Manchester United will be eager to continue the recent unbeaten run when they welcome Crystal Palace to Old Trafford on Sunday.
Gameweek 24 of the 2024/25 Premier League season will continue on Sunday. While all eyes will be on the game between Manchester City and Arsenal to round up the proceedings, the action will start with two simultaneous matches, including Manchester United vs Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.
Chaos has been the name of the game for Manchester United this term, with the 2024/25 campaign being much worse than last season. Ruben Amorim has barely experienced the “new manager bounce”, with the Red Devils blowing hot and cold in the ten weeks he has been in charge of the team. However, there have been some positive signs in recent results, although offensive and creative issues remain.
As for Crystal Palace, the visitors have overcome a slow start to the 2024/25 season to pull away from the drop zone with exceptional performances. While the South London outfit lost 2-1 to Brentford last week, they have risen to 13th in the Premier League standings. With relegation an increasingly unlikely possibility, Oliver Glasner will concentrate on breaching the top half of the table.
The reverse fixture ended in a goalless draw, even though the two teams managed ten shots on target between them. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester United
Ruben Amorim does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester United manager will be bereft of the services of two first-team players on Sunday.
Luke Shaw continues to make progress after resuming training earlier this week. However, Sunday’s game should have come too soon for the English international. Meanwhile, Jonny Evans (muscle) and Mason Mount (hamstring) remain on the sidelines.
Andre Onana should replace Altay Bayindir between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Crystal Palace on Sunday. The central defensive unit should feature Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and Lisandro Martinez. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui will likely start as the two wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Bruno Fernandes should reprise a deeper role alongside Manuel Ugarte, with Kobbie Mainoo playing in a more advanced position again. Finally, Rasmus Hojlund will spearhead the Manchester United attack against Crystal Palace, with Amad Diallo picking himself in the offensive trifecta.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Onana; De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez; Dalot, Ugarte, Bruno Fernandes, Mazraoui; Amad, Mainoo; Hojlund
Crystal Palace
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Oliver Glasner greeted a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Crystal Palace manager will be without four first-team players on Sunday.
Eberechi Eze is the latest absentee, with Glasner revealing his team’s star playmaker is recovering from a foot issue. The English international accompanies Chadi Riad (knee), Joel Ward (calf), and Cheick Doucoure (knee) on the sidelines. However, Adam Wharton (groin) and Matheus Franca (groin) should return to the matchday squads.
Dean Henderson is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Crystal Palace lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Sunday. The central defensive unit should feature Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, and Marc Guehi. Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell will start as the two wing-backs.
The duo will provide width in the final third while protecting the centre-backs during the defensive phases. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma until Wharton is fully fit. Finally, Jean-Phillipe Mateta will lead the line for Crystal Palace against Manchester United, with Romain Esse and Ismaila Sarr being the two central playmakers.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell; Esse, Sarr; Mateta
Key Stats
- Crystal Palace have won five of their last 11 top-flight encounters vs Manchester United (D3 L3), including three of the most recent matches at Old Trafford. The Red Devils are in danger of going four consecutive league outings without scoring against an opponent for the first time since a similar run versus Arsenal between 1981 and 1983.
- Manchester United are vying to win back-to-back Premier League matches for the first time under Ruben Amorim. They also have the chance to record consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League for the first time since September, with the second game in that sequence a 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace.
- Crystal Palace have earned 13 Premier League away points since the start of December, more than any other side before the start of Gameweek 24. The Eagles are vying to win three consecutive top-flight games on the road for the first time since May 2019.
- Manchester United have failed to score a first-half goal in 17 top-flight games this season, more than any other side, netting 68 per cent of their goals after the break (19 of 28). The Red Devils are unbeaten in all 19 league and cup games this term when scoring first (W11 D8). Arsenal and Newcastle United are the only other Premier League clubs that remain undefeated in all competitions after opening the scoring.
- Jean-Philippe Mateta has scored 21 goals in 36 appearances since Oliver Glasner took charge in February 2024.
Player to Watch
Rasmus Hojlund
While Bruno Fernandes and Jean-Philippe Mateta were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Rasmus Hojlund as our Player to Watch for Sunday’s game between Manchester United and Crystal Palace. Kobbie Mainoo was also an option after his excellent showing in a more advanced role earlier this week against FCSB. However, Hojlund gets the nod.
The Danish international has gone 12 consecutive league and cup appearances without scoring since netting twice against Viktoria Plzen on December 12. With Manchester United showing interest in Mathys Tel, Hojlund must step up to keep his place in the starting eleven, starting with the game vs Crystal Palace this weekend.
Prediction
Manchester United 1-0 Crystal Palace
Manchester United have never won successive Premier League games under Ruben Amorim, while Crystal Palace’s recent record on the road is impeccable. In addition, Oliver Glasner’s men have conceded 11 Premier League away goals this term, fewer than any other side in the top flight.
So, all signs point to the Eagles continuing their exceptional run against Manchester United and the Red Devils continuing to draw a blank vs the South London outfit. However, Kobbie Mainoo should continue being a revelation in the more advanced role, helping the home side clinch a narrow victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a closely contested affair to end in a 1-0 win for Amorim and his charges.