CRYSTAL PALACE 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 3

BY AYODELE ODUMADE AT SELHURST PARK

MANCHESTER UNITED came from behind and beat a dogged Crystal Palace side, which has never lost a two- goal, lead in any game until today. The Eagles have never managed to beat United in the Premier League but thought the came close today. However they ran out of steam. Lack of options on their bench may have also played a large part.

Palace looked bright in the early minutes of the game but in the 5^th minute the Red Devils nearly took the lead when a ball was played over the top to Jesse Lingard but Wayne Hennessey came out and smothered his header from close range.

Palace continued to attack and in the 11^th minute, Christian Benteke pulled Chris Smalling wide and played a pass back to Andros Townsend who did not break stride and hit a curler, which deflected in off Victor Lindelof to give the South Londoners the lead.

Palace kept pouring forward and De Gea had to dive low to his left to save a shot from Alexander Sorloth.  United did not appear to get into gear as passes from the likes of Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez kept going astray.  Palace led at the break.

After the break Marcus Rashford replaced Scott McTominay who was on a yellow card.  However before United could regroup Jeffrey Schlupp played a quick free kick to Patrick Van Aanholt who raced away from the United defence that was fast asleep and slotted the ball home to double Palace’s lead.

Moments later United kicked into gear.  From a corner taken by Rashford, Palace tried to clear their lines. But the ball fell to Antonia Valencia, whose cross was met by Smalling with a header that flashed past Hennessey from close range to reduce the deficit and bring United back into a game where they had been second best up till then. 

Just when Nemanja Matic thought that he had equalised with a shot, Benteke cleared the ball off the line.

United carried on pressing and Pogba forced Hennessey to make a save from a pass cum shot on the edge of the Palace box. Mourinho rolled the dice and brought Luke Shaw and Juan Mata on for Valencia and Ashley Young.

Alexis Sanchez got hold of the ball from a corner kick and hit a shot, which looped off the post via a deflection from a Palace player.  The ball fell nicely to Romelu Lukaku who adjusted himself and calmly slotted the ball home to bring United level.

Palace though just would not let the setback of losing a two-goal lead affect them or settle for a point and they remained positive and kept going forward.  A cross was flung into the United area and Christian Benteke rose like a salmon and headed the ball but David De Gea showed why is arguably the best keeper in the World and someone managed to tip the ball round the post.

As the referee raised the board showing three added minutes, United went on the attack to look for the winner with Jesse Lingard who had been switched to full back, down the right. The ball found its way to Pogba who hit a shot which fell to Matic who took a touch and belted a shot, which flashed past the helpless Wayne Hennessey and that was all she wrote!  That was Matic’s first goal for United who somehow turned the game around and can now look forward to playing Liverpool at lunchtime on Saturday.

A delighted Mourinho said: “Fantastic comeback but we made mistakes. I think the first goal was bad goal. We started the game bad. We gave the opponents space and did not press the ball. The second goal we conceded showed boys in academies that top teams can concede silly goals. But the attitude was fantastic, the quality, but you need a bit of luck as well. Palace did very very well. The keeper had to make a phenomenal save from Benteke. It is very hard for them to go home without a single point.”

Mourinho also paid tribute to Marcus Rashford. He said: “ I think Marcus was good. He immediately created dangerous situations and immediately he brought to the side attack and opened more spaces.”

He also had some words of praise for Lingard who had to move to right back when he took a gamble chasing the game. “I think what I call a crazy right back was also very important. We had to take the risk.  Lingard is a right back who can make a crazy mistake by losing his position but can also be an extra man attacking other areas. He was very aggressive.”

Roy Hodgson said: “ I saw a group of players give their all and come away with nothing for the second time in a row like they did against Tottenham last week. I am sad for them. Lukaku scores a great goal and Matic scores in stoppage time. You know you will be asked questions defensively when you have Mata, Lukaku, Rashord and Luke Shaw flying down the wing.  De Gea made a great save from Benteke. The eleven we have playing is the eleven we have.  If we can get some of the players back from the treatment room who knows?” 

It does not get any easy for Palace as their next league game is away to Chelsea as they slipped into the relegation Zone.  A rampant Liverpool side is also due to visit them on Easter Saturday.

Manchester United climbed back to second ahead of Liverpool whom they play at lunchtime on Saturday and will hope they don’t start slowly like they did in their last two games and having to come from behind to win. But crucially they moved nine points ahead of Chelsea who are in fifth and just outside the Champions League positions.