Match ends, Manchester United 1, Crystal Palace 3.
Wilfried Zaha scored twice against his former club as Crystal Palace condemned Manchester United to a miserable start to their Premier League campaign with victory at Old Trafford.
After Andros Townsend squeezed a seventh-minute shot into the far corner from Jeffrey Schlupp's cross, the hosts struggled badly but the game slipped away from them thanks to Zaha's controversial 74th-minute penalty.
Referee Martin Atkinson used the VAR TV monitor to decide Victor Lindelof had handled inside his own box. But, after David de Gea saved Jordan Ayew's spot-kick, Atkinson ordered a retake because the Spain international had moved off his line. Zaha took responsibility for the second attempt and made no mistake.
On his debut, Donny van de Beek pulled one back 10 minutes from time but Zaha struck again against his former club to secure a deserved victory for Palace.
It was their biggest ever win at Old Trafford, the first time they have beaten United away from home in successive seasons and means Palace have won their opening two games of a top flight season for the first time in their history.
For United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it was a horrible day. Too many of his players were off the pace, including Paul Pogba, who was replaced by Van de Beek midway through the second half.
Veteran boss, youthful team
Palace's 73-year-old boss Roy Hodgson is just five years younger than Sir Alex Ferguson, who watched this game from the directors' box.
Ferguson must have been impressed with the youthful exuberance of the Palace side. Despite conceding possession, they were by far the most inventive and gave central defensive pair Harry Maguire and Lindelof a torrid time.
Lindelof was shrugged away far too easily by Schlupp in the build-up to Townsend's goal and Ayew would have had a second for Palace before the break had it not been for De Gea's brilliant one-handed save.
That it should be Zaha whose contribution eventually proved decisive was a further painful memory for United.
Zaha was Ferguson's last signing as United boss. But the Ivory Coast international never settled at Old Trafford and was sold back to Palace in 2015.
After ending last season with a whimper, Palace could not have done better over the past fortnight and face an intriguing meeting with Everton, who have also won their opening two games, at Selhurst Park next weekend.
Where now for United?
In his programme notes, United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward spoke about the impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on football's finances.
This argument is wearing a little thin with United supporters, who have seen rivals sign players for big money while United hit a brick wall in their attempt to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund.
None of those criticisms will be silenced by this dismal fare.
Despite being given an extra week off because of their European exploits, United were flat. The spark that player of the year Bruno Fernandes brought to the United side in January was missing. Pogba was poor and guilty of too many unforced errors.
United's defence struggled badly, with Maguire and Lindelof out of position far too often, and they have now conceded first in four successive home league games.
Their best chance until Van de Beek's goal was a far-post Mason Greenwood header which the striker sent disappointingly wide.
On this evidence, it is hard to see United matching last season's third-place finish without further additions to Solskjaer's squad.
We should look at ourselves in the mirror - what they said
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: "You can see we are short and they deserved the points.
"Today was a performance you don't see very often from this group. We should look at ourselves in the mirror. Everyone knows we can perform better than this."
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "I thought that both defensively and offensively we were good.
"We made certain and kept them playing in front of us and they could not profit from those spaces they are skilful enough to find.
"And when we had the ball I thought we looked very dangerous and threatening so I don't think it was a big surprise that we scored three."
A rare opening defeat for Manchester United - the stats
- Crystal Palace have won consecutive league games away against Manchester United for the first time; they're just the second London club to win consecutively in the Premier League at Old Trafford after Tottenham in 2012-13/2013-14.
- Manchester United have lost their opening home game to a Premier League campaign for the just the third time, also losing vs Everton in 1992-93 and Swansea in 2014-15.
- Crystal Palace scored more than twice for the first time in 40 Premier League games, since beating Bournemouth 5-3 on the final day of the 2018-19 campaign.
- Palace's Zaha has scored in consecutive Premier League games for the first time since November 2019 - his two strikes were his first goal involvements in his 10th Premier League appearance against former club Manchester United.
- Crystal Palace's Townsend has already matched his Premier League goal tally from last season (one), with this his first league goal in 20 games since netting against Norwich in September 2019.
- Manchester United keeper De Gea has failed to save any of the past 18 penalties he's faced in the Premier League, last keeping one out from Everton's Leighton Baines in October 2014.
- Van de Beek became the 20th player to score on his Premier League debut for Manchester United, and the 10th of those to do so as a substitute.
What next?
Manchester United travel to Championship side Luton in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, 22 September (20:15 BST) while Crystal Palace are next in action on Saturday, 26 September when they host Everton in the Premier League (15:00).
Player of the match
ZahaWilfried Zaha
Manchester United
Avg
- Squad number34Player namevan de BeekAverage rating
5.31
- Squad number18Player nameBruno FernandesAverage rating
3.69
- Squad number1Player namede GeaAverage rating
3.47
- Squad number39Player nameMcTominayAverage rating
3.36
- Squad number11Player nameGreenwoodAverage rating
3.31
- Squad number24Player nameFosu-MensahAverage rating
3.17
- Squad number10Player nameRashfordAverage rating
3.11
- Squad number23Player nameShawAverage rating
3.11
- Squad number9Player nameMartialAverage rating
3.07
- Squad number25Player nameIghaloAverage rating
2.91
- Squad number6Player namePogbaAverage rating
2.67
- Squad number21Player nameJamesAverage rating
2.61
- Squad number5Player nameMaguireAverage rating
2.55
- Squad number2Player nameLindelöfAverage rating
2.52
Crystal Palace
Avg
- Squad number11Player nameZahaAverage rating
8.99
- Squad number10Player nameTownsendAverage rating
8.44
- Squad number15Player nameSchluppAverage rating
8.20
- Squad number22Player nameMcCarthyAverage rating
8.02
- Squad number18Player nameMcArthurAverage rating
8.02
- Squad number27Player nameMitchellAverage rating
7.99
- Squad number12Player nameSakhoAverage rating
7.94
- Squad number8Player nameKouyatéAverage rating
7.91
- Squad number2Player nameWardAverage rating
7.84
- Squad number9Player nameJ AyewAverage rating
7.79
- Squad number31Player nameGuaitaAverage rating
7.63
- Squad number25Player nameEzeAverage rating
7.62
- Squad number4Player nameMilivojevicAverage rating
7.50
- Squad number23Player nameBatshuayiAverage rating
7.44
Line-ups
Man Utd
- 1de Gea
- 24Fosu-MensahBooked at 58minsSubstituted forIghaloat 81'minutes
- 2Lindelöf
- 5MaguireBooked at 64mins
- 23Shaw
- 6PogbaSubstituted forvan de Beekat 67'minutes
- 39McTominay
- 21JamesSubstituted forGreenwoodat 45'minutes
- 18Bruno Fernandes
- 10Rashford
- 9Martial
Substitutes
- 3Bailly
- 11Greenwood
- 17Fred
- 25Ighalo
- 26Henderson
- 29Wan-Bissaka
- 34van de Beek
Crystal Palace
- 31Guaita
- 2WardBooked at 55mins
- 8Kouyaté
- 12Sakho
- 27Mitchell
- 10Townsend
- 18McArthur
- 22McCarthySubstituted forMilivojevicat 88'minutes
- 15SchluppSubstituted forEzeat 75'minutes
- 9J AyewSubstituted forBatshuayiat 81'minutes
- 11Zaha
Substitutes
- 4Milivojevic
- 7Meyer
- 13Hennessey
- 23Batshuayi
- 25Eze
- 34Kelly
- 45Inniss
- Referee:
- Martin Atkinson
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home76%
- Away24%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away5
- Corners
- Home9
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester United 1, Crystal Palace 3.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Marcus Rashford.
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Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by James McArthur.
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Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Mamadou Sakho.
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Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Luka Milivojevic.
Post update
Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace).
Post update
Foul by Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United).
Post update
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt blocked. Anthony Martial (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Bruno Fernandes.
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Attempt missed. Michy Batshuayi (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Cheikhou Kouyaté.
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Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Cheikhou Kouyaté.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Luka Milivojevic replaces James McCarthy.
Goal!
Goal! Manchester United 1, Crystal Palace 3. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Post update
Offside, Crystal Palace. Andros Townsend tries a through ball, but Wilfried Zaha is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester United. Odion Ighalo replaces Timothy Fosu-Mensah.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Michy Batshuayi replaces Jordan Ayew.
Goal!
Goal! Manchester United 1, Crystal Palace 2. Donny van de Beek (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Mason Greenwood (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Scott McTominay.
Comments
Join the conversation
Fan Of Whoever Plays Man Utd
should of would of could of
When they come up against one of the big clubs then we'll see if Palace can continue this form.
should of would of could of
BACK ON OUR PERCH
New season. Same old man u giving us all a good laugh 😂
Ole Ole Ole 😁
Rich-D
Paul Elliott
Steve 76
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Some Random Bloke
Long may this mess continue. It's the first match of the season, and Pogba already doesn't care. Sancho's transfer fee just went up £20m.
Itsonlymyopinion
Lagavulin16
What ? Was at the other end?
Atkinson and VAR should be suspended.
Tomiwa Adetola
International Rescue
Man Utd, remind us again why you sold Zaha back to Palace?
FFC2
Truth be known
Germannick
top bloke
Aoibheann
footie fan
Psychoarsenalysis
Anyone that thinks this “media overrated” team will finish in top 4 is deluded. Last season flattered (the penalties also helped). United owned by Crystal Palace 2 matches in a row!
SBandy