One of the most memorable victories of Crystal Palace’s fantastic end to 2023-24 was their 4-0 home triumph over Manchester United. They have failed to carry that momentum over into this season, and are still looking for their first league win of the campaign as they welcome the Red Devils to Selhurst Park.
Palace Await Liftoff
After losing their first two Premier League games, a well-earned draw at Stamford Bridge looked like a step in the right direction for the Eagles. That was perhaps a false dawn, though, as it took a stoppage-time penalty to rescue a point at home to newly promoted Leicester City on Saturday.
Two successes over Championship opposition in the EFL Cup, including a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday, have at least offered some encouragement that Palace, who didn’t lose as many key players as expected in the summer, can rediscover their spring form.
New arrival Eddie Nketiah opened his account for the club at Loftus Road in midweek. There is optimism that the former Arsenal striker can be a valuable source of goals for Oliver Glasner’s side, for whom only Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta have found the net in the league thus far.
United’s Perfect 10
Manchester United fans may have feared the worst when their 3-0 home defeat by Liverpool made it back-to-back defeats heading into the international break, but their response has been excellent.
Andre Onana’s penalty save from Cameron Archer in the first half at Southampton may turn out to be a big turning point in the Red Devils’ season, as they went on to win 3-0 and eased the pressure on Erik ten Hag.
The subsequent 7-0 thrashing of League One Barnsley won’t result in anyone getting carried away, but it allowed Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho - both of whom scored twice - to build on their efforts at St Mary’s.
Eagles’ Double Delight
Crystal Palace recorded their first-ever league double over Manchester United last term, as Joachim Andersen’s stunner earned them a third victory in five seasons at Old Trafford before the 4-0 in South London in May.
United went 22 league meetings unbeaten against the Eagles between 1991 and 2019, but have only picked up 11 points against Palace in 10 encounters since that run was ended.
The Red Devils' trips to London have not been particularly fruitful as of late. They have only won two of their last 16 Premier League fixtures in the capital, drawing four and losing 10.
Palace were priced at Evens for a top-half finish in the summer, but a poor start has seen those odds readjusted.
United have blown hot and cold over the last month but will hope to make it three wins on the bounce in all competitions in a city that hasn’t been kind to them this year.
Crystal Palace vs. Manchester United
1
Should Crystal Palace fail to win, it would be their first run of five league games without a victory since their eight-match winless streak at the end of 2023.
2
Manchester United’s last league win in London came last November against Fulham when Bruno Fernandes scored an injury-time winner.
3
Christian Eriksen’s two midweek goals ended a drought for the club that dated back to August 2023.
Our Betting Tip for Today
There are some uncertainties around Ten Hag’s team selection ahead of this game, particularly in forward areas where he has several in-form options. There is no doubt that Kobbie Mainoo will start though, and the best bet is for the midfielder to commit a foul and be fouled, plus Eze to be fouled.
England Duo Heavily Involved
Mainoo was given a rest for the EFL Cup outing on Tuesday night, with the 19-year-old having played all but six of Manchester United’s Premier League minutes this term.
He will return to the fold and in all likelihood get the full 90 at Selhurst Park, so I’m comfortable basing a bet builder around the England youngster for Saturday’s teatime kick-off.
His fouls committed numbers read 2, 2, 2, 3 this season, and he also finished the previous campaign making a foul in three consecutive games. Mainoo has also been an expert at winning free-kicks since the beginning of the campaign, with recent fouls won figures of 2, 1, 2, 4.
You have to go back to April to find the last time Eze was not fouled in a Palace match. In his six outings in all competitions this season, his fouls drawn numbers have been 4, 4, 1, 1, 2, 1.
We are offered just a touch under Evens for those three things to occur once in this encounter, which is good enough for me to pull the trigger.
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