Manchester United came from behind to edge Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday in Premier League Round 28, a result that consolidates Michael Carrick’s side in third place. An early strike from Maxence Lacroix stunned the hosts, but a second-half penalty from Bruno Fernandes and a composed finish by Benjamin Šeško completed the turnaround after the break. United’s superior control of the ball and Palace’s red card for Lacroix on 56' ultimately tilted a tight contest in favour of the Champions League chasers.
First half analysis
Crystal Palace stunned Old Trafford almost immediately. On 4', Maxence Lacroix put the visitors ahead with a clinical finish, finishing a move created by Brennan Johnson’s assist. That early breakthrough allowed Glasner’s side to settle into their 3-4-2-1 shape and protect the lead.
The visitors picked up the first booking on 6', when Daichi Kamada was shown a yellow card for a foul, underlining Palace’s willingness to disrupt United’s rhythm. Carrick was forced into an early change on 24', with Luke Shaw going off and Noussair Mazraoui coming on at left-back, a like-for-like adjustment that preserved the 4-2-3-1 structure.
United’s frustration showed before the interval. Diogo Dalot went into Chris Kavanagh’s book on 36' for a foul, as the home side struggled to turn territory into clear openings. Palace reached half-time 1–0 up, having capitalised on their one big early moment and then managed the game well enough to protect the advantage.
Second half & tactical shifts
The second half swung decisively on a chaotic spell just before the hour. Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson was booked for time wasting on 49', a sign of how content Glasner’s men were to slow the game with their lead intact.
On 55', VAR confirmed a penalty for Manchester United, with Matheus Cunha at the centre of the incident as the awarded spot-kick was upheld. Just a minute later, Palace’s situation deteriorated further: Lacroix, their goalscorer, was sent off on 56' for a professional foul as the last man, leaving the visitors down to ten.
United made the numerical advantage count almost immediately. On 57', Fernandes converted the penalty, sending Henderson the wrong way to level the match at 1–1 and swing the momentum firmly towards the hosts.
Glasner reacted on 58' with a double substitution, clearly rebalancing after the red card: Brennan Johnson made way for Evann Guessand in attack, while Jørgen Strand Larsen was replaced by defender Chadi Riad, a move that suggested a shift towards shoring up the back line and surviving with ten men. It did not hold for long. On 65', Šeško struck what proved to be the winner, finishing a normal goal after being set up by Fernandes, who added an assist to his earlier penalty.
Palace sought fresh legs in midfield on 68', with Adam Wharton going off and Will Hughes coming in to add experience and defensive nous. Carrick then turned to his bench to manage energy and protect the lead: Šeško departed on 75', replaced by forward Amad Diallo, a like-for-like change up front; Harry Maguire came off on 85' for defender Ayden Heaven, reinforcing the back line; and Bryan Mbeumo was withdrawn on 86' for Joshua Zirkzee, giving United a different profile in the attacking line.
Glasner’s final throw of the dice came on 85', with Kamada replaced by Yéremy Pino to inject attacking quality despite being a man down. The closing stages remained competitive, and Heaven picked up a yellow card on 89' for a foul, but United saw out the remaining minutes to secure the win.
Statistical deep dive
Across the 90 minutes, United controlled 61% of the ball, while Palace conceded possession with 39%. That dominance was reflected in the passing numbers: United completed 523 of 609 passes at 86% accuracy, comfortably outplaying Palace’s 303 accurate passes from 398 (76%). With an extra player for over half an hour, United were able to circulate the ball and keep Palace pinned back.
In attack, the hosts’ superiority was even clearer. United produced 20 total shots, with 11 on target, compared to Palace’s 8 efforts and just 3 on goal. The expected goals figures underline the same story: United generated 2.12 xG to Palace’s 0.38, suggesting the 2–1 scoreline was a fair reflection of chance quality. Henderson’s 9 saves kept Palace in the contest, while Senne Lammens needed only 2 stops at the other end.
Discipline was relatively balanced but decisive. United committed 13 fouls to Palace’s 12 and both sides collected two yellow cards. The crucial difference was Lacroix’s red card for a last-man professional foul, a turning point that shifted the game’s tactical landscape and allowed United to sustain pressure until the breakthrough came.
Standings & implications
The victory strengthens Manchester United’s grip on third place in the Premier League. They move to 51 points with a goal difference of +12 after 28 matches (14 wins, 9 draws, 5 defeats), maintaining their “Promotion – Champions League (League phase)” trajectory and extending an impressive “WWDWW” run of form. At Old Trafford, they now boast 9 wins from 14 home games.
For Crystal Palace, the defeat leaves them 14th on 35 points with a goal difference of -4 (9 wins, 8 draws, 11 losses). Their recent “LWLWD” pattern reflects an inconsistent mid-table side: still comfortably above the relegation battle, but lacking the sustained form to threaten the European places.
