Three things we learned as familiar Crystal Palace woes play into Manchester United hands | OneFootball

Eagles now have just one point from four Premier League games after European exploits

Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park.

Jean-Philippe Mateta had given Palace the lead at the second time of asking from the penalty spot in the first half.

However, two goals in nine second-half minutes from Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount turned the game on its head and handed United just their second away win of the season.

Standard Sport’s Sam Tabuteau was at Selhurst Park...

Eddie Nketiah missed a sitter

AFP via Getty Images

Palace again flatter to deceive in front of goal

After Palace’s 2-1 defeat to Strasbourg on Thursday, Oliver Glasner was clear: his side would need to enter the January market for attacking reinforcements.

Their five-game unbeaten run came to a startling end in Alsace, as twice Palace hit the woodwork from an open goal.

Their profligacy in front of goal has become a theme of their season, and it showed few signs of improvement here as Palace fell to their first league defeat at home this season.

Palace dominated the first half, but should have been out of sight by half-time with Jean-Philippe Mateta guilty of pulling the ball wide when put clean through after a defensive mix-up between Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro.

Mateta would eventually give Palace the lead from the penalty spot after 36 minutes, but not before the Frenchman had retaken his spot-kick after touching the ball twice from his initial effort.

Mateta’s complacency was a testament to Palace’s lack of conviction in the final third, and Eddie Nketiah’s indecision gave United another lifeline minutes later as Luke Shaw made a last-ditch tackle on the English forward after he broke free in the area.

Ismaila Sarr was then withdrawn soon after, and Glasner will hope that Palace’s top goalscorer in all competitions has not suffered a serious injury.

The Austrian does not have the options to replace the 27-year-old’s influence, and as Palace tired in the second half, their European adventures catching up to them, United took advantage and completed a remarkable comeback.

Deadline Day arrivals Yeremy Pino and Christantus Uche were supposed to provide depth in attack for Palace.

However, while Pino has begun to show glimpses of the player Palace picked up to try to fill the void left by Eberechi Eze, Uche has struggled for game time, and it looks increasingly unlikely that he will be at the club beyond this season.

Palace need to heed Glasner’s calls, particularly as his contract negotiations rumble on, by adding to their attacking options in January.

Oliver Glasner assessing Ismaila Sarr

Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire

Palace’s European hangover continues

Palace have now lost three of the four league games they have played directly after competing in the Conference League.

The Eagles’ draw with Brighton is the only point they have managed to pick up following their European exploits, and Palace’s thin squad are beginning to feel the effects of playing multiple games in a week.

Palace’s lack of depth is concerning, and Ismaila Sarr’s injury will have only added to those worries.

Regardless, the Senegal forward is set to travel to the Africa Cup of Nations next month, and Glasner needs to find a solution to his searing pace and eye for goal.

Striker Eddie Nketiah, brought on for Sarr, is the only attacking option Glasner feels truly comfortable bringing off the bench right now, and there is a distinct lack of a Plan B when opponents ask questions of Palace.

Glasner made three changes as Palace looked to move back into the top four and get back to winning ways against a United team who have won just once away from home.

However, with Daichi Kamada, Chris Richards, and Adam Wharton having all come off the bench against Strasbourg, Palace did not feel particularly refreshed, and they tired after an impressive first half performance.

As they did in Alsace, Palace let a half-time lead slip, and while they played some good stuff against United, they drifted dangerously and had no response to United’s resurgence in the second half.

Joshua Zirkzee scored his first league goal in 364 days

Manchester United via Getty Imag

Zirkzee steps up in the absence of Sesko and Cunha

Despite an ineffectual performance against Everton, the continued absence of Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha meant Joshua Zirkzee was entrusted to lead the line again for United at Selhurst Park.

The Dutchman was a passenger for much of the first half as Palace dominated, but he came alive in a split second to give the visitors a scarcely deserved equaliser after 54 minutes.

With Sesko and Cunha out injured, United need Zirkzee right now, and against one of the sternest defences in the league, he stepped up to pull United level.

Arcing his run to beat the offside, he finished superbly from an acute angle for his first goal of the season. Rumours of his departure in January may be parked for the time being.

This was not the finish of someone starting just his second game of a frustrating campaign, and Amorim will hope this is the platform for Zirkzee to push on.

United are set to lose the goals of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad next month as they head off to the Africa Cup of Nations, while Sesko is not due back from a knee injury until the middle of December.

Amorim could do with some competition for Sesko, who is still finding his feet despite a promising start to his United career. How he would love to see Zirkzee rediscover his touch in front of goal.