Report & Highlights: Scintillating Palace leapfrog Man Utd at Old Trafford

Summary:

• One change for Palace as Kamada comes in for Eze.
• Wharton returns to the matchday squad, starting on the bench.
• 5: Garnacho denied by last-ditch Richards tackle before Mainoo hits the post.
• 10: Muñoz heads over from Mitchell’s inviting cross.
• 15: Martinez volleys over for the hosts before Lacroix tests Onana from distance.
• 21: Mitchell’s curling effort deflects narrowly wide via Sarr’s shoulder.
• 39: Mateta runs through and dinks past Onana, but also the far post.
• HT: Man Utd 0-0 Palace
• 51: Henderson denies Fernandes with excellent plunging save.
• 54: Palace ‘keeper then blocks from Ugarte after a Man Utd set-piece.
• 61 – GOAL: Mateta scrambles home rebound after Lacroix heads against the bar.
• 76: Lerma’s far-post header trickles wide from another Palace free-kick.
• 86: The hosts pile on late pressure with a series of corners, but Palace hold firm.
• 88: Wharton makes return from injury off the bench.
• 89 – GOAL: Muñoz runs clear and squares for Mateta to side-foot home clincher.
• 90+2: Guéhi makes important headed intervention to preserve a clean sheet.
• FT: Man Utd 0-2 Palace

Palace were bolstered ahead of the match by the surprise inclusion of Ebere Eze on the bench, after manager Oliver Glasner – having initially suggested he would miss the trip – confirmed the No. 10 had trained well enough on Saturday to be included.

In the build-up to the match, Glasner had recalled the last time he had met Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim with Eintracht Frankfurt, recalling how both managers had set up with similar systems and desires to attack the game.

So the case proved inside the opening quarter of the match as two attacking sides traded clear chances.

It was the hosts who made the brighter start, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo linking up threateningly and both going close inside the opening five minutes.

The Argentine was first to come close after Mainoo had picked him out inside the six-yard box with a square pass, but Chris Richards dove in superbly to block for Palace.

Seconds later, it was Garnacho to Mainoo, who this time evaded a tackle but – shovelling an effort goalwards – found himself denied by an outstanding fingertip save by Dean Henderson, who appeared to get the faintest of touches to the ball to turn it onto the base of the post.

Five minutes later, it was Palace’s turn to come close: after a promising spell of possession, the ball went wide to Tyrick Mitchell, whose hanging cross was met by Daniel Muñoz on the move at the far post. His header across goal appeared destined for the top corner, but sailed agonisingly wide of the mark.

The chances kept flowing – next for United, as Lisandro Martínez’s volleyed effort was blocked at close range by a Palace body; and then for Palace, with Maxence Lacroix’s bouncing strike from distance beaten away by Andre Onana in goal.

As the first-half wore on, Palace were creating the better of the opportunities, and after Daichi Kamada was initially forced wide from a through ball, his lay-off to Mitchell saw the No. 3 curl inches wide of the far post – via a nick off Ismaïla Sarr on the way through.

Just before the interval, Mateta had the chance of the half, racing onto Jefferson Lerma’s inch-perfect slide-rule pass but – after beating Onana with his clipped left-footed finish – seeing the ball land and spin fractions wide of the upright.

When the play resumed for the second-half, it followed a similar enough pattern, with the hosts beginning the brighter: Bruno Fernandes tested Henderson with a first-time strike from the edge of the box which the Palace ‘keeper beat behind with both fists, before blocking from Manuel Ugarte from close range with his legs.

The hour mark prompted the introduction of Eze from the bench for Palace – and his impact was immediate.

Given the chance to take a deep free-kick, his lofted delivery towards the far post found Lacroix peeling round the back. The defender’s initial header was lofted superbly over Onana, but hit the bar – and with the ball bouncing down, Mateta scrambled home the rebound for his fifth goal in as many Premier League matches in 2025.

It was no less than Palace deserved for creating the better opportunities – and whilst the hosts continued to fire efforts goalwards from range, Amad seeing one fly over the bar, they ultimately failed to test Henderson in the next passage of play.

Indeed, Palace could have gone two ahead with 15 minutes remaining after an almost identical set-piece from Eze found Lerma rising high at the far post – but his header across goal ran all the way across the Man Utd goal, and beyond it.

A series of late United corners put the Palace goalmouth under sustained pressure for the first time in the second-half, but the Eagles held firm with several important headed clearances, and some commanding punches and claims by Henderson.

The afternoon got even better for Palace in the closing stages: Adam Wharton came on in the final minute for his first involvement since 30th October, after recovering from a groin injury.

And seconds later, Sarr played an inch-perfect pass round the corner for Muñoz, who unselfishly lifted his head and squared the ball for Mateta to fire home a clincher.

There was even time for a crucial Guéhi intervention in front of goal to secure Palace’s third consecutive clean sheet on the road, and extend our club-record unbeaten run on the road to eight Premier League matches.

Sunday afternoons rarely come much better.

Man Utd: Onana (GK), Mazraoui (Zirkzee, 70), Yoro, Maguire, Martinez (De Ligt, 82), Dalot, Ugarte (Eriksen, 87), Fernandes, Mainoo (Hojlund, 70), Amad, Garnacho.

Subs: Bayindir (GK), Harrison (GK), Lindelof, Casemiro, Collyer.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Richards, Lacroix, Guéhi, Muñoz, Lerma, Hughes (Wharton, 88), Mitchell (Clyne, 88), Kamada (Eze, 61), Sarr (Devenny, 90+6), Mateta.

Subs: Turner (GK), Kporha, Schlupp, Esse, Nketiah.

As It Happened