Match Review : Manchester United VS Crystal Palace

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Manchester United lose to Crystal Palace for the first time in the Premier League by 2 goals to our 1. Roy Hodgson has schooled Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in a game that seemed like an absolute tap in for us, but in pure post fergie fashion we’ve absolutely messed it up. Tactically inept once again, last game we blamed it on a brilliantly organised Wolves team and gave the boys the benefit of the doubt. Today theere was no excuses. Not only did Palace beat us for the first time since 1991, they scored their first goal of this Premier League season, you really couldn’t write this stuff. Terrible performance.

Player Ratings

David De Gea : 4

David De Gea largely had nothing to do for the whole 90 minutes, but when called upon he was David the hologram of last season. De Gea wasn’t to blame for the first goal but he needs to be saving shots at his near post for the second, its goalkeeping basics and his mistake cost us points today. Poor showing from captain Dave.

Aaron Wan Bissaka : 5

Looked to me as though the occasion of playing against his former employers did get to Aaron Wan Bissaka. He did have some good moments offensively putting in crosses but on the whole didn’t show that consistent defensive strength that he has shown over previous games.

Victor Lindelof : 4

Our Iceman seemed to melt under the Manchester sun this afternoon, was absolutely bullied by Schlupp for the first goal and all in all was not composed in his passing or stepping into midfield. Lindelof’s worst performance in a while.

Harry Maguire : 6

I saw Harry Maguire get a bit of blame for the first goal as there was a massive gap between him and Lindelof as Victor went up for the header, I personlly believe that was him being slightly caught out for covering Luke Shaw on the left hand side who was injured and really should’ve come off the first time round. Showed leadership, demanding of his collegues but is still wasted in set pieces – adequate performance from Maguire.

Luke Shaw : 6

Came off injured of course but prior to that seemed like he was up for the game. Luke Shaw got into some good positions but didn’t really have long enough on the pitch to judge him.

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Scott McTominay : 6

Another steady game for McTominay for me, put in some crunching tackles and switched the play really well. Scott likes getting into attacking positions and did that to create the penalty situation. Don’t think he deserved more than a 6, as at the end of the day he was a midfielder for Manchester United who lost at Old Trafford to Palace but he did play well.

Paul Pogba : 6

Paul Pogba did well today, I don’t think he was to blame for the lack of creativity I think that blame lies with the manger. Pogba was put in that quarter back deep lying role where I think he’s wasted but he played the role well.

Jesse Lingard : 3

To be honest I for one am sick of the rhetoric going round at the moment that Jesse Lingard does more on a football pitch than meets the naked eye. He is visibly poor poor at the moment, like the Wolves game we rely on him for an attacking creative outlet and like the Wolves game Lingard has failed to deliver. Was rightly substituted 10 minutes into the second half and I think he needs some time on the bench to buck up his ideas.

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Daniel James : 7

Hands down the best player on the pitch for both sides. Felt he faded quickly in the first half but came out the second with a renewed impetus. Again, he wasn’t protected by the referee and is unfairly gaining a diving reputation but what a way to bite back and stick one into the top corner of the stretford end. He did get some criticism for celebrating his goal and not getting the ball, this is a 21 one year old that was going on loan to Shrewsbury Town a year and a half ago because he couldn’t get into the Swansea team, he has every right to celebrate scoring a goal for Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Anthony Martial : 6

An archer will not hit his target without arrows, a gunman cannot shoot his target without bullets and Anthony Martial cannot score without service. Anthony Martial was taken down a couple of times. One Cahill should have been sent off and the other he should have won a penalty but Paul Tierney had a terrible game. Hope Martials injury is not a serious one.

Marcus Rashford : 5

Rashford is still going through his “I am the second coming of Cristiano” phase. I dont think his freekicks were too bad given their angles and positions but there was one occasion where he just shot out of nowhere instead of keeping possesion which was unforgivable. He missed a penalty today which I’m sure is going to be on the front pages given the fallout last week. Marcus Rashford was not great today.

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Substitutions

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Mason Greenwood : 6

Not too dissimilar to Martial, Mason was starved of the ball when he came on. It really did highlight our lack of creativity behind the forward 4 as Greenwood was completely ignored. Mason Greenwood did not impact the game as well as I would have liked.

Ashley Young : 6

Ashley Young came on the pitch and did not put a foot wrong when he came on for Luke Shaw but he did miss a chance where he misread a beautiful a cross from Wan Bissaka.

Juan Mata : N/a

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Dissapointing today, I have to put blame on the manager for the lack of creativity but then again he is not on the pitch to score penalties. Perhaps our “one dimensional” play needed spicing up with a different option. The worst thing Ole did today was start Lingard every man and his dog and her pups could have told you that Lingard is out of form, the sooner Angel Gomes gets games the better. Manchester United have been beaten by Crystal Palace at home…. thats not sinking in any time soon.