In the English Premier League on Monday, Manchester United suffered a devastating 4-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace.
On May 6, 2024, Manchester United’s defense faltered against Crystal Palace in an English Premier League match.
With a resounding 4-0 victory at Selhurst Park on Monday, Crystal Palace achieved a league double over Manchester United for the first time in club history thanks to two goals from Michael Olise. Erik ten Hag will be under more pressure now.
Palace often exploited a haphazard United defense, which featured Casemiro at center back. Tyrick Mitchell and Jean-Philippe Mateta also scored goals in the thrilling victory.
With 34 points from 35 games, United is still in eighth position, two points behind sixth-place Newcastle United, and their chances of playing in Europe the next season are rapidly dwindling.
Palace has 43 points after 36 games, which keeps them in 14th place.
Great worry
Bruno Fernandes was sidelined for the first time in his 230 games at Old Trafford due to injury, and United was missing a number of players due to other injuries, but the ease with which they were defeated will worry everyone at the club.
United has never lost 13 games in a season in the Premier League’s history, and the score may have even been worse.
Under new manager Oliver Glasner, Palace has regained its stride, while United is stumbling toward a season that Ten Hag can’t wait to be over.
Within twelve minutes, the home team had taken the lead, and it was far too simple. Olise received a throw, sidestepped a clumsy charge from Casemiro, and scored a low shot from barely inside the box because no United player was trying to shut him down.
Man United’s defensive shortcomings
Casemiro’s header gave United the lead, but it was disallowed when Rasmus Hojlund made contact with Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Five minutes before halftime, Mateta put the home team ahead 2-0 after dribbling past Jonny Evans, a United defender, and smashing the ball into the goal for his ninth goal in 11 games since Glasner’s arrival in February.
Prior to it, the striker had netted 11 goals in his previous 80 outings for Palace.
The home team was pressing United’s makeshift defense to keep up, and when Mitchell scored with a tap-in after Diogo Dalot mishandled a ball to the back post, they were lining up to celebrate.
Olise’s second goal compounded the damage, and the visitors could have suffered more when Odsonne Edouard’s late shot struck the woodwork.