In the Premier League’s 13th round, Manchester United secured a valuable 2–1 away win over Crystal Palace, earning their first league victory in the last four matches. With this result, United move above Palace in the standings and temporarily climb to sixth place.
Crystal Palace: United’s Recent Premier League Nemesis
Over the past two years, Crystal Palace have been something of a bogey team for Manchester United. In the previous four league meetings, Palace won three of them, each time keeping a clean sheet. United’s last Premier League victory over Palace dates back to February 2023.
Mateta Scores from the Spot, Palace Lead 1–0
Just one minute into the match, Diogo Dalot launched a long throw-in from the left. A scramble followed inside the box, with Casemiro firing a close-range shot that goalkeeper Dean Henderson reacted quickly to save.
In the 15th minute, a header from Matthijs de Ligt deflected off Yoro, allowing Mateta to break through for a one-on-one chance. However, his low strike drifted wide. Minutes later, Mbeumo was shown a yellow card for protesting a referee’s decision.
The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute. Mateta was brought down from behind by Yoro on the edge of the area, and the referee pointed to the spot. Although his first attempt found the net, VAR ruled it out for a double-touch violation.
Under the new rules, Mateta was required to retake the penalty, yet he still converted confidently, giving Palace a 1–0 lead.
In the 45th minute, de Ligt slipped and almost gifted Eddie Nketiah a one-on-one chance, but Luke Shaw raced back to make a crucial block. Palace went into halftime leading 1–0.
Zirkzee Ends Goal Drought
United equalised early in the second half. In the 54th minute, Bruno Fernandes delivered an exquisite lofted ball from a set piece. Joshua Zirkzee turned inside the box and fired in from a tight angle, making it 1–1.
This was Zirkzee’s first Premier League goal since December 1, 2024, and also the first time a United player scored against Palace in the league since September 2023.
Mount’s Low Strike Completes the Comeback
In the 63rd minute, Bruno Fernandes once again played provider. His set-piece delivery reached Mason Mount, who struck a precise low shot into the near corner, completing the comeback and giving United a 2–1 lead.
By the final whistle, Manchester United had successfully overturned the deficit. Despite not performing particularly well overall, the team capitalised on two key set-piece moments to take all three points.
The victory lifts United to sixth place in the Premier League standings and provides a significant boost to the squad’s morale.
