(Football news) Manchester United will be seeking revenge against the Eagles after they suffered a heavy 4-0 loss at Selhurst Park in May of last season.
Crystal Palace are one of six Premier League teams who remain winless after four fixtures so far this season, with Oliver Glasner’s men collecting just two points in draws against Chelsea and Leicester City.
After losing their opening two top-flight matches to Brentford and West Ham United, Palace picked up a respectable point in a 1-1 draw at Chelsea prior to the international break, before coming from behind again to rescue a 2-2 home draw with Leicester last weekend.
Goals from Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi had initially put the Foxes in control, but Jean-Philippe Mateta rediscovered his shooting boots with a second-half brace, including a 92nd-minute equaliser from the penalty spot, to salvage a point for the Eagles.
Glasner’s men have since punched their ticket to the fourth round of the EFL Cup after beating Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at Loftus Road on Tuesday night, courtesy of goals either side of half time from summer signing Eddie Nketiah and former Hoops star Eberechi Eze.
Palace have impressed in the EFL Cup this term – also beating Norwich City 4-0 at home in the second round – and will hope to transfer that form over to the Premier League, starting with Saturday’s clash against a Manchester United side whom they beat both home and away last season by an aggregate score of 5-0.
Manchester United’s start to the 2024-25 campaign was far from ideal, with back-to-back Premier League losses to Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool putting manager Erik ten Hag under pressure once again heading into the international break.
However, Manchester United have since turned a corner and are in buoyant mood after winning their last two matches by an aggregate score of 10-0, following up a 3-0 Premier League win at Southampton last weekend with a thumping 7-0 demolition of Barnsley in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho both scored three goals across those two victories, including two goals each against League One outfit Barnsley, while Christian Eriksen (also two) and Antony were also on the scoresheet to help Manchester United cruise into the EFL Cup fourth round.
Manchester United fans should not get too carried away with beating a third-tier side and a newly-promoted Premier League team, but successive wins have given Ten Hag’s squad a much-needed morale boost ahead of a busy fixture schedule, with five games to prepare for in a 16-day period in the top flight and Europa League.
Sitting 10th in the Premier League table, Manchester United head into Saturday’s clash with Crystal Palace with a dismal away record against London clubs, winning just two of their last 16 in the Premier League, losing as many games (10) in the capital since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement as they had in 118 such matches during the legendary manager’s 26-year tenure.
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