Olise scores twice as Crystal Palace trash Manchester United

A Michael Olise masterclass helped Crystal Palace complete a first ever Premier League double over Manchester United and inflict further misery on Erik ten Hag’s team with a 4-0 drubbing in south London.

Olise has been linked with a summer switch to Old Trafford and run amok at Selhurst Park with a dazzling display, scoring twice to move on to nine goals in 12 league starts this season.

Two sparkling efforts by Olise in the 12th and 66th minutes bookended this latest superb result for Oliver Glasner’s side, with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell also on target to make it four wins in five for Palace.

It was another sorry display for Ten Hag, though, with Jonny Evans and Casemiro given a torrid night.

Injury-hit United have won only two of their last 10 league matches and could be set for a lowest ever Premier League finish.

United had dropped to eighth after wins for Newcastle and Chelsea at the weekend, while the club’s injury list increased with Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes not available for this clash.

READ ALSO:

• Many injured as Police teargas Delta protesters
• Six NSCDC officers arrested over N6bn fraud
• Man, 30, stabs wife to death in Ondo

Evans was fit enough to start, but he endured a nervy opening and had to block an early Olise shot after his own poor clearance before Palace wanted a penalty when Evans challenged Mitchell in the area.

Referee Jarred Gillett, who was wearing a small camera for this fixture to help provide insight into the demands of top-level officiating, ignored the appeals.

However, Ten Hag’s side did not heed the warning of how dangerous Olise can be as he broke the deadlock in the 12th minute.

Olise skipped away from Christian Eriksen and left Casemiro sprawled on the floor by the centre circle before he drilled a shot into the bottom corner, having been given the freedom of Selhurst Park by United’s backpedalling defence

It was a wonderful effort from Olise, but one to forgot for the visitors and a sign of things to come.

Two more Olise efforts were repelled, one accidentally by his team-mate Mateta before Andre Onana saved after another fine Palace move.

A brief response occurred from United with a free-kick by Eriksen deflected over and they had the ball in the net through a Casemiro header after 27 minutes, but it was ruled out as Rasmus Hojlund had barged into Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

It looked the correct decision, although Ten Hag appeared bemused when in discussion with fourth official Graham Scott on the touchline.

Five minutes before half-time and United’s bank holiday trip to the capital went from bad to worse.

Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards combined and the latter passed into Mateta, who sped away from Evans far too easily and unleashed a powerful strike into the roof of the net for his eighth goal in nine appearances.

READ ALSO:

• Electricity customers insist on reversal of tariff increase, scorn reduction
• Chinese state linked to hacking of UK Defence Ministry
• Terrorists attack Southern Kaduna again, kill six, injure eight

United had to wait until the 51st minute to have their first shot on target, but Antony’s 22-yard curler was routine for Henderson.

Casemiro had another goal ruled out 60 seconds later when he knocked in the rebound after heading against a post. The makeshift centre-back had drifted offside before Eriksen’s free-kick.

Those fleeting forays for United only momentarily interrupted the Olise show as his skill should have resulted in a third for Palace, but Eze curled wide.

Mitchell was next to go close as Onana thwarted his near-post effort before Will Hughes had a half-volley clawed away.

United’s respite did not last long as a perfectly-weighted chipped pass by Adam Wharton found Joachim Andersen, who teed up Mitchell for a 58th-minute tap-in.

Not long after Hojlund had calls for a spot-kick turned down, Olise made it 4-0 with 24 minutes left.

Daniel Munoz was too strong for Casemiro and teed up Olise, who brilliantly curled beyond Onana from 16 yards before he celebrated with Glasner.

There would be no hat-trick for Olise as he was replaced in the 85th minute and United avoided further embarrassment in stoppage time when Odsonne Edouard hit a post on a night to remember for Palace.

Olise scores twice as Crystal Palace trash Manchester United

Boniface scores as Leverkusen continue unbeaten season with 5 -1 win at Frankfurt

Victor Boniface was on the score sheet as Bayer Leverkusen stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions this season to a whopping 48 games thanks to a 5-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt, ending their five-match losing run in away head-to-heads in the process.

With the league title in the bag, one foot in the UEFA Europa League final and a DFB-Pokal final on the horizon, things couldn’t be going much better for Leverkusen at the moment.

However, given the prospect of an unbeaten league season is still on the cards, there was never likely to be let-up in performance levels, and Leverkusen showed as much inside 15 minutes when Granit Xhaka thundered home from the edge of the area to fire them into an early lead.

Their advantage should have been doubled moments later, too, when Jonas Hofmann unselfishly squared for Exequiel Palacios, but a last-ditch Willian Pacho block kept Frankfurt in the game.

That proved to be a crucial stop as, shortly after the half-hour mark, a short-corner routine ended with Hugo Ekitike steering home Fares Chaibi’s measured delivery in what was Die Adler’s first meaningful attack of the game.

The hosts’ leveller seemed to change the match’s momentum, with Frankfurt in the ascendancy as HT approached, and Omar Marmoush wasted a fantastic opportunity despite being one-on-one with Lukas Hradecky, incredulously blasting his effort into orbit when in acres of space.

READ ALSO:

• Missing Delta varsity female student found dead, two suspects arrested
• NAF airstrikes kill scores of terrorists in Borno, Niger enclaves
• Edo 2024: Muslims demand fair representation in govt

His miss proved costly moments when, on the stroke of half time, Patrik Schick powered home Adam Hlozek’s delivery at the back post.

Only a goal down, Frankfurt were still in the encounter, but they self-imploded shortly after the restart when a moment of madness from Niels Nkounkou saw him pull Nathan Tella’s shirt inside the area. A penalty was duly awarded and, having been denied earlier, Palacios scored to leave the hosts with a mountain to climb.

That became an insurmountable ascent a little under 15 minutes from time when a lightning-quick Leverkusen counter culminated with Hofmann laying the ball on a plate for substitute Jeremie Frimpong to tap home Die Werkself’s fourth.

Damage limitation was all that was left for Frankfurt, but they were unsuccessful in doing so. Ansgar Knauff caught Frimpong in the area, and after a swift VAR check, a penalty was awarded.

Victor Boniface fired home to round off the scoring and leave Frankfurt knowing they still need a win from their remaining two games to mathematically secure a top-six finish.

As for the juggernaut that is Leverkusen, they’re showing no sign of slowing up and even with boss Xabi Alonso in the stands, displayed yet another dominant performance.

They are now level with Benfica’s 59-year European record for the longest unbeaten run in all competitions, and they can write another piece of history against Roma on Thursday.

Boniface scores as Leverkusen continue unbeaten season with 5 -1 win at Frankfurt

Chelsea thrash West Ham to stay on track for Europe

Chelsea strengthened their chances of securing European football next season, cruising to victory against West Ham at Stamford Bridge.

It took just 15 minutes for The Blues to get their noses in front with Cole Palmer reacting quickest to meet a loose ball in the West Ham box.

West Ham almost hit back immediately when Jarrod Bowen’s header crashed back off the crossbar, but it was one-way traffic from then on.

READ ALSO:

• Poor power supply: Your cup is full, IPOB tells Enugu DisCo
• Nigerian soldier accused of sleeping with colleague’s wife dismissed
• Just in: List of ex-governors under probe over N2.187tn fraud fabricated, says EFCC

The Blues doubled their lead on the half-hour mark through Conor Gallagher before Noni Madueke headed in the third six minutes later.

Nicolas Jackson struck twice in the second half to round off a wholly positive afternoon for the Blues.

With just three games left to play, Chelsea’s season seems to be heading for a strong finish as they have climbed up to seventh and sit just two points shy of sixth-placed Newcastle, while West Ham, who have two games remaining, stay ninth.

Chelsea thrash West Ham to stay on track for Europe