What went wrong for Manchester United against Crystal Palace despite Van de Beek’s debut Premier League goal?

Manchester United’s 2020-21 season started in a disappointing fashion after losing at home to Crystal Palace by 1-3. 

First half

It only took 7 minutes for United to ship their first goal of the season. Following a rather moderately paced ground cross from Jeffrey Schlupp, Andros Townsend tapped in to make it 0-1. 

Manchester United’s defence looked shaky throughout the game, and fans have been quite vocal about their disappointment over the poor display from the two centre-halves, Lindelof and Maguire. The latter is the most expensive centre back in the world. 

GettyImages 1206106266 What went wrong for Manchester United against Crystal Palace despite Van de Beek's debut Premier League goal?

(Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

Maguire was partly at fault for not dealing with the cross, jogging his way back while Luke Shaw completely missed the ball to let it onto the feet of Townsend. 

United had plenty of great chances in the first half, but did not manage to take them successfully. 

Second Half

A penalty was awarded to Palace in the second half for a handball by Lindelof. While the decision was considered cruel by some, it wasn’t the shocker of the game. 

114494825 wilfriedzaha What went wrong for Manchester United against Crystal Palace despite Van de Beek's debut Premier League goal?

While the penalty taken by Townsend was saved, VAR ordered a re-take because De Gea was only a couple of inches off his line. 

The subsequent attempt was converted by Zaha to make it 0-2. 

Making his Manchester United debut from the bench, Donny Van de Beek managed to make it 1-2 as he scored his first goal for the Red Devils. However, the effort was in vain as Zaha managed to put another brilliant strike past David De Gea to seal all three points and make it 1-3. 

Talking Points

While De Gea impressed throughout the game, making a few decent saves, the defence looked extremely unconvincing. A lack of confidence by Lindelof and Maguire led directly to two goals scored by the opposition. 

5f6651b2c485b30394f9d256 o U v2 What went wrong for Manchester United against Crystal Palace despite Van de Beek's debut Premier League goal?

VAR has also come into further scrutiny due to the penalty being re-taken. In all honesty, the rules seem a little too cruel and ideal to be implemented in practical situations. 

Though one might argue that a centimetre offside is still offside, a goalkeeper should not be an exception to fine margins. 

However, nothing is quite as easy as it seems for the goalies. 

United must show urgency and composure in defense if they are to make amends for the poor display against Palace. 

United face Luton Town in Round 3 of the EFL Cup on Tuesday, whereas Palace take on Everton next weekend.

Do check out:

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

More like this

Manchester United’s Summer Overhaul: Key Departures to Fund Major Transfers

Manchester United’s Summer Overhaul: Key Departures to Fund Major...

Manchester United are preparing for one of their most significant transfer windows in recent history. With Ruben...
Crystal Palace Become First Club to Launch Aftercare Program for Released Players Without a Future in Football

Crystal Palace Become First Club to Launch Aftercare Program...

In a landmark move within professional football, Crystal Palace Football Club has introduced a comprehensive three-year aftercare...
Chelsea Stun Manchester United to Secure Geovany Quenda for £40m

Chelsea Stun Manchester United to Secure Geovany Quenda for...

Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign Sporting CP's highly-rated winger Geovany Quenda for approximately £40 million....

Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani net worth: How much...

Qatari Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the chairman of the Qatar Islamic Bank, has placed a...
"Give Ruben a Break" – Jim Ratcliffe Backs Amorim Despite Manchester United Struggles

“Give Ruben a Break” – Jim Ratcliffe Backs Amorim...

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has publicly defended head coach Ruben Amorim, acknowledging that while the...

LATEST NEWS

OnePlus 13T Sets New AnTuTu Record with Over 3 Million Score

The OnePlus 13T is just weeks away from its official launch, but it has already made an impressive appearance on AnTuTu. Well, according to...

ISL 2024-25: Javi Hernandez’s Late Heroics Hand Jamshedpur FC Crucial First-Leg Edge Over Mohun Bagan Super Giant

Jamshedpur FC took a significant step towards the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 final with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Mohun Bagan Super Giant...

Smart Samsung Cooling: Goodbye Sleepless Summers with Style!

Imagine a world where your air conditioner and fan work in perfect harmony, creating the ideal sleeping environment without you lifting a finger. Samsung...

IPL 2025: Venkatesh, Arora Star as KKR Hand SRH Their Biggest-Ever Loss

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) rediscovered their explosive batting form in Mumbai, while Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) continued their struggles, suffering a third consecutive defeat despite...

Featured