CRYSTAL PALACE 2, MANCHESTER UNITED 3
Nemanja Matic’s injury time rocket sealed a brilliant comeback for Manchester United who overturned a 2-0 deficit to beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and retake second place in the Premier League.
Jose Mourinho’s touchline slip late in a remarkable game at Selhurst Park seemed to sum up Manchester United’s dreadful day in South London but the United boss was soon smiling after Matic chose the perfect time to open his account for the Reds.
Goals by Andros Townsend and Patrick Van Aanholt early in both halves put the Reds on the back foot and despite Chris Smalling’s header halving the deficit before Romelu Lukaku levelled matters and Nemanja Matic’s injury time winner deflated the home side after United finally seemed to show some of that old United spirit in the last quarter of the game as the shackles came off.
United owed the result to a world class save from David De Gea to prevent Christian Benteke from retaking the lead for the Eagles after Lukaku’s equaliser, allowing the Reds to earn their first comeback win from a 2 goal deficit since December 2013 at Hull.
It also marked the first time in 22 Premier League games that a Mourinho team had overcome a two goal deficit.
With Manchester City’s lead cut to 16 points as United reclaimed second place off Liverpool, the Reds could put even more daylight between them and the Merseysiders after the two sides meet this Saturday at Old Trafford.
Mourinho made just one change from the side that beat Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford last week, with match winner Jesse Lingard starting at the expense of Anthony Martial who was not involved at all at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace take the lead against sluggish Manchester United
Crystal Palace were in the lead after just 11 minutes of harassing the Reds when Andros Townsend capped a fine start for the Eagles after Christian Benteke squared the ball to him and his shot went in off Victor Lindelof – the deflection gave David De Gea no chance to move.
United were rattled and Palace continued to examine the Reds defence with excellent work-rate by Bentake and Sorloth keeping them on the back foot.
United were thwarted in their attempts to hit back bay some wayward passing by Paul Pogba, who was poor under pressure from the Palace players, while Romelu Lukaku was denied after some close attention from Patrick van Aanholt.
Alexander Sorloth had already tested De Gea soon after Townsend’s goal and almost broke free from Nemanja Matic shortly before half time but was penalised for fouling the Serbian.
The game needed new blood as far as United were concerned and Marcus Rashford replaced Scott McTominay who was at least trying to give a good account of himself in the first period.
And Rashford added some more electricity to the United attack, almost creating a shooting opportunity shortly after the restart with a driving run but for a last-ditch tackle by the Palace right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
But it was Palace who scored next, with Van Aanholt scoring in the 48th minute after De Gea was left exposed following Jeff Schlupp’s quickly taken free kick with Chris Smalling trying to claim offside.
The Reds hit back quickly but leave it late for Nemanja Matic winner
Set pieces were starting to cause problems for Palace and Smalling made amends for his earlier error with a header to convert Antonio Valencia’s cross and put the Reds back into the game in the 55th minute after James Tomkins played everyone onside.
Benteke sent a header wide after beating Smalling in the air to Van Aanholt’s cross while Wayne Hennessey wasn’t tested by Pogba’s curling effort.
With the game finely poised Mourinho threw on Luke Shaw and Juan Mata, with both United full backs – Valencia and Ashley Young – making way as Palace began to believe in three priceless points.
Palace’s work rate saw them into the final quarter of the game but they were starting to drop deep as the game became more aerial with United piling on the pressure.
Goal-line technology saw Palace save themselves from a certain Matic goal after his fierce effort was cleared off the line by Benteke 16 minutes from time.
Palace couldn’t hold out, and Sanchez hit the crossbar and the rebound fell to Lukaku who was given plenty of time to feint several times before picking his spot in the 76th minute to beat Hennessey.
A full United come-back was by no means certain as shortly afterwards De Gea’s magnificent one-handed save prevented Palace from retaking the lead from a Benteke header shortly afterwards in the see-saw encounter.
James McArthur dawdled in front of goal, wasting a golden shooting chance with a heavy first touch after Sorloth had put a cross in.
It came to stoppage time with Palace on their knees, and Matic finally blew the doors off the Palace bus with a left footed rocket that flew past Hennessey to win the points for United with his first goal in a Red shirt.