over Wolfsburg on Saturday. Glasner introduced new signing Daichi Kamada into midfield to interchange the injured Cheick Doucouré, whereas Eddie Nketiah was tasked with changing Olise having opened his Palace account in opposition to QPR within the EFL Cup.
United appeared intent on choosing up the place they left off within the 7-0 thrashing of Barnsley in midweek and would have been forward within the opening quarter-hour if not for Henderson. The Palace goalkeeper, who spent eight years at Outdated Trafford, first denied Garnacho after he had been cleverly performed in by Joshua Zirkee earlier than protecting out Matthijs de Ligt’s header and a close to submit effort from Lisandro Martínez within the house of 60 seconds as Palace’s defence was caught napping.
The hosts struggled to search out any rhythm as Kobbie Mainoo and Christian Eriksen had the sting in midfield, with Glasner letting his frustrations be recognized on the touchline.
Someway they escaped when Maxence Lacroix was culpable of ball watching and allowed Diogo Dalot to feed Garnacho. His shot cannoned again off the crossbar and fell to Bruno Fernandes however the United captain’s volley into the bottom bounced up and struck nearly the identical spot.
Zirkzee was then unlucky to see the smallest of touches divert a cross from Fernandes away from Garnacho on the again submit with an open purpose gaping.
Palace mustered their first effort on course two minutes earlier than the break however Eberechi Eze may solely hearth straight at Onana.
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Glasner opted to interchange Jean-Philippe Mateta and the struggling Adam Wharton, who has been taking painkillers to deal with a groin harm, for the second half and Palace instantly appeared extra threatening. De Ligt was required to slip in to cease Eze after a superb pirouette was adopted by a sensible one-two with Nketiah.
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A flowing transfer for United began by Mainoo ended with Fernandes taking pictures simply large with the skin of his boot. The stage appeared set for Rashford when he was launched for Zirkzee simply after the hour mark but it surely was Garnacho who was subsequent to check Henderson after he was arrange by Dalot.
United had their goalkeeper to thank when Onana recovered brilliantly after saving Nketiah’s drive to cease Ismaïla Sarr’s observe up from point-blank vary when it appeared simpler for the substitute to attain.
The Senegal ahead may hardly consider his luck but it surely was his consciousness that arrange Eze minutes late, just for his shot to flash previous Onana’s submit.
Højlund was given the final quarter-hour on his return from a hamstring harm, though neither facet appeared able to find the breakthrough as Palace’s seek for a primary win of the brand new marketing campaign continues.
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