Report & Highlights: 10-man Palace defeated at Old Trafford

Despite dominating large stretches of the first-half, and taking an early lead through Maxence Lacroix’s fourth-minute header, a contentious red card for the defender early in the second-half turned the game on its head.

Bruno Fernandes subsequently equalised for United from the spot moments before Benjamin Sesko thumped home a header to leave Palace – who nevertheless put in a spirited display – without anything to show for their valiant efforts.

Summary:

• One change for Palace after midweek European win, as Johnson replaces Guessand.
• 5 – GOAL: Lacroix nods the Eagles in front from a corner following a bright start.
• 12: Lammens beats an effort away from Sarr at the near post as Palace dominate.
• 31: Maguire gets free from a corner and heads wide via deflection off Sarr.
• 38: Henderson denies Sesko as the hosts begin to dominate possession.
• 42: The goalkeeper then makes a spectacular save from Fernandes’ 30-yard free-kick.
• 43: Casemiro heads wide for United from a set-piece.
• HT: Man Utd 0-1 Palace
• 47: Canvot produces vital block from Sesko as Man Utd begin the second-half on the attack.
• 51: Strand Larsen flashes an effort wide from Mitchell’s low pull-back.
• 56 – Red card: Lacroix is sent off for a last-man foul on Matheus Cunha.
• 57 - Goal: Fernandes converts the subsequent penalty.
• 64: Sarr’s firm effort is well held by Lammens.
• 65 – Goal: Sesko heads the hosts in front for the first time.
• 74: Henderson keeps out Casemiro’s volley at point-blank range.
• 88: The Eagles dominate late possession but cannot force an opening.
• 90+3: The goalkeeper prevents Amad from scoring a late wondergoal.
• FT: Man Utd 2-1 Palace

The meeting at Old Trafford brought together two teams in resurgent form: the Red Devils, under Michael Carrick, were on a 10-match unbeaten streak and topped the Premier League form table, whilst Oliver Glasner’s Palace had won two important matches back-to-back with clean sheets, having lost just one in their last six.

With six days’ rest as opposed to Palace’s three, neutrals might have expected the home team to have more energy from the off – but the opening quarter of the game well and truly belonged to the Eagles.

The early danger all stemmed from Glasner’s side, with Tyrick Mitchell finding plenty of room on the left flank after some fine footwork in midfield from Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada – the No. 3 duly won an early corner.

In came a high, hanging delivery towards the far post from Kamada and Maxence Lacroix – a fitness doubt ahead of kick-off, but fresh from opening the scoring three days earlier – rose to head it back across goal from some distance out.

There was a long way for the ball to travel – but travel it did, up and over the crowded area and, gloriously, dropping in at the far post to give Palace a fully-deserved early advantage.

The hosts were shellshocked by Palace’s brilliant start – and the Eagles simply dominated inside the opening quarter of the game, winning what felt like every fifty-fifty, every duel and every loose ball, much to the frustration of the Old Trafford crowd.

Ismaïla Sarr was next to go close after 12 minutes, playing a sharp exchange of passes with Daniel Muñoz on the right flank, driving into the box and hitting it goalwards from a tight angle. Senne Lammens found the strike too hot to handle and duly beat the ball away with both gloves.

The following spell saw United begin to increasingly dominate possession but Palace hold firm, the Eagles throttling the hosts’ attack to a series of increasingly forced crosses.

It was only in the last 15 minutes of the half that United created any real danger, with Harry Maguire escaping his marker to meet Bryan Mbeumo’s corner – but Sarr well-positioned to block behind, and Henderson likely to have the effort covered nevertheless.

With half-time approaching, the Palace ‘keeper and captain was twice called upon: first to comfortably claim Benjamin Sesko’s towering header, and then more spectacularly to tip over Bruno Fernandes’ curling free-kick from 30 yards.

Casemiro was next to go close for the team in red from a set-piece – but Palace rode out the brief danger and deservedly went in at half-time with the lead.

When the second-half started, however, it was Carrick’s side with the greater momentum, and only a fine Jaydee Canvot block stopped Sesko’s goalbound strike from threatening the goal in the opening seconds.

Palace did threaten too, with a sharp counter seeing Mitchell put the ball in a dangerous area for Jørgen Strand Larsen to hit first time. The striker had to arch his run to meet the ball’s trajectory, and on his weaker foot, bent it wide of the upright.

But as can so often prove the case in the Premier League, one passage of play then completely changed the trajectory of the game.

With Fernandes poking a ball through and Cunha turning on the edge of the box, Lacroix was judged to be holding the attacker – a foul which referee Christopher Cavanagh, after a lengthy review with VAR, deemed to continue into the area.

Lacroix was shown a straight red card for a professional foul, and Fernandes stepped up to send Henderson the wrong way from the spot – and bring the game level.

With a one-man disadvantage, Palace’s task suddenly became monumentally more difficult – but Sarr did test Lammens’ handling with a sharp turn and fierce shot from 25 or so yards.

On 65 minutes, the ever-increasing waves of red pressure did, sadly, tell. Fernandes stood a cross up into the centre of the box, and in-form United forward Sesko attacked it with relish, getting across his man to glance into the far bottom corner, Henderson with no chance of keeping it out.

At that point, it looked like the hosts might run away with it – with Henderson heavily involved in keeping out efforts from distance from Cunha and substitute Amad Diallo.

He also produced a fine point-blank save from Casemiro’s cushioned volley, after the Brazilian drifted into space at the back post and guided it back across goal.

Yet Palace plugged away and, with the home crowd increasingly anxious, worked the ball into some decent positions; one Will Hughes effort from the edge of the box could have gone anywhere, but sadly rebounded clear of the box.

Henderson continued to be busy as Palace committed resources forwards in search of an equaliser, and produced one particularly impressive stoppage-time save to keep out Amad’s rocket from distance.

But in the end, despite a strong end to the game, the Eagles suffered a hard-to-take defeat at Old Trafford.

Man Utd: Lammens (GK), Dalot, Maguire (Heaven, 85), Yoro, Shaw (Mazraoui, 24), Casemiro, Mainoo, Mbeumo (Zirkzee, 85), Fernandes, Cunha, Sesko (Amad, 75).

Subs: Bayindir (GK), Malacia, Moorhouse, Fletcher, Ugarte.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Richards, Lacroix, Canvot, Muñoz, Wharton (Hughes, 68), Kamada (Pino, 85), Mitchell, Johnson (Riad, 58), Strand Larsen (Guessand, 58), Sarr.

Subs: Benítez (GK), Clyne, Sosa, Devenny, Uche.

As It Happened