Trials, tributes and titles: everything you need to know about Man Utd

Match previews

26 Jul 2023

Crystal Palace’s League Cup campaign continues on Tuesday, 26th September (20:00 BST) at Old Trafford – and before kick-off it’s time to get the lowdown on our latest opponents…

Factfile

Manager: Erik ten Hag
Last season: 3rd
Nickname: The Red Devils
Ground: Old Trafford
Founded: 1878 (145 years ago)

What’s the story?

Erik ten Hag overcame an early blip last season to finish with great acclaim: a third place finish, Champions League qualification and two cup finals, winning the League Cup against Newcastle United at Wembley and in doing so securing United’s first trophy for five years.

He may have to do so again this season, having enjoyed a difficult start to the new campaign. Injuries have decimated pre-season plans, with Ten Hag’s side missing seven first-team players in recent meetings with Bayern Munich and Burnley, including six senior defenders.

Positives have come, however, from new centre-forward Rasmus Hojlund, who at just 20-years-old has settled in well, finding the net on his full debut against Brighton & Hove Albion – only to be denied by an earlier VAR call – and scoring at the Allianz Arena against Bayern Munich.

Man Utd’s strong home record under Ten Hag, going 31 games unbeaten stretching more than a year, came to an end against Brighton in their last match at Old Trafford, and the pressure will be on to stem the bleeding in this double-header against the Eagles.

The boss

The former Ajax manager won three consecutive league titles in the Netherlands – with a fourth denied during a COVID-curtailed season – and took the club to a Champions League semi-final, losing out on a place in the final by a last-gasp Lucas Moura winner for Tottenham.

Inside the camps

Manchester United right-back Diogo Dalot:

"Apart from the three points [last time out], I think the clean sheet [against Burnley on Saturday] brings us a little bit of extra confidence to go to the next games.

"We needed it after these last couple of games when we conceded a lot of goals and this has to build a foundation now for the next game.

"Collectively we were very good. Everybody was speaking with each other, communication, aggressive on the front foot. And I think that brings you confidence when you look to your mate and he's giving everything for you. You want to give everything for him as well.

"We are playing for Manchester United and we have to be consistent in every game. They [the media] will kill you in every direction if you don’t win games. And you could see in these last couple of weeks, it was another killing machine against us. But we fought hard.

"When we get into Carrington, the noise stays outside and we work hard. And I think we were rewarded today with these three points. But we want to keep going."

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson:

“I'm trying to think of a time in my career, the many matches I’ve had at Old Trafford, where I have been happy to go there or been thinking this is a good time to play them. Old Trafford is a bit special.

“We are talking about one of the two biggest football clubs in the world, so even though they might not be firing on all cylinders they are still going to be looking at a bench which is costing maybe several hundred million, whereas our bench might contain a few players who have not Premier League match.

“It will be a very difficult game, there’s no doubt about that. But it will be a good experience, and if those players who haven’t had a chance can get a chance, it will be good for them to show what they can do at the very top level.

“I believe enough in this team, this squad and our organisation to believe that whatever XI we choose to play, we are capable of giving Man Utd a good game.”

Read Hodgson’s thoughts in full by clicking HERE.

Transfers

Mason Mount (Chelsea)
Jonny Evans (Free)
Andre Onana (Inter Milan)
Rasmus Højlund (Atalanta)
Altay Bayindir (Fenerbahçe)
Sergio Reguilón (Tottenham Hotspur)
Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina)

The ground

Termed the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ by Sir Bobby Charlton, Old Trafford was opened in 1910 and designed by renowned architect Archibald Leach – the same man to play a part in designing Selhurst Park in 1924, as well as Anfield, Highbury, Bramall Lane, Celtic Park, Goodison Park, Ibrox, Stamford Bridge, Villa Park and countless others.

With a capacity of around 73,000, it sits behind the Camp Nou, Bernabeu, Westfalenstadion and the San Siro as the fifth-largest club stadium in Europe.

Record against Palace

From a moustachioed Don Rogers rounding Alex Stepney for five to Darren Ambrose’s Old Trafford rocket, Palace have had some famous results against the Red Devils.

While the Eagles have lost their last two visits to Old Trafford, they won twice on the spin before that and will have confidence they can get another result this time around.

Did you know?

Founded by railway workers as ‘Newton Heath LYR [Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]’ in 1878, by 1902 the club was in deep financial trouble and was served with a winding-up order. Club captain Harry Stafford searched for investment, sending his St Bernard dog Major around with a collection tin attached to his collar.

Major the dog caught the attention of local brewery magnate John Henry Davies, who was so taken by the dog he offered to buy it for his daughter, and in doing so enquired about the collection tin; he would go on to save the club.

That year, they rebranded. After considering ‘Manchester Central’ and ‘Manchester Celtic’, they settled on a new name: Manchester United.

Crystal Palace helped to fund a stained-glass tribute to Duncan Edwards in Dudley, his home town, three years after his death in the 1958 Munich air disaster. Both Palace and Brentford, and local bowling club Wren’s Nest, helped United to finance the tribute inside St Francis church, and as such as there is Palace crest alongside two depictions of Edwards.

Quite why the club became involved isn’t entirely known, beyond paying its respects. They were linked by Peter Berry, whose brother Johnny survived the crash after being treated alongside Edwards.

When Sir Matt Busby unveiled St Francis’ tribute to Edwards, he said: “These windows should keep alive his name forever, and they will shine always.”

Match details

Tuesday, 26th September
20:00 BST
Old Trafford
Sky Sports

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