Man Utd frustrated by Palace as patchy start continues

Crystal Palace and Manchester United played out an entertaining goalless draw with chances aplenty at Selhurst Park.

United dominated from the off, controlling possession and peppering Dean Henderson’s goal with shots. The first of Henderson’s big stops came with nine minutes on the clock, when Alejandro Garnacho tried to find the bottom corner before the goalkeeper got across expertly to tip the ball around for a corner.

Just before the half-hour mark, United thought they had taken the lead when Garnacho bent an effort towards goal which cannoned off the crossbar before Bruno Fernandes’ effort from the rebound also struck the woodwork.

Erik ten Hag’s side continued to probe but without success, while United goalkeeper Andre Onana pulled off a tremendous double save in the 65th minute, saving denying Nketiah’s effort before springing back up to save Ismaila Sarr’s rebound.

Palace continued to grow into the match in the second half as the game got more stretched and 15 minutes from time Eberechi Eze missed what was arguably the biggest chance of the match, firing an effort wide of the post from point-blank range.

Palace’s search for their first win of the season goes on, but that is now five games unbeaten across all competitions (W2 D3), the challenge now for Oliver Glasner, is how to turn those draws into wins.

The search for consistency goes on for another week at Manchester United. After defeats to Brighton and Liverpool in which they shipped five goals, Ten Hag’s men then won back-to-back games across all competitions, beating Southampton 3-0 and Barnsley 7-0 in the EFL Cup and came into this match looking to continue the good work of the last two weeks and to make it three wins from three.

However, as has been the case at United for some time, they were left frustrated with their inability to come away with the result they wanted. They had more than enough chances to take the lead, especially in the first half and then as the game went on, the chances that they could have lost increased minute by minute.

This was a match United could have and really should have won but did not. The fixtures do not get any kinder in the next few weeks. In the space of a month, United will face FC Twente and Tottenham Hotspur before consecutive away matches against Porto and Aston VIlla before taking on Brentford at Old Trafford and then Fenerbahce away from home. This result is certainly one that will irk and frustrate Ten Hag and the United faithful.

The former Manchester United ‘keeper was sensational for Crystal Palace, keeping his side in the match in the first half with a string of great saves. United applied pressure on his goal throughout, having 15 shots and forcing Henderson into making seven saves, five of those coming from shots inside the box. The 27-year-old did not put a foot wrong and thoroughly earned his clean sheet.

Crystal Palace: Henderson 9, Lacroix 7, Guehi 7, Richards 7, Munoz 6, Wharton 6, Kamada 6, Mitchell 7, Nketiah 6, Eze 6, Mateta 5 Subs: Lerma 6, Sarr 6, Hughes 6, Schlupp N/A

Manchester United: Onana 8, Dalot 7, Martinez 7, De Ligt 7, Mazraoui 7, Mainoo 6, Eriksen 7, Garnacho 6, Fernandes 7, Zirkzee 7, Diallo 6 Subs: Rashford 6, Ugarte 6, Hojlund 6

9’ A FINE SAVE FROM HENDERSON! – Alejandro Garnacho with the first big chance of the match. Zirkzee finds Garnacho who tries to find the far corner but Henderson tips it around the post for a United corner.

27’ UNITED HIT THE WOODWORK TWICE IN ONE MOVE! – Erik ten Hag will be thinking how hasn’t his side scored there. Garnacho’s effort cannons back off the crossbar and Fernandes’ rebound clips the top of the bar.

44’ A HUGE CHANCE FOR PALACE! – Eberechi Eze fires an effort straight at Andre Onana. The Palace man had time and space but could only muster a tame attempt.

65’ INCREDIBLE STUFF FROM ONANA! – Andre Onana has just pulled off a remarkable double save to deny Nketiah and then Sarr with the follow up save.

73’ PALACE MISS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY! – Ismaila Sarr pulls the ball back across for Eze and all he has to do is stroke it home past Onana but somehow puts it wide of the target. He had to score that and he knows it!