Manchester United fight back to beat Crystal Palace 2-1, reclaim Premier League top-six spot

Manchester United fight back to beat Crystal Palace 2-1, reclaim Premier League top-six spot

Manchester United overcame a halftime setback and ended their Selhurst Park struggles with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace, climbing back into the Premier League top six.

United had not scored at Selhurst Park since Bruno Fernandes found the net in January 2023, and their last win at the stadium dated back to July 2020 when Anthony Martial featured on the scoresheet. Palace dominated the first half and went ahead through Jean-Philippe Mateta, who converted two penalties.

The match also carried echoes of the past, with some home supporters mocking United legend Eric Cantona, whose infamous 1995 incident at Selhurst Park remains one of football’s most talked-about moments.

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Under-fire striker Joshua Zirkzee, criticized heavily after a poor performance in the defeat to 10-man Everton, repaid manager Rúben Amorim’s trust by smashing in a powerful equalizer from a tight angle early in the second half. Moments later, Mason Mount drilled Fernandes’ clever short free-kick low past goalkeeper Dean Henderson to complete the comeback.

The result snapped United’s three-match losing streak and denied Crystal Palace a chance to break into the Premier League’s top four.

A major talking point came nine minutes before halftime when VAR intervened after Mateta’s first penalty. Under a new Premier League rule introduced this season, a player is permitted to retake a penalty if he accidentally strikes the ball twice before it crosses the line. VAR official Matt Donohue informed referee Rob Jones of the infringement, leading to the first-ever implementation of the rule. Mateta calmly converted again, sending Senne Lammens the wrong way.

Following a shocking loss to Everton—where a teammate struck another player and was sent off—Amorim’s team avoided what would have been another bizarre defeat, instead securing a vital win through resilience and renewed attacking sharpness.

Manchester United fight back to beat Crystal Palace 2-1, reclaim Premier League top-six spot