“To be honest, I don’t want to play against him because I know how aggressive he was against Southampton… He’s every attackers’ nightmare”: Crystal Palace best player reveals ONE Man United player he won’t like to play against
Manchester United are gearing up to secure their third consecutive victory across all competitions as they travel to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace in a Premier League match this Saturday evening. This fixture holds added significance for United, as they seek to avenge their devastating 4-0 defeat at the same venue towards the end of last season.
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, are struggling to find their footing in the early stages of this Premier League campaign. Under the leadership of Oliver Glasner, the Eagles have yet to claim a victory, with their tally standing at just two points from the opening four games. These points came from draws against Chelsea and Leicester City, leaving Palace among a group of six teams that are still winless this season.
After suffering back-to-back losses in their first two matches—against Brentford and West Ham United—Palace managed to gain a valuable point with a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in their match against Chelsea just before the international break. They continued their habit of grinding out draws in their next game, coming from behind to snatch a 2-2 result at home against Leicester City. In that match, goals from Leicester’s Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi had given the Foxes the upper hand, but Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta scored twice in the second half, including a dramatic 92nd-minute penalty, to salvage a point.
Since then, Palace’s spirits have been lifted by their progress in the EFL Cup. On Tuesday night, they secured a 2-1 victory against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road, with goals from summer signing Eddie Nketiah and former QPR player Eberechi Eze sealing the win. This followed another emphatic EFL Cup performance earlier in the competition, where they thrashed Norwich City 4-0 in the second round. Now, Palace will look to bring their EFL Cup form into the Premier League as they prepare to face a Manchester United side that dominated them last season with an aggregate scoreline of 5-0 over two matches.
Manchester United’s start to the 2024-25 season was anything but smooth. Consecutive Premier League defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool left manager Erik ten Hag under considerable pressure heading into the international break. However, things seem to have taken a turn for the better, with United now riding high on confidence after back-to-back victories by an impressive aggregate score of 10-0. Last weekend, they secured a comfortable 3-0 win against Southampton in the Premier League, which they followed up with a resounding 7-0 demolition of Barnsley in the EFL Cup on Tuesday night.
United’s recent upturn in form has been highlighted by the performances of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, who both netted three goals over the two games, with each scoring twice in the rout of Barnsley. Christian Eriksen also added two goals, while Antony got on the scoresheet as well, helping Manchester United sail into the fourth round of the EFL Cup.
Despite these commanding wins, Manchester United supporters are cautious about getting too excited just yet. While defeating a League One team and a newly-promoted Premier League side is certainly positive, these victories have mostly served to provide a much-needed boost in morale for Ten Hag’s squad. With a busy fixture list ahead—including five matches over a 16-day span in both the Premier League and the Europa League—the recent wins come at a crucial time for the club.
Heading into the weekend, Manchester United sit 10th in the Premier League standings, and one issue they must address is their poor form away from home, especially in London. The Red Devils have won just two of their last 16 Premier League games in the capital. To put it into perspective, since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, United have lost as many matches (10) in London as they did in 118 such games during Ferguson’s remarkable 26-year reign.
As both teams prepare for this highly anticipated clash, Manchester United will be looking to continue their momentum, while Crystal Palace will aim to translate their cup success into league points.
